DISPATCH
Kentucky Knocks Off No. 19 Texas Tech in Exhibition Showdown
No. 23 Kentucky delivered an encouraging preseason performance Friday night, defeating No. 19 Texas Tech, 76-65, before 19,228 fans at Rupp Arena. Malachi Moreno and Milan Momcilovic scored 15 points apiece, while freshman Mason Williams contributed 14 and Alex Wilkins added 13. The Wildcats overcame a sluggish start and a second-half Texas Tech rally, outscoring the Red Raiders 24-13 after the game was tied at 52. Kentucky improved its ball security considerably, finishing with 18 assists and 11 turnovers after committing 19 miscues in its exhibition opener.
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Mason Williams Strengthens His Case for Major Backcourt Role
Freshman Mason Williams continued his impressive preseason Friday, scoring 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting in Kentucky’s victory over Texas Tech. The young guard made two three-pointers and committed no turnovers in 27 minutes, bringing his two-game exhibition total to 24 points with just one turnover. Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland praised Williams’ confidence and competitive spirit, while Mark Pope indicated that injuries elsewhere in the backcourt could require the freshman to play approximately 24 to 26 minutes per game.
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Kentucky Legend Dan Issel Receives Rousing Welcome at Rupp Arena
Former Kentucky All-American Dan Issel returned to Rupp Arena Friday night and received a standing ovation as the honorary “Y” during the traditional spelling of KENTUCKY. The former Wildcat also greeted fans and signed copies of his forthcoming book, Dan Issel: From Kentucky Wildcat to NBA Legend. Issel’s appearance brought one of the program’s most celebrated figures back to the arena as Kentucky faced Texas Tech.
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Alex Wilkins Earns Pope’s Praise for Defensive Progress
Alex Wilkins delivered one of the most encouraging performances of Kentucky’s preseason Friday, finishing with 13 points, seven assists and three steals against Texas Tech. The former Furman guard scored 11 points after halftime, including two crucial late three-pointers, but it was his defensive improvement that particularly impressed Mark Pope. The Kentucky coach described how Wilkins repeatedly sought additional repetitions during practice drills earlier in the week, demonstrating a growing commitment to becoming a more complete player.
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Gilgeous-Alexander’s Historic Scoring Streak Ends at 141 Games
Former Kentucky standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander saw his extraordinary streak of 141 consecutive games scoring at least 20 points come to an end Thursday as Oklahoma City defeated Denver, 96-84. The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player finished with 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting, ending a streak that dated to November 1, 2024. Despite his difficult shooting night, the Thunder improved to 2-0 behind a defense that limited Denver to just 36 second-half points.
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