Kentucky defeats TBT's La Familia in exhibition scrimmage
The La Familia name carries weight in Lexington. But on this summer day in 2025, the future of Kentucky basketball made it clear: the new blood is here to take the torch.
According to Kentucky Sports Radio’s Matt Jones, the Wildcats edged out La Familia in a competitive exhibition game, winning by eight points. It marked the second straight year the current Cats have taken down a group of UK alums, and the message this time was simple—this isn’t just a young team, it’s a ready one.
Lowe and Oweh show out
Multiple sources relayed to Jones that Jaland Lowe and Otega Oweh were the standout players. The consensus stars of the night for La Familia were Kentucky alum Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, and Archie Goodwin—those 3 drawing strong praise.
Oweh, a returning starter, has the size and physicality to dominate defensively. Lowe’s reputation as a playmaker came with him from Pitt, and early buzz says he’s delivering. The two combined for the kind of impact that screams leadership in the making.
La Familia’s old heads still got it
Don’t get it twisted—La Familia didn’t roll over.
Aaron and Andrew Harrison showed they haven’t lost their competitive fire, with Archie Goodwin reportedly playing with the same downhill fury that made him a first-round pick. The trio carried La Familia, providing scoring and edge, even if their legs weren’t what they used to be.
Also on the roster were former Cats Doron Lamb, DeAndre Liggins, Kahlil Whitney, and fan-favorite big man Willie Cauley-Stein. While the full box score wasn’t released, the game was described as close and chippy—exactly what you want from a summer scrimmage between young stars and seasoned pros.
What does it mean?
A summer exhibition doesn’t tell the whole story, but it gives us a snapshot. This UK team may be young, but it doesn’t look lost. They’ve got grown men’s strength in the backcourt, real leadership forming, and a style of play that seems more physical than last year’s group.
And that’s saying something—because last year’s team, when healthy, could beat anyone in the country.
The biggest takeaway? The 2025-26 Wildcats aren’t just reloading. They’re competing. The culture is back in the gym. The edge is back in practice. And if this closed-door scrimmage is any indication, the Big Blue might be back in the national spotlight again next year.