In a commanding start to the 2024-25 season, the No. 23 Kentucky Wildcats overwhelmed Wright State 103-62 in their season opener at Rupp Arena. The victory marked a historic debut for new head coach Mark Pope, who symbolically won by 41 points – matching his former jersey number during his playing days at Kentucky.
The Wildcats showed impressive offensive chemistry from the opening tip, with all five starters scoring before the first media timeout. The scoring parade began with Andrew Carr converting a lob from Amari Williams, who contributed to Kentucky’s first three baskets through a combination of assists and scoring.
Williams, a dominant force throughout the game, recorded his 25th career double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. However, it was Otega Oweh who led all scorers with 21 points, including a career-high three 3-pointers. Koby Brea provided a perfect shooting performance from beyond the arc, converting all four of his 3-point attempts en route to 18 points.
The Wildcats’ unselfish play was particularly noteworthy, as they recorded assists on 30 of their 39 made baskets – an impressive 76.9% assist rate. The ball movement was truly a team effort, with six players dishing out at least three assists, and three players – Lamont Butler, Kerr Kriisa, and Brandon Garrison – leading the way with five assists each.
Kentucky never trailed in the contest, with the only tie coming at 2-2. A decisive 10-0 run in the first half, sparked by eight points from Brea, gave the Wildcats a commanding 27-11 lead. By halftime, Kentucky had built a 46-24 advantage, with five players each contributing eight points.
The second half saw no letup from the Wildcats, who opened with a 12-4 run and eventually pushed their lead to as many as 44 points. The team reached the century mark on a Brea layup with 2:29 remaining, securing their highest-scoring season opener since 2011 when they put up 108 points against Marist.
The victory continues Kentucky’s impressive historical success in season openers, improving their record to 101-21 in such games throughout their 123-year history. The win also marked the eighth straight successful debut for a Kentucky head coach, a streak dating back to Adolph Rupp’s first game in December 1930.
Coach Pope’s debut set a new scoring record for a Kentucky coach’s first game, surpassing the previous mark of 88 points set by Tubby Smith in 1997. The win improved Pope’s career record to 188-108 and marked his seventh consecutive successful season opener, including his tenures at Utah Valley and BYU.
The Wildcats will look to build on this impressive start when they return to action on Saturday, November 9, hosting Bucknell at Rupp Arena. The game is scheduled for 4 p.m. and will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
