Kentucky might have finished its preseason exhibition schedule undefeated, but anyone just glancing at the 90-76 overtime win against UCF on Wednesday night is missing the entire picture. The No. 23 Wildcats needed an absolute miracle basket in the final seconds of regulation just to avoid an embarrassing exhibition loss, blowing a double-digit lead before dominating the extra period. That 14-point final margin? It’s a total mirage, hiding a massive issue the team HAS to fix before the 2026-27 college basketball season kicks off.
Wilkins Saved Them, But What a Mess
Man, talk about a heart attack moment! Kentucky was down 71-69 with mere seconds left, after completely fumbling an earlier double-digit advantage. The offense just lost its rhythm. But then, a missed UCF free throw gave Alex Wilkins a chance, and he absolutely delivered. The Furman transfer took the ball, attacked, and hit a ridiculously tough floater just before the buzzer. Tied at 71, sending it to overtime. If Wilkins didn’t make that shot, we’d be talking about an exhibition loss, not a misleading win. This guy already showed he could come up big against Texas Tech, and he did it again when it mattered most.
Once OT started, thankfully, the Wildcats finally got their act together. Milan Momcilovic kicked things off with a three-pointer, adding another basket, and Wilkins even dropped another three. That 19-5 overtime blast made the score look way better than the game felt, but credit where it’s due for finding that consistency when it absolutely counted.
The Free Throw Line Is a Disaster
Here’s the real problem, though, the thing that almost cost them everything: free throws. Seriously, nine of 17 from the line in regulation? That’s just brutal. Those missed opportunities kept UCF in the game, even when Kentucky had a 13-point lead. It got so bad in the final seconds, Braydon Hawthorne missed two crucial free throws that left the Wildcats exposed. UCF capitalized on those misses, taking that two-point lead that forced Wilkins to play hero. On top of that, there were “several lengthy scoring droughts” in the second half. You can’t let teams back into games like that. You just can’t. This team has to get it together at the line, or those exhibition scares are going to become regular season losses.
This team has some serious talent, but the inconsistency on offense and the downright awful free-throw shooting are screaming for attention. The good news is they got the win, and they showed they could close out a game, even if it was messy. They finished 3-0 in exhibitions, but that win against UCF was a real wake-up call. They need to address those issues immediately before the official 2026-27 season starts.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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