LEXINGON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Following a disappointing blowout loss in Nashville, Kentucky men's basketball returned to Rupp Arena on Tuesday looking to get back on track against NC Central.
The Wildcats used a 16-0 first half run to distance itself from the Eagles en route to a 000-00 win. Freshman guard Jasper Johnson led the way with a career-high 22 points, with senior guard Otega Oweh pouring in 21 of his own.
It was a tight start to the game, with NC Central within three points at the under 16 media timeout. Following a Brandon Garrison turnover that led to a NC Central bucket, UK head coach Mark Pope took a timeout that helped turn things around for the Wildcats.
From that point, Oweh took over. The SEC preseason player of the year not only collected his season-high in points, but grabbed seven rebounds and snatched four steals.
Coming out of the Gonzaga loss, Otega Oweh's hustle was widely criticized.
— Noah Cierzan (@ncierzan) December 10, 2025
Great response tonight. 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals in the first half for Kentucky. UK needs its star to be a star.@BBNTonight
His aggression on offense opened things up for the rest of the team. Trent Noah, who was inserted into the starting lineup on Tuesday night, nailed a trio of three-pointers. The Wildcats led 52-31 at half and never looked back.
.@OtegaOweh from out of nowhere 💥
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) December 10, 2025
📺 - SEC Network pic.twitter.com/V7ra5obWuG
Kentucky nailed 12 three-pointers on the night which helped it improve to 6-4 on the season. Up next, UK renews a rivalry with Indiana on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
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