On Tuesday night, the Kentucky Wildcats faced off against the LSU Tigers in Lexington, Kentucky in a closely contested matchup that ultimately ended in a 74-71 victory for the Wildcats. This marks the second consecutive win for Kentucky, who now have a 10-4 record on the season and are 1-1 in the Southeastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Tigers saw their seven-game win streak come to an end and are now 12-2 overall and 1-1 in the SEC.
Throughout the game, both teams fought back and forth, with the Wildcats leading by as many as 10 points. Kentucky’s strong rebounding and low turnover rate ultimately helped secure the win. The Wildcats outrebounded the Tigers 31-22 and had a season-low six turnovers while compiling 18 assists on 28 made baskets. Kentucky’s strong performance on the boards also led to a 12-6 margin in second-chance points.
In terms of player performance, Jacob Toppin led the way for the Wildcats with 21 points, including 17 in the second half and 11 of UK’s last 16 points. This marks Toppin’s third 20-point game of the season and he is now averaging 22.5 points over his last two contests.
Oscar Tshiebwe also had a standout performance, scoring 19 points and grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds for his SEC-best eighth double-double of the season. Tshiebwe has now recorded 36 double-doubles in 46 career games for Kentucky and entered the game leading the nation with 13.6 boards per contest.
Cason Wallace and Sahvir Wheeler also contributed to the Wildcat’s victory. Wallace had 14 points and four assists, marking his fourth consecutive double-figure scoring game and bringing his average over that span to 19.3 points per game. In addition to his scoring, Wallace also had four assists and three rebounds. He entered the game as the only freshman in the nation averaging at least 12 points, three assists, three rebounds, and two steals per game.
Head coach John Calipari has an impressive record against LSU, with 15 wins and only 4 losses during his time at Kentucky. Overall, Calipari has an 820-245 on-court record and is 375-105 in 14 seasons at UK. Under Calipari, the Wildcats are 308-59 (83.9%) against unranked competition.
The win extends Kentucky’s home win streak to 28 games, dating back to the 2020-21 season. This is the fifth-longest streak in Rupp Arena history and the longest active home win streak in the Southeastern Conference. In the 47-year history of Rupp Arena, the Wildcats have a 642-77 (89.3%) record, and are 215-17 (92.7%) under Calipari.
In the first half, Chris Livingston began the scoring for Kentucky with a 3-pointer, and the Wildcats were able to take a 31-23 lead with a 9-2 run. Kentucky went into halftime with a 42-38 lead, with Tshiebwe leading the team with 12 points and eight rebounds. Both teams had impressive offensive efficiency in the first half, with Kentucky averaging 1.56 points per possession and LSU averaging 1.27 per possession.
In the second half, Kentucky opened with their starting lineup and LSU began with a 3-pointer. The Tigers then went on a 9-0 run to take a 50-49 lead with 13:19 to play. Kentucky regained the lead with a 3-pointer from Toppin and never trailed again, leading by as many as seven points at 71-64 with 1:33 to play. LSU made it a one-possession game at 72-69 with 30.5 seconds remaining, but the Wildcats were able to ice the game at the free-throw line.
Next up for Kentucky is a matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday at 1 p.m. This game will be televised on ESPN and will take place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Crimson Tide currently have a 12-3 record on the season and are 1-1 in the SEC, having recently defeated the Auburn Tigers. This will be a tough matchup for the Wildcats, but with strong performances from players like Toppin, Tshiebwe, Wallace, and Wheeler, they will be ready to take on the challenge.
