Kentucky-UCF Postgame Notes

KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME NOTES
RUPP ARENA AT CENTRAL BANK CENTER | LEXINGTON, KY.
OCTOBER 28, 2026
ATTENDANCE: 18,958

Final Score: No. 23 Kentucky 90, UCF 76 (overtime)

Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky finishes the exhibition portion of the schedule 3-0 and the Wildcats are now 158-13 all-time in exhibition games.
• This game does not count in the series record. Kentucky leads the countable series 1-0, a 59-57 home win on Jan. 3, 2006.
• Kentucky begins the regular season Tues. Nov. 3 at home vs. Manhattan. Game time is 7 p.m. and it will be televised on SEC Network Plus.

Team Notes

• Kentucky won the rebounding tonight, 46-42.
• Kentucky used its size to win points in the paint, 30-20.
• Kentucky had 23 assists on 32 made baskets, 71.9 percent assists mark.
  • Kentucky had 64.6 percent assists on made baskets during the exhibition games, 53 assists on 82 baskets.
• In the three exhibition games, the opponents shot 35.4 percent from the field (67 of 189), including 24.3 percent on 3-pointers (19 of 78).

Player Notes

• Four Wildcats scored in double figures tonight – Milan Momcilovic 19, Mason Williams 18, Malachi Moreno 16 and Alex Wilkins 12.
• In addition to his 16 points, Moreno played 37 minutes, claimed 14 rebounds and dished eight assists – all three of which would have been career highs if this had been an official game. His official career bests are 32 minutes, 11 rebounds and six assists.

Coach Mark Pope

• UK is 6-1 in exhibition play under Mark Pope.
• Pope will enter his 12^th season as a head coach with a 233-134 all-time record, including 46-24 entering his second season at Kentucky.

In the First Half

• Kentucky started the same lineup in all three exhibitions – Zoom Diallo, Alex Wilkins, Milan Momchilovich, Ousmane N’Diaye and Malachi Moreno.
• Mason Williams and Justin McBride were the first substitutions at the 13:21 mark.
• Kentucky took its largest lead, 13 points, at 30-17 and 35-22.
• UCF closed the half on a 13-4 run, narrowing UK’s advantage to 39-34 at halftime.
• Braydon Hawthorne and Williams came off the bench to lead the Wildcats with seven points apiece. Moreno collected four points, four rebounds and six assists.

In the Second Half

• Kentucky began the second half with the starters.
• UCF trimmed the score to 43-41 but UK responded with seven straight points, coaxing a Knights timeout at 15:08.
• With Kentucky ahead 57-47, UCF went on a 21-8 run to take a 68-65 lead with 2:09 to go.
• A Moreno dunk, followed by a rebound and two foul shots by Momcilovic, put UK ahead 69-68 with 1:24 left.
• Two free throws by Arturo Dean reclaimed the lead for UCF with 26 seconds left.
• Fouled with 9.5 seconds left, Hawthorne missed two free throws.
• UCF made a foul shot with 5.9 on the clock to make it 71-69.
• Wilkins made a driving teardrop in the lane with 0.4 seconds left, sending the game to overtime.

Overtime

• Kentucky began the overtime with Williams, Wilkins, Momcilovic, McBride and Moreno.
• Kentucky led the entire overtime, scoring on the first seven possessions.
• Momcilovic opened the OT with a 3-pointer and another basket, then scored a later basket to finish the extra period with seven points.