Kentucky’s Trent Noah makes good on offseason hype in exhibition win over Purdue
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- UK basketball sophomore Trent Noah started for the Wildcats in exhibition win over Purdue.
- Noah scored 10 points in 23 minutes of action.
- UK will play Georgetown University in another exhibition Thursday night.
Trent Noah’s offseason of hype is over.
Now, you can let the in-season buzz begin for the UK basketball sophomore.
Noah picked up the start for Kentucky in the Wildcats’ rousing 78-65 exhibition win over preseason No. 1 Purdue on Friday night at Rupp Arena. And the Harlan County native made a major imprint on the game for Mark Pope’s team.
Noah logged 23 minutes in the contest, the second-most among all Kentucky players, and finished with 10 points, two rebounds and an assist. He was one of only three UK players — along with freshman Jasper Johnson (15) and preseason SEC Player of the Year Otega Oweh (also 10) — in double-figure scoring.
“It’s every little boy’s dream in Kentucky growing up,” Noah said of hearing his name announced in Rupp Arena as a starter, an experience he previously had in high school in the Sweet 16 state tournament.
“It was super surreal.”
This was the latest evidence that Noah is set to build on a freshman campaign that saw him appear in 24 contests for the Wildcats off the bench, often in non-traditional roles due to Kentucky’s depth issues a season ago.
“I just try to do whatever I can to help the team win, no matter what it is,” Noah said. “Playing 20 minutes a game, playing five minutes a game, cheering on my teammates. Whatever it is, I’m super excited to do it.”
On Friday night, the moments that didn’t show in the stat sheet were often the biggest indicators of Noah’s growth in his second season at Kentucky.
In one sequence early in the second half, Noah led the UK fastbreak following a defensive steal. As he dribbled toward the basket Noah stopped, collected himself and shot a straight-on 3-pointer from the top of the arc. The shot didn’t fall, but it was reflective of the mentality Noah is taking into this season.
“I feel like coming back in year two, I kind of know what’s going on,” Noah said. “I think it’s been super helpful for me. I can kind of do less thinking and more playing. Whenever you can go out there free, it just makes it a lot easier.”
Another lowkey moment was also telling of Noah’s offseason change.
With UK up 15-12 at the under-12 timeout in the first half, Noah was the first player off the UK bench to high-five and encourage his teammates who were in the game. It was a small gesture, sure, and perhaps one to be expected from someone on a Kentucky team that puts a heavy emphasis on positive body language.
But it’s also an indicator that Noah is growing into his role as one of four returnees on this Kentucky team. Despite only being in his sophomore season, Pope recently described Noah as “a vet that just knows exactly who he is.”
“It means a lot,” Noah said of that comment. “I think a lot of it is a credit to him and the confidence and the wisdom that he gives me.”
As he frequently has in interviews, Noah thought back to last season’s experience-laden UK squad and the lessons learned from the likes of Koby Brea, Lamont Butler, Amari Williams and others with a wealth of college basketball experience.
“You got to sit around with them and just pick up little things,” Noah said.
Junior forward Brandon Garrison has had an up-close look at Noah’s transformation. Combined, the duo represents half of Pope’s returners from last season, along with sophomore guard Collin Chandler and Oweh.
To a man, Kentucky players quizzed on Noah’s preseason have described him as perhaps the best 3-point shooter on the team and a player who’s oozing self belief.
Garrison was no different Friday.
“I feel like he’s just more confident. Even though he had it last year. I just feel like having a year of playing at Kentucky his freshman year, coming into this year, you see more confidence out of him,” Garrison said of Noah. “He’s really taking it in on the defensive end and just doing him. Shooting the ball and putting it in the basket.”
Noah’s sophomore season outlook is predicated on earning playing time on a deep Kentucky team that has talent — and potential — at every position.
Noah could view that, from an individual standpoint, as a roadblock to showing the strides he made during the summer.
Instead, he’s embracing that challenge and what it means for the trajectory of this barely underway UK season.
“I think that’s part of our superpower with this team is we have so many guys that are so talented and so hungry to get out there,” Noah said. “Whenever you play in little spurts and little spans, playing as hard as you can and making the right play and playing for the guy sitting at the scorer’s table ready to sub in is huge.”
