Kentucky-Vanderbilt Postgame Notes

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY
FEBRUARY 28, 2026
ATTENDANCE: 20,075

Final Score: Kentucky 91, No. 25/21 Vanderbilt 77

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 19-10 overall, 10-6 in the Southeastern Conference
• Vanderbilt is 22-7 overall, 9-7 in the SEC.
• Kentucky leads the series 159-51, including 88-16 in Lexington.
• Next for Kentucky: the last away game of the regular season is Tuesday when the Wildcats take on Texas A&M. Game time is 7 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. Central in Bryan-College Station) and it will be televised on ESPN2.

Team Notes

• This was Kentucky’s fifth win this season vs. an AP Top 25 opponent.
• With Collin Chandler scoring 23 points today, he becomes the eighth Wildcat who has scored at least 20 points in a game this season.
  • This is the first time UK has had eight 20-point scorers in a season since 1991-92.
• Kentucky held Vanderbilt to 25 percent on 3-point shots (7 of 28). UK is 9-0 this season when keeping the opponent to 25 percent or less.
• Kentucky led the rebounding, 29-22. UK is 15-4 this season when winning the glass battle.
• Kentucky shot 58.8 percent from the field today (30 of 51), best this season against an SEC opponent.
  • UK is 10-0 this season when shooting at least 50 percent.
• Kentucky made 50 percent of its 3-pointers (11 of 22), best this season against an SEC opponent.
• Kentucky is now 13-1 this season when leading at halftime, 34-2 under Pope when leading at the intermission.

Player Notes  

• After scoring a career-high 18 points four times this season, Collin Chandler set a new career best with 23 points.
  • He hit 6 of 8 from long range, matching his career high for 3-pointers made.
  • He has made at least five 3-pointers in three of the last five games, making 20 of 35 (57.1 percent) during the five-game span.
  • He is now shooting 48.8 percent (41 of 84) in SEC games.
• Otega Oweh returned to the double-digit column with 23 points, including 17 in the second half as the Wildcats worked to keep the visitors at bay.
  • Has scored at least 20 points in 12 of 16 SEC games.
• Denzel Aberdeen had 15 points and chipped in four assists with no turnovers.
  • It is his 21^st double-figure game of the season and 12^th in the last 14 games.
  • It was his seventh game this season with three or more made 3-pointers.
• Malachi Moreno played an efficient game with 11 points, a team-high six rebounds, a team-best five assists and a team-high plus/minus with a +17.
  • It is the seventh game this season that he has led the team in assists, a remarkable achievement for a 7-foot freshman center.
• Mouhamed Dioubate played another rugged game around the basket with eight points, four rebounds and a game-high three steals.
  • He drew five fouls from VU, leading to a 6-of-8 performance at the foul line.
• Kentucky is currently missing Jayden Quaintance, Kam Williams and Jaland Lowe because of injury. Lowe is out for the season.
  • By the time Kentucky reaches the end of the regular season, during his two years at UK, Coach Mark Pope will have played only five of 52 games against high-major opponents (9.6%) with a full roster.

In the First Half

• Kentucky started the combination of Denzel Aberdeen, Collin Chandler, Otega Oweh, Andrija Jelavic and Malachi Moreno for the 10^th consecutive game.
• UK’s first substitutions were Brandon Garrison, Mo Dioubate and Jasper Johnson at 14:10.
• Kentucky scored on eight of the first 10 possessions – including four 3-pointers, plus a 3-point play by Jelavic – in building a 21-12 lead.
• Chandler hit four 3-pointers in the first six and one-half minutes as UK led 24-14.
• Kentucky made 8 of the first 12 on 3-point shots.
• Kentucky led by 20 points, 42-22, when Vanderbilt went on a 7-0 run.
• Kentucky went to halftime ahead 46-31, UK’s largest halftime lead this season against an SEC opponent.
  • Kentucky shot 54.8 percent in the first half, including 56.3 on 3-pointers.
  • UK turned six VU turnovers into an 11-0 advantage in points on turnovers.
  • This is the most points UK has scored in the first vs. Vanderbilt in Rupp Arena since Jan. 30, 2010 (49 points) and tied the largest halftime home lead vs. VU (15) since that same game.
  • Chandler led Kentucky with 15 points.

In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with the starters.
• Vanderbilt got within 12 points early in the second half but no closer.
• Kentucky responded, eventually pushing the lead to 22 points at 89-67.