Nicholls Colonels at Kentucky Wildcats
· NCAA Men's Basketball
No. 9 Kentucky controls the second half to beat Nicholls 77-51 in season opener
Otega Oweh, the preseason Southeastern Conference player of the year, scored nine of his 13 points in the second half for Kentucky. Freshman Jasper Johnson added 11 points and Florida transfer Denzel Aberdeen scored 10.
The Wildcats overcame a slow start by outscoring the Colonels 49-36 in the second half to put the game out of reach. The Wildcats made just three of their first 15 shots but regrouped and shot 61% in the second half. Kentucky made seven 3-pointers in the second half, including back-to-back makes by Chandler, who ended an eight-point stretch with a one-handed dunk.
Kentucky, coming off a 24-12 season and a Sweet 16 appearance, gave coach Mark Pope his second straight season-opening victory.
Kentucky sophomore Trent Noah went down with a right ankle injury with 6:54 remaining in the first half and did not return. Kentucky was without starting point guard and Pittsburgh transfer Jaland Lowe, who is nursing a shoulder injury.
Nicholls shot just 12% from the field in the first half, including going 1 of 14 from distance, to trail 28-15.
Jalin Rice led Nicholls with 13 points and Jalik Dunkley added 10.
Kentucky hosts Valparaiso on Friday.
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| 2nd 0:00 | End of Game | 51 - 77 |
| 2nd 0:00 | End of 2nd half | 51 - 77 |
| 2nd 0:14 | Jalik Dunkley made Free Throw. | 51 - 77 |
| 2nd 0:14 | Jalik Dunkley made Free Throw. | 50 - 77 |
| 2nd 0:14 | Foul on Denzel Aberdeen. | 49 - 77 |
Statistics
 NICH |
 UK |
|
|---|---|---|
| 16-53 | FG | 29-62 |
| 30 | Field Goal % | 47 |
| 4-24 | 3PT | 7-27 |
| 17 | Three Point % | 26 |
| 15-22 | FT | 12-22 |
| 68 | Free Throw % | 55 |
| 30 | Rebounds | 51 |
| 5 | Offensive Rebounds | 15 |
| 25 | Defensive Rebounds | 36 |
| 9 | Assists | 21 |
| 8 | Steals | 7 |
| 1 | Blocks | 3 |
| 11 | Turnovers | 13 |
| 0 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 11 | Total Turnovers | 13 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 8 | Points Off Turnovers | 7 |
| 6 | Fast Break Points | 20 |
| 20 | Points in Paint | 42 |
| 18 | Fouls | 17 |
| 0 | Largest Lead | 32 |
Game Information
Location: Lexington, KY
Attendance: 19,289 | Capacity:
2025-26 Southland Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen F. Austin | 1-0 | - | 7-2 |
| Houston Christian | 1-0 | - | 5-4 |
| Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 1-0 | - | 3-5 |
| Nicholls | 1-0 | - | 1-7 |
| McNeese | 1-1 | 0.5 | 7-2 |
| Incarnate Word | 1-1 | 0.5 | 5-4 |
| Northwestern State | 1-1 | 0.5 | 2-7 |
| East Texas A&M | 0-0 | 0.5 | 5-4 |
| Lamar | 0-1 | 1 | 5-3 |
| UT Rio Grande Valley | 0-1 | 1 | 3-5 |
| SE Louisiana | 0-1 | 1 | 3-6 |
| New Orleans | 0-1 | 1 | 2-7 |
2025-26 Southeastern Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt | 0-0 | - | 9-0 |
| Georgia | 0-0 | - | 8-1 |
| LSU | 0-0 | - | 8-1 |
| Missouri | 0-0 | - | 8-2 |
| Alabama | 0-0 | - | 7-2 |
| Arkansas | 0-0 | - | 7-2 |
| Auburn | 0-0 | - | 7-3 |
| Tennessee | 0-0 | - | 7-3 |
| Texas A&M | 0-0 | - | 7-3 |
| Oklahoma | 0-0 | - | 6-3 |
| South Carolina | 0-0 | - | 6-3 |
| Texas | 0-0 | - | 6-3 |
| Florida | 0-0 | - | 5-3 |
| Kentucky | 0-0 | - | 5-4 |
| Ole Miss | 0-0 | - | 5-4 |
| Mississippi State | 0-0 | - | 4-5 |