KENTUCKY WILDCATS MEN'S BASKETBALL
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Mark Pope enters his first season leading one of college basketball's flagship programs, inheriting a Kentucky roster of 16 players competing in the Southeastern Conference at Rupp Arena in Lexington. The Wildcats sit at 17-9 overall with a 5-5 conference record, averaging 81.5 points per game while holding opponents to 72.7—a defensive efficiency that ranks among Pope's early priorities as he rebuilds the program's championship culture. Home court has proven considerably stronger this season, with the team posting a 14-5 record inside Rupp Arena compared to just 3-4 in road contests.
Located on the University of Kentucky campus, which enrolls 35,952 students, the program operates within the institution's broader athletic mission dating back to the school's founding in 1865. Rupp Arena's atmosphere provides a significant home-court advantage that Pope's developing squad has exploited effectively—the 21-point swing between home and away success demonstrates the importance of converting that familiar environment into consistent victories. With conference play halfway through the regular season, the Wildcats' 5-5 SEC record positions them in the middle of league standings as Pope works toward tournament positioning and establishing sustainable winning habits across the schedule's final stretch.
KEY FACTS
| School | University of Kentucky |
| Sport | Men's Basketball |
| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Division | D1-FBS |
| Location | Lexington, Kentucky |
| Venue | Rupp Arena |
| Head Coach | Mark Pope |
ROSTER (2025-26)
| # | Name | Pos |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denzel Aberdeen | G |
| 5 | Collin Chandler | G |
| 23 | Mouhamed Dioubate | F |
| 10 | Brandon Garrison | F |
| 22 | Braydon Hawthorne | F |
| 11 | Walker Horn | G |
| 4 | Andrija Jelavic | F |
| 2 | Jasper Johnson | G |
| 15 | Jaland Lowe | G |
| 24 | Malachi Moreno | C |
| 9 | Trent Noah | F |
| 00 | Otega Oweh | G |
| 33 | Reece Potter | F |
| 21 | Jayden Quaintance | F |
| 20 | Zach Tow | F |
| 3 | Kam Williams | G |
SEASON RECORD
21-13
Overall
16-6
Home
5-7
Away
9-8
Conference
80.8 PPG / 73.8 Opp PPG
SCHEDULE (2025-26)
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 5 | Nicholls Colonels | W 77-51 |
| Nov 8 | Valparaiso Beacons | W 107-59 |
| Nov 12 | Louisville Cardinals | L 88-96 |
| Nov 15 | Eastern Illinois Panthers | W 99-53 |
| Nov 18 | Michigan State Spartans | L 66-83 |
| Nov 22 | Loyola Maryland Greyhounds | W 88-46 |
| Nov 27 | Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles | W 104-54 |
| Dec 3 | North Carolina Tar Heels | L 64-67 |
| Dec 6 | Gonzaga Bulldogs | L 59-94 |
| Dec 10 | North Carolina Central Eagles | W 103-67 |
| Dec 14 | Indiana Hoosiers | W 72-60 |
| Dec 20 | St. John's Red Storm | W 78-66 |
| Dec 23 | Bellarmine Knights | W 99-85 |
| Jan 3 | Alabama Crimson Tide | L 74-89 |
| Jan 8 | Missouri Tigers | L 68-73 |
| Jan 11 | Mississippi State Bulldogs | W 92-68 |
| Jan 15 | LSU Tigers | W 75-74 |
| Jan 17 | Tennessee Volunteers | W 80-78 |
| Jan 22 | Texas Longhorns | W 85-80 |
| Jan 24 | Ole Miss Rebels | W 72-63 |
| Jan 28 | Vanderbilt Commodores | L 55-80 |
| Jan 31 | Arkansas Razorbacks | W 85-77 |
| Feb 5 | Oklahoma Sooners | W 94-78 |
| Feb 8 | Tennessee Volunteers | W 74-71 |
| Feb 14 | Florida Gators | L 83-92 |
| Feb 18 | Georgia Bulldogs | L 78-86 |
| Feb 22 | Auburn Tigers | L 74-75 |
| Feb 25 | South Carolina Gamecocks | W 72-63 |
| Feb 28 | Vanderbilt Commodores | W 91-77 |
| Mar 4 | Texas A&M Aggies | L 85-96 |
| Mar 7 | Florida Gators | L 77-84 |
| Mar 11 | LSU Tigers | W 87-82 |
| Mar 12 | Missouri Tigers | W 78-72 |
| Mar 13 | Florida Gators | L 63-71 |
ANALYTICS
+6.9
Pt Diff
L1
Streak
60.3%
SOS
#9
T-Rank
Barthag: 0.9240
118.1
Adj O
95.0
Adj D
OTHER SPORTS AT KENTUCKY
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAMS
- Auburn Tigers
- Louisiana State Louisiana State
- Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Texas A&M University, College Station Texas A&M University, College Station
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Arkansas Arkansas
- Florida Gators
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Mississippi Rebels
- Missouri Tigers
- Oklahoma Sooners
- South Carolina South Carolina
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Texas at Austin Longhorns
- Vanderbilt Commodores
MORE MEN'S BASKETBALL IN KENTUCKY
Browse all NCAA Division I men's basketball programs in Kentucky.
Kentucky Men's Basketball ProgramsFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What conference does Kentucky Men's Basketball compete in?
- Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball competes in the Southeastern Conference conference at the NCAA D1-FBS level.
- Where does Kentucky play men's basketball home games?
- Kentucky Men's Basketball plays home games at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY.
- Who is the head coach of Kentucky Men's Basketball?
- The head coach of Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball is Mark Pope.
- When was Kentucky Men's Basketball program established?
- The establishment date for Kentucky Men's Basketball is not currently available.