Kentucky needs a secondary player to get hot to go on a NCAA Tournament run

The NCAA Tournament is officially here, and the Kentucky Wildcats are a seven-seed. A tough matchup with ten-seed Santa Clara lies ahead for the Wildcats, and if they are able to win this game, they will more than likely be taking on the two-seed Iowa State.

This Kentucky team has been frustrating to fans all season long due to the boom-or-bust nature of the Wildcats. Fans just never really knew which team was going to show up on any given night, and this is why the Wildcats have some impressive wins and head-scratching losses.

Mar 12, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope yells to his team against the Missouri Tigers during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

For a team to go on a run in the NCAA Tournament, they need a player to step up and play well when the lights are the brightest. Obviously, Otega Oweh, Denzel Aberdeen, and Collin Chandler are the main scorers for this team, but scoring outside of these three players has been scarce.

One of the secondary players for Kentucky needs to step up and play well in the Big Dance if this team is going to get out of the first weekend. Some names that make sense are Kam Williams, Mo Dioubate, and Malachi Moreno.

Obviously, Moreno is a starter for this team, but he still isn’t one of the main scoring options. If Moreno was able to give this team double digits this weekend in St. Louis, the Wildcats will have a shot. The seven-foot freshman is continuing to improve as the season goes on, and if this continues in the tournament, it will be a big help.

Feb 4, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Dioubate is a player who has been the hustle guy for this Kentucky team this season, and he has been a real leader for the Wildcats. Scoring is not his forte, but Dioubate has had some games where he has scored around the rim. This is the version of Dioubate the Wildcats need in the NCAA Tournament if they are going to go on a run.

Williams had been out with a foot injury for weeks but was able to make his return for the SEC Tournament. It was clear there was some rust for Williams in these minutes, but he was hitting his stride before going down with the injury. Hopefully, having played these minutes in Nashville for the SEC Tournament will help Williams get his groove back in the NCAA Tournament.

Kentucky has three elite scorers in Oweh, Aberdeen, and Chandler, but someone is going to have to step up behind this three headed goat if the Wildcats want to get past Santa Clara and Iowa State. The Wildcats getting some help from a player who many would not expect is what would boost this team to a run that would surprise fans.