MILWAUKEE — Kentucky shone brightly in its opening game of the NCAA Tournament, prevailing over Troy with a score of 76-57. Key to this victory was Otega Oweh, who delivered an impressive performance by scoring 20 points, while Andrew Carr supported with 13 points. Amari Williams was a force on the boards, securing 13 rebounds for the Wildcats, helping to steer the team comfortably through the first round.
The Wildcats (23-11) are poised to face the winner of the Illinois versus Xavier matchup in the next stage of the Midwest Region. Kentucky’s win was a relief for the team, especially after last year’s early exit when they fell to 14th-seeded Oakland. This year, however, they seemed revitalized and ready to progress further. Kentucky guard Lamont Butler expressed the group’s determination by highlighting the importance of advancing past the first game. “It’s a big relief, winning that first game. The first game’s always tough. Now we’re moving on to the next game. We have to win that one and move on to the Sweet 16.”
After the Oakland game, the Wildcats underwent a substantial roster transformation, and this renewal bore fruit against Troy. Kentucky’s strategy involved remaining focused on the present, as emphasized by Coach Mark Pope, who took charge last April. “For me, also, I’m fighting so hard to keep bringing myself back to not taking on the magnitude of the history of all the things that are just too big and all turn out to be distractions,” Pope stated.
Despite the loss, the Trojans (23-11) have shown resilience, crowned as the Sun Belt Conference champions. Myles Rigsby emerged as a notable contributor with 14 points, while Tayton Conerway added 12. Troy’s journey in the tournament, even though short-lived, was celebrated by Coach Scott Cross, who remarked on the tenacity his team displayed in recent weeks. “We didn’t play our best basketball tonight but what they did the last three or four weeks is absolutely amazing,” Cross said.
Conerway cherished the experience of playing in the NCAA tournament, fulfilling what he described as a lifelong ambition. Reflecting on the opportunity, Conerway acknowledged Cross for providing him the platform to showcase his skills, something for which he expressed deep gratitude. “Not a lot of coaches gave me a chance,” he shared. “Coach Cross gave me a chance to let me come out here and show what I can do and I’ll always appreciate him for that.”
While this was only Troy’s third NCAA Tournament appearance, Kentucky once again demonstrated their historic consistency in these competitions, underscored by their rich history of 63 tournament appearances and eight national titles with their most recent triumph in 2012.
The pivotal moment of the game unfolded when Kentucky held a narrow one-point lead with just over three minutes remaining in the first half. From there, the Wildcats gathered momentum, scoring eight consecutive points, a burst highlighted by slick three-pointers from Trent Noah and Carr, followed by a sensational full-court drive and dunk by Williams.
Lamont Butler’s fighting spirit was a highlight as he played 25 minutes despite a troublesome shoulder injury, an affliction that already cost him six games earlier in the season. Although he didn’t score in this first-round encounter, Butler concentrated on contributing in other ways and expressed gratitude for participating in the game.