Kentucky-Nicholls Postgame Notes

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY.
NOVEMBER 4, 2025
ATTENDANCE: 19,289

Final Score: No. 9 Kentucky 77, Nicholls 51

Team Records and Series Notes

This was the season opener for both teams.
This was the first time Kentucky and Nicholls met in men’s basketball.
The Wildcats play host to Valparaiso on Friday. Game time is 7 p.m. and it will be televised on SEC Network+.

Team Notes

Tonight’s tussle was the first game of the BBN United Tipoff Classic. Valparaiso and Eastern Illinois are also part of the multi-team event.
The 2025-26 season is Kentucky’s 50th season in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center.
Beginning its 124th season of men’s basketball, Kentucky is now 102-21 all-time in season openers (no official games in the 1952-53 season) and has won the last four lidlifters in a row.
Kentucky is now 107-16 all-time in home openers. UK is 46-4 in home openers in Rupp Arena and has won 17 in a row.
Kentucky held Nicholls to 51 points, lowest of any opponent in the Mark Pope era.
- UK is now 13-0 under Pope when holding the opponent under 70 points.

Player Notes

Sparked by four 3-pointers, Collin Chandler led all scorers with a career-high 15 points and tied his career best for assists with four.
Otega Oweh began the season with a double-figure game, scoring 13.
Denzel Aberdeen scored 10 points and notched a career-high six assists.
Three Wildcats played their first collegiate games tonight …
- Jasper Johnson tallied 11 points.
- Malachi Moreno collected five points and a game-high nine rebounds.
- Andrija Jelavic notched six points and five rebounds.
Mo Dioubate had seven points, seven rebounds and a career-high-tying four assists.
Jaland Lowe and Jayden Quaintance missed the game because of injury.

Coach Mark Pope

Pope has won eight season openers in a row, including his final season at Utah Valley, all five openers at BYU, and now two at Kentucky.
Pope is in his 11^th season as a head coach with a 212-120 all-time record, including 25-12 in his second season at Kentucky.

In the First Half

Kentucky started Otega Oweh, Collin Chandler, Trent Noah, Mo Dioubate and Brandon Garrison.
Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno were UK’s first subs at the 14:25 mark.
On a lob from Dioubate, Garrison got the first basket of the season at the 17:50 mark.
The first 3-pointer was tallied by Denzel Aberdeen with 13:05 remaining.
During the first 13 and one-half minutes of play, Kentucky limited the visitors to 1-of-15 on field goals as the Wildcats led 15-7.
A Johnson lob for a Garrison dunk sent Kentucky to a 28-15 lead at halftime.
- UK held Nicholls to 12 percent from the field (3 of 25) and 7 percent from 3-point range (1 of 14).
- 15 points is fewest for a UK opponent in one half since Abilene Christian tallied 13 in the first half of an NCAA Tournament game on March 21, 2019.
- 15 points is the fewest for a UK opponent in one half in Rupp Arena since Eastern Kentucky scored 14 in the first half on Dec. 7, 2014.
- Aberdeen and Johnson led Kentucky in scoring with five points each.

In the Second Half

UK began the second half with Aberdeen, Chandler, Oweh, Dioubate and Garrison.
The Wildcats came out hot, making their first five shots (plus a free throw), swiftly pushing the score to 41-19 and the Colonels called timeout with 16:30 remaining.
An 11-0 run pushed the score to 54-26.
Chandler’s dunk with 5:12 remaining gave Kentucky its largest lead of the game at 32 points, 72-40.

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