Kentucky breaks out of slump with huge win over Indiana

The Kentucky Wildcats (7-4) appeared to be lost through the first 10 games of the 2025-26 season, but a huge 72-60 win over Indiana (8-3) at Rupp Arena on Saturday should put head coach Mark Pope back into the good graces of Wildcat fans. 

After losing their first four games against Power Four or ranked opponents this season, it looked to be much of the same for Kentucky on Saturday. The 'Cats trailed by seven at halftime, and what was a raucous crowd at the start of the evening was quiet at the break. 

But a second-half rally lifted Kentucky to its crowning non-conference victory this season and one of Pope's biggest wins in Lexington. 

Mouhamed Dioubate had an extremely efficient evening, scoring 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and grabbing 12 rebounds in only 22 minutes of play. Dioubate's performance was especially important for Kentucky, given the sub-par effort of Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh, who scored 10 points but shot just 2-of-10 from the field in 33 minutes of action.

Indiana's Tucker DeVries scored 15 points, but shot only 4-of-13 from the floor and just 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. The Hoosiers went just 4-24 from three, a paltry 17 percent clip. 

Kentucky back on track after beating Indiana

Kentucky outscored the Hoosiers 40-21 over the final 20 minutes and finally has momentum back on its side. The Wildcats have one more marquee non-conference matchup remaining in Atlanta against No. 22 St. John's before closing out their non-con schedule against Bellarmine on Dec. 23 and beginning Southeastern Conference play against No. 12 Alabama on Jan. 3. 

A win over St. John's would be huge for a program and fan base that, even with the victory on Saturday, still seems to be stuck in the mud early in Pope's second campaign at UK.