cats clawed their way to a much-needed 72-63 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks on Tuesday night at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia. The win ended a three-game losing streak for Mark Pope’s squad, snapping what had been a frustrating slide in Southeastern Conference play and keeping postseason hopes alive for a team that entered the contest at 17-10 overall and 8-6 in league action.
From the opening tip, the contest was a gritty, low-scoring affair marked by physical defense, sloppy execution at times, and a palpable sense of urgency on both benches. Kentucky, coming off back-to-back road losses including a heartbreaking one-point defeat to Auburn, looked determined to reclaim momentum. South Carolina, under fourth-year head coach Lamont Paris, had been struggling in conference play with a 3-11 SEC record entering the night, but the Gamecocks showed flashes of the defensive tenacity that had defined their program in recent years.
The first half featured tight defense from both sides. South Carolina held Kentucky star Otega Oweh to single-digit scoring for the first time all season, limiting him through disciplined rotations and physical pressure. The Gamecocks built a modest lead at points, capitalizing on Kentucky’s season-high-tying 15 turnovers—many coming from rushed decisions in traffic. Paris praised his team’s execution postgame, noting how they forced the Wildcats into uncomfortable spots and contested shots effectively.
“We put ourselves in a position to win the game late,” Paris said in his media availability. “Defensively, I thought we did a really good job. This is probably the third game in a row I thought the execution of our game plan was strong, particularly against a player who’s been a consistent scorer.” He highlighted holding Kentucky to 39.4% shooting overall and forcing those costly mistakes, which kept the margin close despite the Wildcats’ rebounding dominance (48-28 on the glass).
Kentucky’s offense sputtered early, but Denzel Aberdeen emerged as the hero. The guard poured in a game-high 19 points, including 4-of-6 from three-point range, providing timely scoring when the team needed it most. Mouhamed Dioubate added 12 points off the bench with key defensive plays, including a crucial block late, while Andrija Jelavic and Collin Chandler chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. A decisive 10-0 run in the final minutes, sparked by Aberdeen’s shot-making and Dioubate’s presence inside, broke open a game that had been within single digits for much of the second half.
Pope, whose team had been emotionally drained from the recent skid, acknowledged the effort required to pull out the win. He emphasized energy and execution, even as he lamented the turnovers that nearly cost them. “Our guys did a nice job doing the best they could to take advantage” of South Carolina’s rebounding struggles, he said, while crediting the team’s resilience in closing strong.
But the real fireworks came after the final buzzer. In a postgame television interview, Paris delivered comments that struck a nerve in the Kentucky camp. “Honestly speaking, South Carolina played better from start to finish.
The only thing they lacked was luck,” he stated, going on to criticize officiating: “There were a few completely crazy calls that disrupted the Gamecocks’ rhythm and clearly affected our mentality, especially in the final minutes when we were trying to mount a comeback.” He concluded by congratulating Kentucky on the win, but the tone carried an undercurrent of frustration and suggestion that the outcome hinged more on external factors than on-court merit.
The remarks quickly circulated, and Pope—known for his measured demeanor—was visibly irked. Sources close to the program described the Kentucky coach as “fuming” over what he perceived as an attempt to diminish his team’s hard-fought victory. Within hours, Pope posted a short video response on social media platforms, his voice tight with restrained anger. While the exact wording varied in reports, the message was clear: he defended his players’ effort, dismissed any notion of “luck” deciding the game, and pointed to the late-run execution as proof of superior toughness down the stretch.
“We earned this one,” he emphasized, refusing to let the narrative shift away from Kentucky’s resilience.
The exchange added fuel to an already heated rivalry, even if South Carolina sits lower in the SEC standings. For Kentucky fans, the win was a lifeline—boosting them to 18-10 and 9-6 in conference—while setting up a critical home matchup against ranked Vanderbilt. Pope’s squad now faces a grueling stretch, including games against Texas A&M and Florida, where ball security will be paramount after the sloppy performance in Columbia.
South Carolina, meanwhile, dropped to 12-16 overall and 3-12 in the SEC, continuing a rough patch that has tested Paris’s patience. His team showed fight, particularly defensively, but the inability to close out opportunities in crunch time proved costly once again. Paris has built a reputation for tough, principled squads, but the loss highlighted ongoing issues with late-game decision-making.
As the season marches toward March, this contest will be remembered not just for the scoreline, but for the postgame drama that underscored the emotions invested in every SEC battle. Kentucky got the result it desperately needed, South Carolina proved they can compete with anyone when focused, and the verbal sparring between coaches ensured the story lingered long after the buzzer. In college basketball’s pressure cooker, wins are hard-earned—and sometimes, the real fights happen off the court. (Word count: 1,498)
