No. 7 Kentucky falls to No. 2 Iowa State 82-63 in round of 32
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – Kentucky’s 2026 tournament run has come to an end in St. Louis. No. 7 Kentucky built an early double-digit lead over No. 2 Iowa State, but could not maintain it.
Kentucky entered as a 5.5-point underdog after Iowa State ruled out star player Joshua Jefferson with an ankle sprain suffered in its opener against Tennessee State.
Kentucky trailed 31-30 at halftime but was outscored decisively in the second half and fell 82-63.
First half
Iowa State held an edge in fan support, but that advantage was short-lived as Kentucky opened with a 10-4 run to quiet the crowd. The Wildcats played solid defense early.
Kentucky pushed its lead to double digits after back-to-back 3-pointers from Denzel Aberdeen. Offensive rebounds and second-chance points from Mo Dioubate further strengthened the Wildcats’ position, as they led by as many as 12 points in the first half.
Iowa State responded with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to 20-18 with 9:33 remaining in the half. Kentucky committed multiple turnovers during that stretch, allowing the Cyclones to capitalize and build momentum. The Wildcats finished the first half with 12 turnovers.
In the closing seconds of the half, a turnover by Brandon Garrison led to a last-second 3-pointer from Nate Heise, giving Iowa State a 31-30 lead at the break. The cyclones had the edge despite shooting 29% from the field and 19% from the three in the first half.
Second half
Once the Cyclones began to find their rhythm offensively, Kentucky struggled to keep pace. Iowa State shot 63% in the second half.
Otega Oweh, Collin Chandler and Denzel Aberdeen each ran into foul trouble after the break, picking up three fouls with 15 minutes remaining.
Iowa State used a 6-0 run to extend its lead to 52-40, capitalizing on continued Kentucky turnovers. The Wildcats committed a season-high 17 turnovers with 11:46 remaining and finished the game with 20 turnovers.
The Wildcats were outscored 51-33 in the second half.
