Bellarmine Knights at Kentucky Wildcats
· NCAA Men's Basketball
Williams hits 8 3s, scores 26, Dioubate adds 20 points to help Kentucky beat Bellarmine 99-85
The 6-foot-8 Williams, a Tulane transfer, made 8 of 10 from the field and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line. Denzel Aberdeen scored 14 points for Kentucky (9-4) and Jasper Johnson had 11 points and seven assists. Otega Oweh added 10 point, 10 assists, eight rebounds, and two steals.
The Wildcats shot 59% (33 of 56) overall and made a season-high 16 3-pointers on 30 attempts (53%, also a season high).
Jack Karasinski led Bellarmine (5-7) with 24 points. Karasinski made 6 of 9 from the field, 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and 9 of 10 from the free-throw line. Brian Waddell and reserve Michael Wilson Jr. scored 16 points apiece, Kenyon Goodin added 11 points and Donovan Hunter 10.
Johnson hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer that gave Kentucky the lead for good midway through the first half and made another 3 that made it 46-38 at halftime. Williams scored 15 second-half points, which included three 3s in a 65-second span that pushed the lead into double figures for good with 10:51 left in the game.
Dioubate and Bellarmine's Darrius Bolden were called for double technical fouls following a verbal exchange with about three minutes left.
Williams is the first Wildcat to make eight 3-pointers since Immanuel Quickley did it in a 69-60 victory over Texas A&M on Feb. 25, 2020.
Kentucky opens SEC play Jan. 3 at No. 14 Alabama.
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Recent Plays
| 2nd 0:00 | End of Game | 85 - 99 |
| 2nd 0:00 | End of 2nd half | 85 - 99 |
| 2nd 0:15 | Collin Chandler Defensive Rebound. | 85 - 99 |
| 2nd 0:18 | Jacob Wassler misses 23-foot three point step back jumpshot | 85 - 99 |
| 2nd 0:30 | Tommy Clark Defensive Rebound. | 85 - 99 |
Statistics
 BELL |
 UK |
|
|---|---|---|
| 26-50 | FG | 33-56 |
| 52 | Field Goal % | 59 |
| 7-19 | 3PT | 16-30 |
| 37 | Three Point % | 53 |
| 26-30 | FT | 17-24 |
| 87 | Free Throw % | 71 |
| 26 | Rebounds | 29 |
| 9 | Offensive Rebounds | 11 |
| 17 | Defensive Rebounds | 18 |
| 15 | Assists | 24 |
| 8 | Steals | 8 |
| 0 | Blocks | 5 |
| 12 | Turnovers | 10 |
| 1 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 12 | Total Turnovers | 10 |
| 1 | Technical Fouls | 1 |
| 1 | Total Technical Fouls | 1 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 18 | Points Off Turnovers | 19 |
| 9 | Fast Break Points | 19 |
| 38 | Points in Paint | 34 |
| 20 | Fouls | 23 |
| 4 | Largest Lead | 18 |
| 4 | Lead Changes | 4 |
| 6 | Percent Led | 90 |
Game Information
Location: Lexington, KY
Attendance: 19,706 | Capacity:
2025-26 ASUN Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Peay | 15-3 | - | 22-9 |
| Central Arkansas | 15-3 | - | 22-12 |
| Queens University | 13-5 | 2 | 21-13 |
| Lipscomb | 12-6 | 3 | 19-13 |
| Florida Gulf Coast | 8-10 | 7 | 16-18 |
| West Georgia | 8-10 | 7 | 15-17 |
| Bellarmine | 7-11 | 8 | 13-19 |
| Jacksonville | 7-11 | 8 | 12-20 |
| Stetson | 7-11 | 8 | 12-21 |
| Eastern Kentucky | 7-11 | 8 | 11-21 |
| North Florida | 5-13 | 10 | 7-25 |
| North Alabama | 4-14 | 11 | 9-21 |
2025-26 Southeastern Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 16-2 | - | 26-7 |
| Arkansas | 13-5 | 3 | 25-8 |
| Alabama | 13-5 | 3 | 23-9 |
| Vanderbilt | 11-7 | 5 | 26-7 |
| Tennessee | 11-7 | 5 | 22-11 |
| Texas A&M | 11-7 | 5 | 21-11 |
| Georgia | 10-8 | 6 | 22-10 |
| Missouri | 10-8 | 6 | 20-12 |
| Kentucky | 10-8 | 6 | 21-13 |
| Texas | 9-9 | 7 | 18-14 |
| Oklahoma | 7-11 | 9 | 19-15 |
| Auburn | 7-11 | 9 | 17-16 |
| Mississippi State | 5-13 | 11 | 13-19 |
| Ole Miss | 4-14 | 12 | 15-20 |
| South Carolina | 4-14 | 12 | 13-19 |
| LSU | 3-15 | 13 | 15-17 |