Malachi Moreno didn’t just hit a game-winner, but he created a moment that will live in Kentucky Wildcats lore.
With Kentucky trailing by one and the clock nearly gone, Collin Chandler launched a long pass
across the court. Moreno caught it in rhythm, turned, and fired as time expired. The shot went through the net, sealing a stunning 75–74 comeback win over LSU after the Wildcats had trailed by as many as 18.
From now on, it has a name: The Malachi Miracle.
For Moreno, the moment felt like something straight out of childhood imagination.
“It’s like being a little kid in your backyard again,” Moreno said. “You know those are those shots that you just always practice.”
The play wasn’t designed for him to be the hero, but he made himself one anyway. With no panic and no hesitation, Moreno trusted his work and his instincts.
Head coach Mark Pope saw something even bigger than the shot itself.
“How about a kid executing with poise?” Pope said. “He didn’t run away from the shot. He owned the shot.”
What makes the moment even sweeter is where Moreno comes from. The freshman is a homegrown Kentucky talent from Georgetown, just about 20 minutes down the road from Lexington. A kid who once dreamed of moments like this in his own backyard just delivered one for the program he grew up watching.
In a season already tested by injuries, including Jaland Lowe’s season-ending shoulder surgery, Kentucky needed belief. The Malachi Miracle delivered exactly that: A reminder that confidence, preparation, and fearlessness can change everything in one moment.
One shot. One name. One memory that won’t fade in Lexington.
