Kentucky basketball shows off the one area in which its program is as good as ever
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kentucky fans created an intense, Rupp-like atmosphere at Bridgestone Arena.
- Crowd energy helped Kentucky beat LSU 87-82 and advance in the SEC Tournament.
- Fan turnout underscored sustained program support despite recent on-court struggles.
A couple of hours prior to Kentucky men’s basketball’s fish-out-of-water appearance in the opening game of the 2026 SEC Tournament, a friend in the Nashville sports media asked me if I thought UK fans would “paint the Music City blue” as they have historically done.
No, I said, I don’t think so.
It wasn’t just that UK is nearing the end of what has been a challenging season that has fallen short of the fans’ preseason aspirations.
There was also the fact that the Cats have recently had a tougher time in Nashville than the traffic planners.
Coming into No. 9 seed Kentucky’s meeting with No. 16 seed LSU on Wednesday afternoon, UK had lost six of its prior eight games in Nashville.
Though Kentucky has historically dominated the SEC Tournament, the Cats have lately fallen on lean times in the league tourney. Prior to Wednesday, UK had gone 3-6 in SEC Tournament contests since its most recent championship in 2018.
Put all that together — plus the reality of playing in the middle of the week during a work day — and I assured my friend I did not expect the normal Kentucky dominance in the SEC Tournament stands.
Boy, was that wrong.
Riding the energy created by a heavily-pro-UK crowd, Kentucky survived a determined LSU upset bid and defeated the Tigers 87-82.
On the court, UK got 23 points and eight rebounds from Otega Oweh; 17 points and back-to-back 3-pointers that broke open a close game from, of all people, Brandon Garrison; and 16 points and three assists from Denzel Aberdeen.
Off the floor, Kentucky got another prototypical “Cat fan takeover” in the stands.
“It felt electric,” UK forward Mo Dioubate said. “It’s almost like playing at Rupp Arena. So we definitely not gonna take that for (granted).”
With the victory, the No. 9 seeded Cats (20-12, 10-8 SEC regular season) advanced to the SEC tourney second round to face No. 8 seed Missouri (20-11, 10-8 SEC) Thursday at 12:30 pm EDT.
With questions swirling about the future of LSU coach Matt McMahon, the former Murray State head man, the Tigers (15-17, 3-15 SEC regular season) have presumably finished their season.
Over the past six seasons of relative UK hoops mediocrity, there has been ample discussion in the commonwealth about “program slippage” and a prevailing feeling that paradise is being lost.
On Wednesday, Kentucky had on vivid display the one area in which its program remains in vintage condition.
In Nashville, UK fans made a statement.
Cats backers may not have completely filled Bridgestone Arena on a workday afternoon, but there were folks rocking Kentucky blue spread all around the venue.
They let loose a roar when Kentucky sophomore wing Kam Williams, sidelined since Jan. 21 due to a broken foot, checked into the game with 14:10 left in the first half.
“It was loud, just very good,” Williams said of the reception he got on his return. “BBN is the best fan base you could ever ask for.”
Kentucky was clinging to a 65-64 lead near the midway point of the second half when backup center Garrison — who had not made a 3-pointer in a game since Dec. 5 — knocked down back-to-back treys to push the Cats ahead 71-64 with 9:56 left.
“That was super loud,” Oweh said. “(When) I’m in the game, I can’t really hear the outside crowd. But I heard it today.”
Williams joked that the reason the roar was so loud following the Garrison treys was because “BG, right when he shot, everyone was saying ‘No!’ Then, when he made it, everyone was saying ‘Yeah!’”
Given the multiple reasons Kentucky backers might have had for not traveling to another state to see a team whose performances have often frustrated them, I wondered if UK players had worried they would not have the normal Kentucky advantage in the stands when the Cats played LSU in Nashville.
“That thought never crossed my mind,” UK guard Collin Chandler said. “Nashville feels like ‘home.’ BBN is big here.”
On the court, it would have been nice if Kentucky could have sustained some separation and not been stressed into the game’s final minute by the SEC’s last-place team.
But in March, all that matters are outcomes. Kentucky got the verdict it needed Wednesday afternoon to stay in the SEC Tournament for another day.
“I know the season wasn’t what, I guess, everyone expected at the beginning,” Williams said. “But we’re still here. And we’ll keep fighting.”
With many who are transfers from other schools, the players on the UK roster got to experience Wednesday the single facet of the Kentucky men’s basketball program that, right now, is as good as it has ever been:
That was the plethora of blue-clad fans who were in the Bridgestone Arena stands chanting “Go Big Blue!” as if the SEC tourney’s 9-16 game was a Final Four matchup.
“That speaks about the atmosphere around our team, our school and the state of Kentucky,” Aberdeen said. “It’s amazing. And I’m just very proud of our fans.”
