Who says it’s just an exhibition game!?
Friday night could not have been more perfect for Big Blue Nation, as the ninth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats manhandled top-ranked Purdue 78-65. You’d be hard-pressed
to find a more satisfying exhibition win at any level of sports than this was, and for good reason.
Exhibitions are typically for getting a good look at what everyone can do rather than playing a tight rotation like you’d see in a regular-season game. That was evident with Kentucky, who had 10 players log double-digit minutes, while preseason All-American Otega Oweh played just 17 minutes.
Purdue actually treated this game more like a regular-season game, as names like Braden Smith (32 minutes), Fletcher Loyer (31 minutes), and Trey Kaufman-Renn (28 minutes) logged heavy minutes.
But throughout the game, it didn’t matter what lineup Kentucky used en route to a 13-point win over a Purdue team that absolutely deserves the hype after making several big additions to a roster returning much of its Sweet 16 team from last season.
Making this win even sweeter for Kentucky fans was seeing three Bluegrass boys step up and take it to the veteran-heavy Boilermakers. Two of them were freshmen in center Malachi Moreno and combo guard Jasper Johnson, while Trent Noah is a sophomore.
All three of those Kentucky kids shined bright, accounting for 33 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and just two turnovers.
Johnson led the way with 15 points (6/10 shooting and 3/7 on 3s) in 19 minutes. The former Woodford County star was arguably the best player in a game that featured three preseason All-Americans (Otega Oweh, Braden Smith, and Trey Kaufman-Renn).
This was the kind of performance that showed why Johnson was a top-10 recruit for much of the 2025 recruiting cycle.
Despite Purdue having an imposing frontline, Moreno more than held his own to record eight points (4/5 shooting), four boards, a steal, and a block in 22 minutes. The Great Crossings product and birthday boy looked more than ready to take over the starting center spot while Jayden Quaintance is out and maintain a significant role even when JQ returns.
Finally, Noah showed off that 3-point shot that many regard as the team’s best, hitting 2/4 from deep and 3/6 from the field for 10 points to go with two boards and an assist.
It’s no secret Kentucky fans take a lot of pride in seeing players from their state get to suit up for the Wildcats, and boy, are they in for a treat this season.
This Kentucky team looks primed to win a lot of games and make a deep NCAA Tournament run. The Bluegrass boys are ready to play a major role in making that a reality.
Go Cats!
