Wildcats fall at home to Georgia 86-78

Georgia controlled the tempo from the opening tip and never trailed in the first half, taking a 39–34 lead into the break against the Kentucky Wildcats. The Bulldogs’ aggressive defense and balanced offense set the tone early, forcing turnovers and converting them into valuable transition points.

Kentucky’s Otega Oweh delivered one of the best offensive performances of his career, pouring in 28 points to keep the Wildcats within striking distance. But despite his effort, the Cats spent the night chasing.

Midway through the second half, Georgia delivered the decisive blow — a 13–2 run that stretched the lead to 69–57 and quieted the Rupp Arena crowd. Crisp ball movement and opportunistic defense fueled the surge, as the Bulldogs finished with 20 assists on 29 made baskets and collected 10 steals.

Kentucky responded behind the hot shooting of Collin Chandler, who knocked down six of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc to finish with 18 points. The Wildcats trimmed the deficit to single digits late, but fatigue appeared to set in down the stretch. Kentucky missed its final five shots and failed to score over the last 2:13 of the contest.

Inside, Georgia dominated the paint, outscoring Kentucky’s big men 33–13. The Bulldogs also capitalized on 13 Wildcat turnovers, converting them into 23 points. Kentucky managed just nine points off seven Georgia turnovers and finished with only three steals and 13 assists.

The 86–78 victory marks Georgia’s 18th win of the season and provides a critical Quad-1 triumph that could loom large on Selection Sunday.

With the loss, Kentucky falls to 8–5 in conference play, dropping into sixth place. The Wildcats now face a challenging stretch with road matchups at Auburn on Saturday and South Carolina next Tuesday.

For Georgia, the mission in Lexington was clear — secure a signature win. Mission accomplished.