The Kentucky Wildcats narrowly avoided an upset on Friday at Rupp Arena, securing a 78-77 victory over Northern Arizona.
The win improved the No. 24 ranked team to a 3-1 record for the season, as reported by ClutchPoints.
Kentucky trailed for much of the contest but relied on a late three-pointer from Alex Wilkins with just 2.1 seconds remaining to seal the result.
The Wildcats had nearly squandered a 13-point lead before the final sequence, according to details provided by ClutchPoints.
Kentucky head coach Mark Pope expressed relief following the close encounter while emphasizing the entertainment value of the game.
“I hope everybody at Rupp had fun,” Pope said in a video posted by KY Insider.
He noted that the team is still in a developmental phase, stating, “It’s pretty entertaining, if not well-executed.”
Offensively, Malachi Moreno paced the Wildcats with 14 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three blocks.
Wilkins and Milan Momcilovic also contributed 14 points each to the winning effort.
The team finished the night shooting 56% from the field and utilized a strong transition attack to generate 21 fast-break points.
Northern Arizona, which remains winless this season, was led by Chris Komin, who recorded 25 points and seven rebounds.
The Lumberjacks struggled at the free-throw line, which ultimately impacted their ability to hold off the late Kentucky rally.
Following the victory, the Wildcats are scheduled to face Grambling on Monday.
The narrow win drew reaction from various observers, including Jamal Mashburn, who offered a critique of the team’s performance.
Pope remains optimistic about the team’s trajectory as they look to improve their execution in upcoming matchups.
The Wildcats currently remain undefeated in their home games at Rupp Arena, per the latest reports.