Kentucky blows big lead, rallies back to beat No. 15 Arkansas

Field Level Media|published: Sat 31st January, 21:26 2026

Jan 31, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) drives against Arkansas Razorbacks forward Nick Pringle (23) during the first half at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Otega Oweh scored 24 points and had eight rebounds, Collin Chandler scored 13 points, and the Kentucky Wildcats rallied late after blowing a 13-point lead late to upset the No. 15 Arkansas Razorbacks 85-77 in a Southeastern Conference game in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday.

Malachi Moreno scored 11 points and Denzel Aberdeen added 10 in an emotional game that featured six technical fouls, with four on Kentucky.

The Wildcats (15-7, 6-3 SEC) have won six of seven.

Darius Acuff Jr. scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half, Trevon Brazile scored 16 and Billy Richmond III added 14 for the Razorbacks (16-6, 6-3), who had been 12-0 at home this season.

The Wildcats broke from a tie at 63-63 on a five-point possession for a lead they never lost with 8:02 left that included Arkansas' second technical foul.

Mouhamed Dioubate made a free throw after a personal foul on Brazile, Trent Noah made two free throws after a technical foul on Malique Ewin, and Moreno made two free throws after being fouled for a 68-63 lead.

Kentucky bumped the lead 80-70 when Dioubate made a free throw with 2:03 remaining, and the Razorbacks were never closer than six.

Oweh, the SEC preseason player of the year, has scored in double-figures in all 22 games this season.

The Wildcats bounced back from an 80-55 loss at Vanderbilt on Tuesday and avenged an 89-79 home loss to the Razorbacks last season in former coach John Calipari's return to Lexington.

Kentucky led by 13 in the first half but fell behind 57-53 after picking up three technical fouls in 38 seconds, the last on coach Mark Pope.

Acuff made two free throws on the final technical and added a 3-pointer and a driving layup to cap the stretch to give the Razorbacks' their biggest lead of the game at 57-53.

The Wildcats made 11 of their first 13 field-goal attempts and took a 26-13 lead eight minutes into the first half. Oweh made his first four shots and Aberdeen hit his first two, both 3-pointers.

Kentucky led 42-35 at the half, their first halftime lead in a true road game this season.

--Field Level Media