Kentucky basketball got exactly what it needed Friday night with a reset. After being blown out by Michigan State on Tuesday, the Wildcats responded with a dominant performance, throttling Loyola (MD)
in an 88 to 46 win.
The tone was set immediately with a surprising but energizing lineup change. Kam Williams and Malachi Moreno earned starting spots, with Mo Dioubate sidelined due to the ankle injury suffered in East Lansing and Brandon Garrison moved to the bench after recent struggles. The decision paid off early.
Kentucky stormed out to a 50–20 halftime lead, fueled by sharper ball movement, tougher rebounding, and the kind of defensive energy missing earlier in the week. While Moreno and Garrison played identical minutes in the first half, the difference in impact was clear with Moreno posting 2 assists, while Garrison finished the half with none, continuing the questions around his consistency.
Offensively, Collin Chandler led Kentucky with 11 first-half points, showing confidence and rhythm from the jump. Otega Oweh added 9, bullying his way into the paint and finishing through contact.
But the standout of the night was Kam Williams. The freshman delivered his best stretch of the season in the opening 20 minutes: 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal, providing the spark Mark Pope has been searching for.
The second half was more of the same as Kentucky kept the pressure on and never looked back, securing a blowout win that resets the mood in Lexington heading into a crucial stretch of the schedule.
Here are five things to know from the Cats’ latest victory.
1. Malachi Moreno shines as starter
The first thing to know from Kentucky’s blowout win Friday night is this: freshman big man Malachi Moreno earned the start over Brandon Garrison, and he absolutely made the most of it. Garrison, who has struggled this season with consistency, physicality, and efficiency, was replaced in the starting lineup by the 7-foot freshman, which was a move many fans had been calling for and Moreno once again proved why.
Considered a long-term project coming into the season, Moreno has rapidly flipped that narrative. Instead of being a developmental piece, he’s become one of Kentucky’s most reliable contributors. Against Loyola (MD), he stuffed the stat sheet, delivering multiple assists, blocks, and steady scoring while showcasing his ability to affect the game on both ends of the floor. His court awareness, passing touch, and rim protection were all on display, further strengthening the case that he has surpassed Garrison in effectiveness so far this year.
What makes Moreno’s rise even more impressive is how comfortable and confident he looks as a true freshman. His timing defensively and decision-making offensively continue to improve each game, giving head coach Mark Pope a new anchor in the frontcourt.
Meanwhile, Kentucky hopes this performance serves as a much-needed wake-up call for Garrison. The talent is still there, and the staff believes he can turn the corner, but Kentucky needs him to respond and quickly as the schedule toughens.
2. Collin Chandler continues to improve
Sophomore guard Collin Chandler continues to take major strides forward, emerging as one of Kentucky’s most reliable and efficient scorers after a rocky start to the preseason. During the exhibition games, Chandler struggled when asked to run the point, a role that limited his strengths and put him in uncomfortable situations. Once Mark Pope and his staff shifted him back off the ball, everything changed.
Since then, Chandler has looked like a completely different player. He has scored double figures in every game this season except the Eastern Illinois matchup, and he’s doing it with elite efficiency. Chandler is shooting over 50% from the field and above 50% from three, making him one of the most dangerous perimeter threats on the roster. His ability to space the floor, move without the ball, and score within the flow of the offense has been crucial for a Kentucky team still searching for consistency and identity.
If Chandler continues on this trajectory, he has a chance to become one of the key drivers behind a potential deep NCAA Tournament run. For a team working to iron out rotations and chemistry, his growth couldn’t be coming at a better time.
3. Kam Williams becoming consistent contributor
Kam Williams delivered one of his most complete performances of the season, filling up the stat sheet in a dominant win over Loyola (MD). It’s been a steady climb for Williams, who struggled throughout the exhibition slate and entered the regular season still searching for his rhythm, but everything changed during the Louisville game, a breakout moment that seemed to unlock his confidence. Since then, Williams has steadily become a positive, reliable presence for Mark Pope’s squad.
Against Loyola (MD), Williams showcased exactly why Kentucky believes he can be a high-impact rotation player. He affected the game everywhere: scoring in transition, battling on the glass, defending multiple positions, and moving the ball with poise. He came close to recording a double-double, a testament to the energy and versatility he played with from the opening tip.
His ability to contribute in so many ways makes him particularly valuable for a Kentucky team still trying to find its identity. Williams’ emergence comes at the perfect time, giving Kentucky another dependable piece as they prepare for tougher non-conference matchups. If he maintains this level of play, he could cement himself as a major part of Kentucky’s rotation, or even a starter, as the season progresses.
4. Otega Oweh has more efficient game
Kentucky finally saw the version of Otega Oweh they’ve been waiting for on Friday night, as the senior guard turned in his most efficient and complete performance of the season in a blowout win over Loyola (MD). While Oweh has consistently scored in double figures throughout the year, his production has often come with uneven shooting nights, forced three-pointers, and stretches of hero-ball that stalled Kentucky’s offense. That changed against Loyola, and it made a noticeable impact.
Oweh finished with double-digit points while shooting over 50% from the field, a major improvement from earlier games in which he frequently settled for contested threes or difficult isolation attempts. Instead of relying on the perimeter shot, he attacked the basket, picked his spots, and let the game come to him. The result was a smooth, confident offensive effort that helped Kentucky control the game from the opening minutes.
It wasn’t just the scoring. Oweh also contributed multiple rebounds and steals, showing the kind of all-around, high-energy play that Kentucky needs from him on both ends. His defensive activity helped fuel transition opportunities, and his physicality on the boards helped in supporting Kentucky’s frontcourt.
5. Kentucky’s defense was solid
Kentucky delivered its strongest defensive performance of the season Friday night, overwhelming Loyola (MD) from start to finish in a blowout victory at Rupp Arena. After a tough stretch of inconsistent play, the Wildcats responded with the kind of energy, urgency, and discipline that head coach Mark Pope has been demanding, and the result was a defensive clinic.
The Wildcats set the tone early, holding Loyola to just 20 points in the first half, smothering nearly every possession with pressure and physicality. Kentucky contested shots, clogged passing lanes, and forced Loyola (MD) deep into the shot clock throughout the opening 20 minutes, and out of halftime, nothing changed. The Wildcats continued to swarm the ball, rotating with precision and denying clean looks, allowing Loyola to finish with just a little over 40 total points which is one of the lowest scoring outputs Kentucky has held an opponent to in years.
Kentucky’s activity was felt everywhere on the stat sheet. The Wildcats recorded over 10 steals and more than 5 blocks, using their length and athleticism to disrupt Loyola’s rhythm at every level of the floor. Their ball pressure forced Loyola into over 10 turnovers, many of which led to transition opportunities and easy points on the other end.
For a team that has struggled guarding the perimeter and maintaining intensity across full games, Friday night was a major step forward.
Conclusion
Kentucky needed to respond after losing to Michigan State and the team did that with a great overall team performance. Hopefully, they can continue this effort going into their tougher non-conference games including: Indiana, Gonzaga, UNC, and St. John’s.
If this team can get fully healthy, then this team can be dominant but they need to have a complete 180 since the Louisville and Michigan State games.Plus, if anyone can do it, Mark Pope can because of what he did with a team that was injured a lot last year but still was able to lead Kentucky to the Sweet 16 in his first season as the head coach for Kentucky.
