How did Kentucky’s college basketball newcomers fare in their first game?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Andrija Jelavic, Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno made their UK basketball debuts.
- All three players contributed in Kentucky’s season-opening win over Nicholls.
- Moreno led UK with nine rebounds, while Johnson scored 11 points.
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Gameday: Kentucky 77, Nicholls 51
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Tuesday’s Kentucky-Nicholls men’s basketball game at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
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The first victory of this Kentucky basketball season featured plenty of notable contributions from three Wildcats who are new to NCAA action.
Andrija Jelavic, Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno all made their official college basketball debuts in Tuesday’s night’s 77-51 UK home win over Nicholls at Rupp Arena.
None of the three players ended the night as the top Kentucky storylines. That wasn’t the expectation for any of the trio, who all came off the bench for Mark Pope’s team in Tuesday’s season opener. But each player played his part as the Cats overcame a slow start to coast past the Colonels.
Jelavic provided a balanced stat line. Johnson was one of four Wildcats to score in double figures. Moreno led UK in rebounds.
Postgame, Mark Pope seemed pleased with how each of them performed in their maiden college basketball contests.
Kentucky freshman forward Braydon Hawthorne didn’t play for UK against Nicholls.
Jasper Johnson
Johnson led Kentucky’s first-year newcomers with 22 minutes played in the win over Nicholls. He totaled 11 points on 3-for-7 shooting from the field, although Johnson made just one of his four 3-point tries.
Johnson also had four assists — tied for the second-most on the UK team — to go against two turnovers, plus a block and a steal.
That block, which came in full-court, chase-down fashion after the Cats missed a free throw on the offensive end, was one of the highlights of the night for Johnson. It was also emblematic of the renewed defensive approach that Pope said Johnson embraced in practice over the weekend following last Thursday’s exhibition loss to Georgetown University.
“Jasper had a huge challenge the last couple days... We talked about him on the defensive end, I thought he was much, much improved tonight,” Pope said Tuesday. “... He came into practice on Saturday with a vengeance. Just determined to guard. He was going to find a way to guard. I thought he gave us great minutes defensively.”
There was also plenty of the traditional flare, bordering on recklessness, that comes with Johnson operating on offense with the ball in his hands. Some of it is part of UK’s intended offensive approach, such as the instances when Johnson quickly hoists up a 3-pointer in transition.
Others, like Kentucky’s final offensive set of the first half, showcase the best of Johnson in a more structured setting. Johnson weaved into the heart of the Nicholls defense and perfectly executed a lob to junior forward Brandon Garrison for a dunk to give UK a 13-point lead entering halftime.
Johnson said after the game he’s learning to value offensive possessions since he arrived at UK. Some of that guidance appears to be seeping in.
“He’s so creative offensively, he’s always going to give us good stuff there,” Pope said.
Andrija Jelavic
Jelavic provided a balanced stat line of six points and five rebounds in his 18 minutes on the floor. He missed all three of his attempts from 3-point range, but distance shooting struggles were a common theme on the night: UK shot a chilly 7 for 27 (25.9%) from distance.
“Just kind of working into this vibe. I thought he got a little bit better as the game went on,” Pope said of Jelavic.
Unlike Johnson and Moreno, Jelavic is classified as a sophomore by the NCAA after he played two seasons of professional basketball in Europe. He has three seasons of NCAA eligibility available.
The 21-year-old Jelavic, who is from Croatia, showed glimpses of his perimeter-based game Tuesday night. His second-half performance was highlighted by connecting on a midrange jumper from just beyond the free-throw line.
At worst, the 6-foot-11 Jelavic projects to be a depth piece in the Kentucky frontcourt. And it’s never a bad thing to have one of those. The Wildcats already find themselves in a curious position with injuries just one game into the regular season.
Junior and projected starting point guard Jaland Lowe remains out with a right shoulder injury, while senior guard Denzel Aberdeen returned from a leg injury for UK against Nicholls. Top incoming transfer Jayden Quaintance is still out while recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season. Additionally, sophomore Trent Noah suffered a left ankle injury in the first half against Nicholls.
Junior forward Reece Potter — a former prep basketball star at Lexington Catholic who transferred home this offseason from Miami (Ohio) — didn’t dress for UK’s season opener.
Malachi Moreno
A McDonald’s All-American and Sweet 16 state champion last season at Great Crossing High School, Moreno arrived at Kentucky this summer with plenty of accolades to his name.
As Pope pointed out postgame, Moreno has already played in three “really big” games at UK, if you count the frontcourt battles Moreno was part of during Kentucky’s exhibition slate against Purdue and Georgetown.
Those tests prepped Moreno well for Tuesday, when he led Kentucky with nine rebounds, including four on the offensive glass.
Pope said one of Moreno’s goals is to get at least four offensive rebounds a game.
“He’s just going to be a force to be reckoned with as he becomes more and more comfortable,” Pope said.
Moreno also added five points in 17 minutes. He shot 1 for 6 from the foul line, though, which was part of a woeful UK team effort, hitting 12 of their 22 attempts from the charity stripe.
Last season — as part of a high school season during which he earned Kentucky Mr. Basketball honors — Moreno shot 62.4% (131 for 210) from the foul line.
In a notable tidbit, Moreno also appears to be Kentucky’s designated “handshake player” this season. Moreno stands at the end of a player tunnel during UK’s starting lineup introductions at Rupp Arena, eager to greet whichever Wildcat just heard his name announced with an intricate handshake routine before tip-off.
This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 11:57 PM.
