No. 23 Kentucky opens its regular season on Tuesday night against Manhattan at Rupp Arena after finishing 3-0 in exhibition games. Head coach Mark Pope praised the team’s trajectory through the preseason, noting sharp improvements in turnover rates, assists, and rebounding performance.
Rupp Arena Hosts Season Opener Against Manhattan
No. 23 Kentucky begins its regular season on Tuesday night, facing Manhattan at Rupp Arena with a 7 p.m. ET tip-off on SEC Network Plus. The Wildcats enter the matchup following an undefeated three-game exhibition stretch. Manhattan finished last season with a 12-20 record and suffered a first-round exit in the Metro Conference Tournament.
The opening exhibition game resulted in a 69-49 victory over Little Rock, coached by Travis Ford. Milan Momcilovic led Kentucky with 16 points, while Alex Wilkins added 11. The Wildcats shot 12 of 28 from behind the three-point arc during that contest.
Exhibition Wins Showcase Preseason Growth
Kentucky stepped up its competition level in the second exhibition, defeating No. 19 Texas Tech 76-65. The Wildcats placed five players in double figures. Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno each scored 15 points, freshman Mason Williams contributed 14, Wilkins added 13, and Ousmane N’Diaye scored 10.
The final exhibition contest required overtime before Kentucky secured a 90-76 win over Central Florida. Wilkins tied the game with a basket at the end of regulation. The Wildcats then outscored the Knights 19-5 in the extra period. Momcilovic led the scoring again with 19 points, and Williams recorded 18.
Head coach Mark Pope highlighted the team’s statistical progress across the three games.
I thought we just showed so much growth and so much progress,
Pope said. It was fun to mark them in the games. We saw tremendous trajectory growth in our turnover percentage going down, our assists going up. Our offensive rebound percentage on missed threes tripled from game one to game three.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Matchup
What time does the Kentucky versus Manhattan game start?
The game begins at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday night and will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.
Where is the game being played?
The matchup takes place at Rupp Arena.
IT'S GAMEDAY, BBN! 😼 Tonight marks the beginning of Year 3 under head coach Mark Pope, as he looks to lead Kentucky to its ninth national championship this season! No. 23 Kentucky opens the season against Manhattan tonight! 📍 Rupp Arena ⏰ 7:00 PM ET 📺 SEC Network+ 📈… pic.twitter.com/Fs8QceRfiQ
How did Manhattan perform last season?
Manhattan finished the previous season with a 12-20 record and lost in the opening round of the Metro Conference Tournament.
More on Rupp Arena
The @KentuckyMBB regular season opener is on deck for tomorrow night 🤩 The Cats will take on Manhattan tomorrow night at Rupp Arena at 7:00 PM EST 👀 pic.twitter.com/N4F6n4zElR
Mason Williams in Kentucky's three exhibition games: 14 PPG, 16/23 from the field, 6/9 from three-point range. The curtain officially comes up tonight at Rupp Arena against Manhattan. Year 3 of the Mark Pope era commences tonight.