Mark Pope told the SEC Network crew before this one that Kentucky has to “burn white” with their competitiveness. After getting booed off the floor in Nashville and questioned by DeMarcus Cousins, national media, and pretty much everyone with a pulse, that phrase sounded like a challenge more than a slogan.
Against North Carolina Central, Kentucky at least finally looked like a team that heard it, at times anyway.
Yeah, the opponent matters. This wasn’t Gonzaga, Louisville or Michigan State. But for the first time in a while, Kentucky played with real edge, purpose, and joy in a 103–67 win that felt as much about how it looked as what the scoreboard said.
Kentucky actually played together, and the numbers prove it
The story of the Gonzaga debacle was simple: no ball movement, no fight, no identity.
Against NC Central?
- 27 assists on 39 made shots
- Only 9 turnovers
- 61% from the field (39-of-64)
- 41% from three (12-of-29)
- 52–30 edge in points in the paint
- 34–15 edge in fast-break points
That’s what “burn white” is supposed to look like, pressure on defense, pace in transition, and the ball actually finding the open man instead of dying in one-on-one drives.
Kentucky turned 9 steals and 13 NC Central turnovers into 27 points off turnovers, which is exactly the kind of attack-first mindset this roster was built for but hadn’t shown.
Otega Oweh answers some of the criticism
If there was one player under the microscope coming in, it was Otega Oweh. Effort questions, defensive lapses, body language — all of it had been part of the story.
He needed a response. He gave one.
Oweh finished with:
- 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting
- 3-of-4 from three
- 7 rebounds
- 4 steals
This was the version of Oweh Kentucky has to have: engaged defensively, attacking downhill, knocking down catch-and-shoot threes, and flying around instead of drifting. One good night doesn’t erase everything that came before it, but it’s the first time in a while he looked like a tone-setter instead of a question mark.
Jasper Johnson shows what Kentucky basketball's offense could be
If you’re looking for a bright spot that feels real beyond this game, circle Jasper Johnson.
Off the bench, Johnson was a walking bucket:
- 22 points in 19 minutes
- 6-of-10 from the field
- 2-of-4 from three
- 8-of-8 from the line
There was no hesitation. He hunted shots within the flow, ran the floor, and turned live-ball stops into instant offense. When Kentucky is at its best under Pope, this is the blueprint: guards putting pressure on the rim, spacing the floor, and punishing defenses that relax for even a second.
Frontcourt finally dominates like it’s supposed to
After getting bullied on the glass by Gonzaga, the bigs needed to show some pride. They did.
Malachi Moreno quietly put together one of his best all-around games:
- 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting
- 7 rebounds
- 2 blocks
He finished plays around the rim, rebounded in traffic, and looked decisive instead of tentative. Kentucky won the glass 36–26 and disappointingly matched NC Central in offensive boards, but the bigger deal was how those rebounds turned into transition chances instead of one-and-done trips. The rebounding is still a major question, but it was better.
Off the bench, Andrija Jelavić added 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting (2-of-4 from deep), flashing stretch big potential that can completely change floor spacing if it carries over.
Trent Noah and Collin Chandler set the tone early
Kentucky’s starts have been brutal lately. Tonight, the opening group did its job even though it took a while for the shots to start falling. At the 12 minute timeout, the Cats had just 14 points. But over the next 11 minutes the Cats would score 38 points.
Trent Noah:
- 11 points
- 3-of-6 from three
- 6 rebounds
- 3 assists
Noah played like a connector, spacing the floor, making the extra pass, cleaning the glass. Exactly what this team has been missing.
Collin Chandler:
- 7 points
- 8 assists to just 1 turnover
- 5 rebounds
He didn’t force things, he organized the offense, and he made sure Kentucky’s good shots stayed good shots. After a stretch of rough offensive decision-making games, that kind of control was badly needed.
“Burn white” is a start, not a cure
Let’s be honest: North Carolina Central wasn’t going to expose Kentucky the way Gonzaga, Louisville or Michigan State did. This game was never going to answer the biggest questions about this team:
- Will they fight when punched in the mouth?
- Will they share the ball against real length and pressure?
- Will the effort look like this when it’s not easy?
But if you were looking for early signs that Pope’s “major overhaul” and “reconstruction” talk meant something, this was at least a step:
- The ball moved.
- The defense created offense.
- The bench contributed real minutes instead of empty calorie stats.
- The body language looked like a team that still cares.
Pope said Kentucky has to “burn white” with their competitiveness. For one night, they finally matched the words with the on-court product.
Now the question is simple:
Can they bottle this and bring it against teams that can punch back?