UNCW pulled off a stunning 80-73 upset win over No. 12 Kentucky on Saturday at Rupp Arena in the fourth major upset of the weekend in college basketball. The Wildcats were coming off their biggest win of the season over No. 8 Miami in the ACC/SEC Challenge before UNCW delivered a big win of its own.
Kentucky (6-2) was on a four-game winning streak coming into the weekend after suffering a loss to previous No. 1 Kansas last month in the Champions Classic. The Wildcats suffered a near loss to Saint Joseph's late last month before pulling away in the overtime period.
UNCW (6-2) started the season 4-0 before losing two of its last three contests to Appalachian State and East Carolina. Kentucky was the lone Top 25 team the Seahawks had on their schedule this season.
The Seahawks led by as many as 14 points during the first 20 minutes of action before the Wildcats went on a 9-0 run midway through the second half to take a 55-49 lead. UNCW star forward Trazarien White scored a season-high 27 points.
- Saturday marked Kentucky's first nonconference loss to an unranked opponent at home since December 12, 2020. The Wildcats had won 22 straight home games since the last loss to Notre Dame.
- White recorded his fourth 20+ point game of the season and is averaging a career-high 18.1 points and 6.0 assists.
- The Wildcats were without star freshman D.J. Wagner due to a lower extremity injury. Kentucky freshman Aaron Bradshaw, who ranked as the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle by 247Sports, made his season debut and scored three points in 13 minutes of action.
- Kentucky became the fourth top-15 team to lose this weekend. No. 1 Purdue, No. 3 Marquette and No. 7 Duke all were on the wrong end of an upset during the last 24 hours.
