Kentucky Fights Back to Defeat Gonzaga in Seattle -

After 20 minutes, things didn’t look good for Kentucky in their second high-profile game of the season. They were trailing by 16, 50-34, to No. 7 Gonzaga. The Wildcats had gotten off to a promising start, hitting their first two three-point shots and leading 8-7 with just over two minutes gone in the first half. However, Kentucky went cold for the rest of the half, and Gonzaga closed with a dominant 43-26 run.

Leading the way for Gonzaga was big man Graham Ike, who had 18 points and 8 rebounds in the first half. He dominated Kentucky’s bigs, hitting mid-range shots, drawing fouls, scoring around the basket, and even sinking a three-pointer. Ryan Nembhard orchestrated Gonzaga’s offense with ease, finishing the half with 9 points and 7 assists. The first half was Kentucky’s worst defensive performance of the season, as Gonzaga scored on 24 of their 34 possessions—a 70.6% scoring rate and a staggering 1.471 points per possession.

Amid Kentucky’s struggles, Brandon Garrison provided a bright spot. He tallied 8 points and 4 rebounds in just six minutes of play, limited by foul trouble. Kerr Kriisa also bounced back from a rough outing against Clemson. Forced into the starting lineup due to Lamont Butler’s ankle injury, Kriisa contributed 6 points and 2 assists, hitting two of three attempts from beyond the arc.

The second half told a completely different story. After a Kentucky turnover, Gonzaga extended their lead to 18 points, 52-34. Over the next four and a half minutes, Kentucky erupted with an 18-4 run, cutting the lead to just 4 points at 56-52. A pivotal 13-0 stretch during this run shifted momentum. From there, the game turned into a back-and-forth battle, with the lead fluctuating between 6 points and 1 point. Kentucky eventually tied the game at 79 with one minute left, thanks to a turnaround jumper by Andrew Carr from about 8 feet out.

The final minute of regulation offered thrilling moments for both teams. Ike, who scored 9 additional points in the second half, missed a short jumper, and Carr secured the rebound with 29 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Kentucky set up a play for Oweh, who drove into the paint for a potential game-winning layup or lob to Amari William. However, Ike blocked the attempt, and the ball ended up in Kobe Brea’s hands. Brea’s last-second elbow jumper fell short, sending the game into overtime.

In the second half, Kentucky outscored Gonzaga 45-29. Robinson rebounded from a tough first half, scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting after going 1-of-8 earlier. Carr added 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting as well. The Wildcats improved their shooting percentage from 33% in the first half to 53% in the second. Defensively, they held Gonzaga to 39% shooting after the Bulldogs hit 54% in the first half.

Overtime mirrored the intensity of the second half. Kentucky’s efficient offense and tough defense gave them a 7-point lead just two minutes into the extra period. Gonzaga, however, refused to back down. After missing their first three three-point attempts in overtime, the Bulldogs hit consecutive threes to cut Kentucky’s lead to 1 point.

In the final minute, Kentucky extended their lead to 3 points on a second-chance basket by Carr, making it 88-85. Gonzaga’s Ike was fouled on the next possession but missed one of his two free throws. Carr grabbed the rebound, giving Kentucky a chance to seal the game. Robinson, playing point guard due to Kriisa’s injury, regained control of a deflected pass and hit a clutch floater for a 90-86 lead with just over 14 seconds remaining. Gonzaga responded with a three-pointer from former Kentucky commit Nolan Hickman, narrowing the gap to 90-89 with five seconds left.

All Kentucky needed was to hit their free throws. Carr, one of the team’s standout performers, was fouled and sent to the line with four seconds remaining. However, he missed both attempts, giving Gonzaga one last chance. Racing up the court, Gonzaga’s hopes were dashed when Carr hustled back and knocked the ball away, securing Kentucky’s hard-fought victory.

This high-level early-season matchup could have gone either way, as both teams had their opportunities to win in regulation and overtime. Kentucky capitalized when it mattered most. Head coach Mark Pope became the first since Adolph Rupp to win his first two games against top-10 opponents. Additionally, the Wildcats snapped Gonzaga’s incredible 175-game streak of winning when leading by double digits at halftime. The game was a thrilling showcase of two elite teams and a reminder of the excitement college basketball brings.