LEXINGTON, Ky. (Interstat) — Kentucky cruised to a 103-67 men’s basketball victory over North Carolina Central on Tuesday night at Rupp Arena. A crowd of 19,247 saw the Wildcats build a commanding 52-31 halftime lead and maintain the pace after the break. Otega Oweh led all scorers with 21 points for Kentucky. Jasper Johnson added 22 points off the bench. Khouri Carvey paced the Eagles with 15 points. Kentucky improved to 6-4 overall. North Carolina Central fell to 3-9.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Interstat) — The Kentucky Wildcats, seeking a return to form after consecutive losses, found their rhythm in emphatic fashion Tuesday night, overwhelming the visiting North Carolina Central Eagles 103-67 in a nonconference men’s basketball game at a sold-out Rupp Arena. A crowd of 19,247 watched the Wildcats, now 6-4, snap a two-game skid with a dominant offensive display from the opening tip. Kentucky seized control early with a 15-2 run, establishing a lead it would never relinquish and cruising to a 52-31 advantage by halftime. The most important part of the game was this initial surge, which immediately imposed Kentucky’s superior size, speed, and shooting on an overmatched Eagles squad and set the tone for the entire evening. Otega Oweh, a 6-foot-4 guard from Newark, New Jersey, led all scorers with 21 points, adding five rebounds and three steals in 27 minutes. His performance paced a balanced and efficient Kentucky attack that saw five players reach double figures. Freshman guard Jasper Johnson, a hometown product from Lexington, provided a major spark off the bench with 22 points, including three 3-pointers, in just 18 minutes. Seven-foot center Malachi Moreno of Georgetown, Kentucky, anchored the interior with 14 points and two blocks. The Wildcats’ offense operated with precision, dishing out 24 assists on 38 made field goals. Collin Chandler facilitated the attack with a game-high eight assists to go with seven points in 31 minutes. Denzel Aberdeen added five assists and eight points, while Trent Noah chipped in 11 points. Kentucky’s depth was on full display as 10 different players scored, including Andrija Jelavic with 10 points and Brandon Garrison with five points and two assists. For North Carolina Central, which fell to 3-9, the challenge of containing Kentucky’s multifaceted offense proved insurmountable. The Eagles were led by forward Khouri Carvey, a 6-foot-9 junior from Wilson, North Carolina, who scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds. Guard Dionte Johnson distributed five assists, but the Eagles struggled with Kentucky’s defensive pressure, committing 18 turnovers which the Wildcats converted into 28 points. Kentucky’s defensive intensity was evident from the start, forcing three early Eagles turnovers and blocking two shots within the first five minutes. This activity fueled the transition game and allowed the Wildcats to build their commanding first-half lead. After taking a 21-point advantage into the break, Kentucky never allowed the margin to dip below 19 in the second half, extending the lead to as many as 36 points in the final minutes. The victory provided a needed confidence boost for Kentucky following narrow losses to North Carolina and Gonzaga in its previous two outings. The Wildcats shot over 50% from the field for the game and connected on 11 shots from beyond the arc. North Carolina Central, competing in its seventh straight road game to open the season, continued to battle but could not match Kentucky’s firepower, shooting under 40% from the floor. According to pregame analytics from National Statistical, Kentucky was projected with a 99.6% probability to win. The Wildcats covered the large point spread as 38.5-point favorites, and the combined score of 170 points sailed over the over/under line of 148.5. Kentucky looks to build on this performance when it hosts Indiana on Saturday in a storied rivalry matchup. North Carolina Central returns home for its next contest on Dec. 17 against Mid-Atlantic Christian, concluding a grueling stretch of away games.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Interstat) — The Kentucky Wildcats will look to halt a three-game skid when they host the North Carolina Central Eagles in a nonconference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Rupp Arena. Kentucky (5-4) enters the contest reeling after a 94-59 home loss to then-Gonzaga last Friday, part of a difficult stretch that also includes narrow defeats to North Carolina and Louisville. The Wildcats have struggled defensively during the losing streak, allowing an average of 81.3 points per game. “We have to get back to playing with discipline and toughness on both ends,“ said Kentucky coach Mark Pope. “This is a chance for us to reset before a tough stretch of games.“ Guard Otega Oweh has been a consistent bright spot for the Wildcats, scoring in double figures in every game this season. He is averaging 13.8 points and 2.9 assists per contest, including a team-high 16 points in the losses to Gonzaga and North Carolina. North Carolina Central (3-8) arrives in Lexington after a 69-54 home loss to North Carolina A&T on Saturday. The Eagles have faced a daunting early schedule with eight of their 11 games on the road, including matchups against power conference foes North Carolina, North Carolina State and Virginia. The Eagles are led by guard Dionte Johnson, who is averaging 7.7 points and a team-high 6.0 assists per game. He dished out 11 assists in a win over CarolinaU on Nov. 29 and followed with 16 points and seven assists in a close loss at James Madison. “We know the challenge ahead of us in that environment,“ said North Carolina Central coach LeVelle Moton. “We have to value the basketball and defend for 40 minutes. It’s about us continuing to grow through this process.“ Kentucky holds a distinct size and depth advantage and will be heavily favored, especially at home where they are 4-2 this season. The Eagles have lost all eight games against Division I opponents this season by an average margin of 24.5 points. This is the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Following this game, Kentucky will prepare for a marquee home matchup against Indiana on Saturday. North Carolina Central will host Mid-Atlantic Christian on Dec. 17. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.