No. 23 Kentucky Basketball returns to Rupp Arena on Friday night for its second exhibition game of the season, welcoming the No. 19 Texas Tech Red Raiders to Lexington.
The Wildcats opened exhibition play last Friday with a 69-49 victory over Little Rock, coached by former Kentucky player Travis Ford. While Kentucky came away with a 20-point win, the performance was far from perfect, as Mark Pope’s team struggled with turnovers and offensive consistency.
Kentucky committed 19 turnovers, compared with
15 by Little Rock, and scored 18 points off the Trojans’ mistakes. Although the Wildcats only managed 69 points, holding an opponent below 50 points was an encouraging defensive performance.
Milan Momcilovic led Kentucky with 16 points and seven rebounds, shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. Alex Wilkins added 11 points, while Mason Williams contributed 10 points, three assists, and three steals on 4-for-5 shooting. Zoom Diallo finished with seven points, five rebounds and five assists.
Despite the victory, Kentucky’s backcourt will need to improve its decision-making and offensive production against a more experienced Texas Tech team.
The matchup also marks the first meeting between Kentucky and Texas Tech since 2020, when the Wildcats escaped with a 76-74 overtime victory in Lubbock.
The Red Raiders enter this matchup with several experienced players, including forward Darrion Williams, who returned to Texas Tech after spending last season at NC State. The Wildcats will also have to account for a talented group of guards capable of scoring from the perimeter and creating opportunities off the dribble.
Texas Tech will be without star forward JT Toppin, who remains sidelined while recovering from a torn ACL. His absence takes away a major frontcourt presence, but the Red Raiders still have plenty of talent to challenge Kentucky.
Here’s what you need to watch for as the Wildcats prepare for their second exhibition game.
Taking better care of the basketball
Kentucky’s 19 turnovers against Little Rock were one of the biggest concerns coming out of the exhibition opener. The Wildcats were careless with the ball at times, allowing the Trojans to stay competitive despite struggling offensively.
The backcourt trio of Diallo, Wilkins, and Williams combined for 28 points but also committed eight turnovers. Against Texas Tech, Kentucky will need those guards to make better decisions, protect possession, and get the offense into its sets more consistently.
If the Wildcats can limit mistakes and avoid giving the Red Raiders easy transition opportunities, they will put themselves in a much better position to win.
Can Kentucky reach 30+ 3-point attempts?
Since taking over as Kentucky’s head coach, Pope has emphasized the importance of shooting a high volume of 3-pointers. His offensive philosophy aims to generate roughly 30-35 attempts from beyond the arc per game.
Kentucky attempted 28 3-pointers against Little Rock, converting 12 for an impressive 42.9%.
Momcilovic showed why he could be one of the Wildcats’ most important offensive weapons, knocking down four 3-pointers. His shooting ability should help create space for Kentucky’s guards to attack the basket and give the offense another dimension.
The question is whether Kentucky can maintain that efficiency while increasing its perimeter volume. Friday’s matchup should provide another indication of how Pope plans to use his shooters this season.
Backcourt needs to step up
Although Momcilovic led the way against Little Rock, Kentucky needs more consistent production from its guards.
Diallo, Wilkins and Williams combined for 28 points, but the group’s eight turnovers highlighted an area that needs improvement. Diallo, in particular, will need to be more efficient while continuing to facilitate the offense and create opportunities for his teammates.
Wilkins also has an opportunity to build on his 11-point performance and become a more consistent scoring threat. Meanwhile, Williams showed promise by scoring 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting while adding three assists and three steals.
If Kentucky’s backcourt can score efficiently, distribute the ball and protect possession, the Wildcats could have a much more productive offensive performance against Texas Tech.
Texas Tech players to watch
- DaKari Spear, guard: The 6-foot-5 freshman from The Colony, Texas, arrives as a 4 -star recruit; Spear earned All-American recognition and helped lead FaZe to the 2026 Overtime Elite championship. He averaged 19.8 points and shot better than 40% from the 3-point line during his Overtime Elite season, making him a young perimeter threat Kentucky must account for.
- Darrion Williams, forward: The 6-foot-6, 225-pound fifth-year forward returns to Texas Tech after leading NC State with 14 points per game last season. Williams previously earned All-Big 12 First Team honors with the Red Raiders in 2024-25, averaging 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. His versatility makes him a player Kentucky will need to contain on both ends of the floor.
- Donovan Atwell, guard: The 6-foot-5 fifth-year guard is coming off a productive season in which he made 130 3-pointers at a 45.8% clip. He averaged 13.5 points per game and ranked among the nation’s top perimeter shooters. Kentucky will need to avoid leaving him open beyond the arc.
- Cruz Davis, guard: The 6-foot-3 fifth-year guard transferred from Hofstra after averaging 20.1 points, 4.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game last season. Davis also shot 40% from 3-point range and earned Coastal Athletic Association Player of the Year honors. His scoring and playmaking make him one of Texas Tech’s most experienced offensive threats.
- Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, guard: The 6-foot-1 senior transferred to Texas Tech after leading UNLV with 20.7 points per game last season. He shot 41.4% from 3-point range and earned Mountain West Newcomer of the Year and All-Mountain West First Team honors. Kentucky’s guards will need to make his shots difficult and limit his ability to create offense.
- JT Toppin, forward: The 6-foot-9 forward remains sidelined while recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season. Toppin averaged 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds before his injury and earned consensus All-American honors. Although he is not expected to play, his absence is a significant factor in Texas Tech’s frontcourt rotation.
Kentucky has an opportunity to build on its opening exhibition victory, but the Wildcats will need to show improvement in ball security and backcourt production against a talented Texas Tech roster.
What will you be watching for Friday night at Rupp Arena? Send us your thoughts in the comments section!
Kentucky Basketball vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Location: Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky
- Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
- Game Time: 7:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: SEC Network+, so this is an internet-only game
- Online Stream: Watch ESPN and the ESPN app
- Radio: UK Sports Network with Tom Leach and Jack “Goose” Givens
- Rosters: UK | TT
- KenPom: UK | TT
How do you see this one playing out? Sound off in the comments section!
