Kentucky’s Exhibition Season Kickoff and the Texas Tech Challenge

After cruising to a 20‑point win in their exhibition opener, No. 23 Kentucky will see a step up in competition this week, as the Cats host No. 19/16 Texas Tech at Rupp Arena (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network Plus). The game marked the first real gauge of Mark Pope’s reloaded roster against a nationally‑ranked opponent.

Preview: Kentucky Looks to Build on Exhibition Success

Kentucky opened the fall campaign with a dominant 69‑49 victory over Travis Ford’s Little Rock team at Rupp Arena. Milan Momcilovic led the Cats with 16 points, while Alex Wilkins added 11 and Mason Williams contributed 10. Pope emphasized that the early win was just the beginning of a longer developmental process.

“We’re excited about facing a terrific team, a Top 25 team, here in Rupp tomorrow night,” Pope said. “(Grant McCasland) does a great job with his ...