Turning defense into offense leads to a Kentucky blowout win over Tennessee Tech

The Kentucky Wildcats were back in Rupp Arena yet again on Friday in search of another feel-good win after they got off to a not-so-good start against their first two top 25 foes. Kentucky started off slow, struggling with Tennessee Tech's different looks on defense, causing a stagnant offense. But once they were able to get their defense in control, they were able to take advantage getting back on offense quickly.

Kentucky was able to take control in a flash after starting slow, finishing the first half on a 20-3 run over the last seven minutes of the half. Their energy in that span set the tone for the rest of the game, as they defeated the Golden Eagles 104-54.. Let's take a look at some takeaways from the win.

Kentucky took advantage of Tennessee Tech’s sloppy offensive tendencies

Malachi Moreno — Nov 26, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles guard Ty Owens (8) handles the ball during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Wildcats started out with poor defensive effort, struggling to guard ball-screens and letting Tennessee Tech score from two at will, which then translated to very stagnant offensive possessions, where they had no offensive flow. That was the reason behind the slow start, but once they were able to find that defensive effort, that was literally the game-changer. Tennessee Tech came in ranked as one of the worst three-point shooting teams in college basketball, and that's exactly what Kentucky made them do more of. That 20-3 run over the last seven minutes to close the first half for Kentucky set the tone, as Tech shot just 33 percent on the night, including 6-28 from three after going 2-16 in the first half. Also, Walker Horn and Zach Tow both scored their first career Kentucky points, which had BBN going crazy.

The Golden Eagles had plenty of missed shots on the night, which allowed Kentucky to get out and run instead of being stagnant on offense and letting Tennessee Tech's different defensive looks bother them like they did early. Kentucky had 27 assists to just 10 turnovers, thanks in part to Collin Chandler's 5 assists and just one miscue.

Trent Noah's career-high night off the bench. Otega Oweh back?

Noah wasn't just a huge part of Kentucky's first half run that sparked the energy for the rest of the game. It was a carrer-high night for the Harlan, KY native. Trent Noah came into the game needing some sort of breakout game off the bench following his ankle injury in the season-opener, which he has been working his way back from. He was certainly in form as a solid contributor off the bench, putting up a career-high 16 points on 5-6 overall and 4-5 from three. He, Collin Chandler, and Denzel Aberdeen were Kentucky's main contributors from deep, as they had 10 of their 15 season-high makes from deep on the night.

Oh, and something Kentucky fans should also be glad to see is that Otega Oweh looked more like his old self, especially in the second half, as he was very aggressive on defense, and that led to a breakout on offense. He had 12 of his 16 points in the second half. Maybe that was the performance he needed to get him going, because Kentucky needs him in order for them to reach their potential.

Once the Wildcats found their footing and effort on defense, that translated to a much better flow on offense, showcasing very balanced scoring with five in double-figures. Now, Kentucky will look to carry that momentum into a massive top 20 matchup inside Rupp Arena on Tuesday against #16 North Carolina.