A high-scoring second half calms Big Blue Nation as Kentucky cruises past Nicholls 77-51

Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats are 1-0 after taking down Nicholls 77-51.

Kentucky Wildcats forward Trent Noah (9) battles Nicholls Colonels guard Zee Hamoda (24) for a loose ball in the first half at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky Nov. 4, 2025. Noah would get injured on the play and go to the bench. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kentucky's first game of the season just came to an end as the Wildcats were able to take down Nicholls 77-51. Big Blue Nation was quite concerned at the half as the Wildcats only scored 28 points on 32.3% from the field.

The offense struggled mightily against Georgetown, so Kentucky fans were worried when the team came out cold once again on offense. Then in the second half, things seemed to click for Pope's team as they scored 49 points in the second half while shooting 61.3% from the field and 45.5% from three.

Kentucky Wildcats forward Mouhamed Dioubate (23) flexs after scoring two points in the first half at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky Nov. 4, 2025. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What was obvious in this basketball game was that Denzel Aberdeen is very important to this team. He didn't play against Georgetown as the offense struggled, and he came off the bench tonight and got the offense going.

Aberdeen scored 10 points, added six assists and five rebounds, and led the team in +/- with a +20. Aberdeen also made Collin Chandler be able to get off the ball, and in the second half, Chandler shined.

Big Blue Nation has not liked the way Chandler has played on offense as the point guard, and those struggles continued in this game early. Once Aberdeen checked in, and he got off the ball, Chandler started to go berserk.

Chandler ended up leading the Wildcats in scoring with 15 points as he scored 11 in the second half, including three makes from deep and a Rupp Arena shaking dunk.

.@collinchand13r just did that 🫢 https://t.co/R6bktnmxCH pic.twitter.com/7NR5i2aW41

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 5, 2025

Obviously, holding a team to 51 points, the Kentucky defense was excellent. The Wildcats guarded from start to finish and did an excellent job on the glass. Kentucky dominated the boards, outrebounding Nicholls 51-30.

Two concerns from this game were free-throw shooting and Trent Noah's injury. Kentucky struggled from the charity stripe once again in this game, going 12-22. This is a losing recipe once big-time games roll around, so the Wildcats need to find a way to start making the free ones.

Noah turned his ankle in the first half and did not return in this game. He came out of the half-time locker room and tried to give it a go, but the staff clearly felt it made sense to hold him out for the rest of the game. Hopefully, this injury is not serious, and Noah is ready to go for the Louisville game on November 11.

Kentucky's next game is coming up on Friday as the Wildcats prepare to host Valparaiso.