Kentucky Wildcats Outlast Texas Longhorns In SEC Thriller

On a chilly January night in Lexington, the Kentucky Wildcats and Texas Longhorns squared off in a high-stakes SEC showdown that delivered all the drama college basketball fans could hope for. The Wildcats, riding a wave of momentum after a string of heart-stopping wins, welcomed the Longhorns to Rupp Arena on January 21, 2026, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network. The energy in the building was palpable—Kentucky was favored by 6.5 points, but Texas had every intention of spoiling the party.

Kentucky entered the contest with a 12-6 overall record and a 3-2 mark in SEC play, fresh off an 80-78 thriller over Tennessee just days earlier. That win marked a milestone for head coach Mark Pope, as it was the first time in his tenure that the Wildcats had strung together three straight regular-season SEC victories. The Wildcats’ recent form was impressive, with buzzer-beater heroics from Malachi Moreno against LSU and a gritty comeback against Tennessee solidifying their reputation as late-game warriors.

The Longhorns, meanwhile, arrived in Lexington with an 11-7 record (2-3 SEC), licking their wounds from a tough 74-70 defeat to Texas A&M. Still, Texas had proven its mettle, having notched two Quad 1 wins the previous week—one on the road at Alabama and another at home against Vanderbilt. Under first-year head coach Sean Miller, the Longhorns had become known for their physical, offense-first approach, ranking 17th nationally in offensive efficiency according to KenPom, though their 100th-ranked defense left something to be desired.

From the opening tip, the action was fast and furious. Both teams boasted athletic lineups, and it was clear this would be a contest defined by pace and intensity. Kentucky’s starting five—Denzel Aberdeen, Collin Chandler, Mouhamed Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, and Otega Oweh—took the floor for the third straight game, while Texas countered with a veteran backcourt featuring Dailyn Swain and Tramon Mark, and a frontcourt anchored by the foul-drawing machine, Matas Vokietaitis.

The first half was a seesaw affair, with neither team able to pull away. The Longhorns finished the half strong, hitting four of their last five shots, and the scoreboard reflected the deadlock—tied at the break. Dailyn Swain led all scorers at the half with 14 points, while Kentucky’s Denzel Aberdeen and Otega Oweh paced the Wildcats with 10 points apiece.

For Kentucky, the story of the season had been resilience. Despite the loss of Jaland Lowe for the season and ongoing injury woes for Jayden Quaintance—who sat out his fourth straight game due to lingering soreness after ACL surgery—the Wildcats’ depth shone through. Coach Pope leaned on a nine- or ten-man rotation, a luxury afforded in part by the program’s reported $22 million NIL investment, allowing the team to weather adversity and keep fresh legs on the court.

Kentucky’s improved three-point shooting was another key narrative. The Wildcats had shot 40% or better from beyond the arc in each of their last three games, with Aberdeen, Oweh, and Collin Chandler all providing timely buckets from deep. Defensively, while Kentucky ranked just 14th in the SEC in opponent effective field goal percentage during league play, their disruptive style resulted in the second-best turnover rate in the conference. That ability to force mistakes often sparked transition opportunities, where the Wildcats thrived.

Texas, for its part, was no pushover. The Longhorns’ offense was relentless, with multiple players capable of taking over a game. Jordan Pope provided steady leadership at the point, taking care of the basketball and knocking down shots from the perimeter. Swain and Mark consistently attacked the rim, and Vokietaitis’s knack for drawing fouls put pressure on Kentucky’s frontcourt all night. According to the SportsLine Projection Model, both teams were projected to average over 80 points per game, and the Over on the 151.5-point total was a popular pick among bettors—a prediction that would prove prescient.

As the second half unfolded, the tension ratcheted up. Kentucky’s bench delivered key minutes, with Malachi Moreno making his presence felt inside and Chandler knocking down a pair of crucial threes. The Wildcats’ ability to crash the glass and win hustle plays drew praise from opponents as well. After Kentucky’s win over Tennessee, Volunteer freshman Nate Ament admitted, “Just not being physical enough, not wanting to win the game as bad as they did. It’s super frustrating. ... You give them credit for crashing the glass hard and really wanting to win that game.”

With the game hanging in the balance in the final minutes, both teams traded blows. Texas continued to ride Swain’s hot hand, while Kentucky leaned on Oweh, who was forecasted to exceed his season scoring average. In the end, it was Kentucky’s poise and depth that made the difference. The Wildcats closed out the game with clutch free throws and timely defensive stops, securing an 85-80 victory in front of a roaring home crowd. The win pushed Kentucky’s record to 13-6 overall and 4-2 in SEC play, extending their regular-season conference win streak to four—a feat not accomplished since the final days of John Calipari’s tenure.

The victory also solidified Kentucky’s place in the national conversation, as they climbed to 24th in the KenPom rankings with top-32 efficiency on both ends of the floor. For Coach Pope, the game was another statement that his team could handle adversity and deliver when it mattered. Texas, meanwhile, left Lexington with plenty to build on—Swain’s scoring, Vokietaitis’s interior presence, and a backcourt that refused to back down against elite competition.

Looking ahead, Kentucky will aim to keep the good times rolling with upcoming matchups against Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, while Texas will regroup and look to tighten up defensively as they chase an NCAA Tournament berth. For fans in Lexington, the night was a reminder of just how thrilling college basketball can be—a back-and-forth battle between two athletic, well-coached squads, with the Wildcats emerging victorious in a contest that lived up to the hype.