Big Blue Preview: Kentucky vs. Loyola (Md.)
No. 12 Kentucky returns to Rupp Arena on Friday, hosting Loyola (Md.) in a nonconference matchup.
The Cats lost to Michigan State 83-66 on Tuesday in the Champions Classic in New York. UK is now 3-2 on the young season and head coach Mark Pope knows that his players need to count on one another even more than they are already.
“I know there might be some consternation out there, but I love it,” Pope said. “I love it when you have to find your way through it and where guys are forced to really not just look at each other and love each other, but lean on each other and bail each other out. We have guys that are going to be able to accomplish great stuff.”
Pope is confident in his team and knows that there is still a long season ahead of them.
“This is a good group and I have an unbelievable amount of confidence that we’re going to have a great season here,” Pope said. “I also know for a fact that we have an extraordinary amount of work to do.”
How can the Cats get back in the win column on Friday night?
“Just doing the things that we do,” Pope said. “We failed to be consistent. That’s a beginning point for us. Just lean into how we do it and we’ll get back there. This group is going to learn and be really good but we have some growing to do.”
Kentucky has five players averaging in double figures, led by Denzel Aberdeen, who is scoring 14.2 points per contest. Otega Oweh is at 12.8 points per game, while Mo Dioubate scores 11.6 per outing. Collin Chandler (11.0 ppg) and Malachi Moreno (10.2) round out UK’s double-digit scorers.
Loyola is 2-4 this season, most recently falling to Duquesne 92-78. Jacob Theodosiou leads the Greyhounds in scoring at 17.2 points per game.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on SEC Network Plus.
Last Time Out
Kentucky fell, 83-66, to Michigan State on Tuesday.
• Kentucky had its best free throw percentage of the season, making 19 of 22 for 86.4 percent
• Otega Oweh led the Wildcats with 12 points. He also tied for the team lead in rebounding with four and assists with three
• Kentucky scored just 27 points in the opening half, tied for the fewest in any half under Mark Pope
Balanced on the Stats Sheet
Balance has been the name of the game for the Cats thus far this season. UK has had five different leading scorers through the first five games. UK has also had six different players lead or co-lead in rebounds and five in assists.
“Hoppy” Chandler
Kentucky sophomore guard Collin Chandler looks like a candidate for a breakout season through UK’s first five games.
• Chandler is averaging 11.0 points per game
• He scored 15 points in the opener against Nicholls and 14 against Valparaiso. His best scoring output last season was 11 points
• He is 15-29 from 3-point range, good for 51.7 percent shooting
• Chandler became the first player in program history to drain at least four 3s in each of the team’s first three games
• Chandler set career-bests with four assists and four made 3s against both Nicholls and Valparaiso
• Dating back to last season, Chandler is shooting 52.8 percent (28-53) from 3-point range over his last 15 games played
• Chandler earned the No. 1 play on ESPN’s Sportscenter for a massive dunk in his record-breaking performance to open the 2025-26 season
• He was named MVP of the BBN United Tipoff Classic, averaging 11 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 52.9 percent from 3-point range
