Sunday Headlines: Kentucky gets ‘super personal’ win over Vanderbilt

Feb 28, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) reacts after making a three point basket during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images It wa

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What is the story about?

It was barely over a month ago when Kentucky went to Nashville and was thoroughly embarrassed inside Memorial Gymnasium by the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Kentucky scored a season-low 55 points in that game on January 27, falling 80-55 to the Commodores. A month later, it was the Wildcats who were dominant in Rupp Arena, defeating Vanderbilt 91-77 in a game where Kentucky led by as many as 22 in the second half.

For Kentucky, yesterday’s game was personal.

Not only did the Cats want to make up for an embarrassing

performance in Nashville, it sounds like several of the Kentucky players didn’t forget the comments made by Vanderbilt players after that last matchup.

Collin Chandler, Otega Oweh, and Malachi Moreno all made references to comments made last time around, referencing Kentucky’s lack of toughness and physicality.

“They was talking crazy before last game, saying we weak, all this,” Oweh said after the game. “And that physicality, we struggle with that. So definitely was personal. Just trying to set the tone. I feel like we could have done that the first game, as well. We didn’t, but this time around we just wanted to make sure we was the more physical team.”

Vanderbilt was the more physical team in that first matchup, and it showed with the result of the game. Yesterday, it seems like Kentucky wanted to be the more physical team and they did that from the start, which allowed them to put together one of their best performances of the season.

Now, it’s important for Kentucky to keep the momentum rolling to finish out the regular season and head into the SEC Tournament.