No. 23 Kentucky men's basketball passed its toughest test of the preseason Friday night, defeating No. 19 Texas Tech 76-65 in a top-25 exhibition matchup at Rupp Arena.The Wildcats overcame a slow start and held off a second-hal f comeback by the Red Raiders to secure their second exhibition victory ahead of the regular season.Coming off a 69-49 exhibition win over Little Rock, the Wildcats looked to build on their first outing against a Texas Tech program that reached the Elite Eight in 2025 under head coach Grant McCasland.Kentucky played without Kam Williams (foot), Trent Noah (hamstring) and Jerone Morton (knee). Texas Tech was without star forward JT Toppin, who is recovering from a torn ACL, and Jamichael Stillwell, who is awaiting an eligibility decision.The Red Raiders came out strong, taking an early lead as Kentucky struggled to find its rhythm offensively. The Wildcats trailed 23-16 with 7:36 remaining in the first half, shooting 0-for-8 from beyond the arc while continuing to battle turnover issues.But Kentucky eventually found its footing.An Ousmane N'Diaye three-point play sparked a momentum shift, followed by a defensive stop and a Malachi Moreno basket off an Alex Wilkins assist to tie the game at 25.Milan Momcilovic then knocked down Kentucky's first three-pointer of the night to give the Wildcats a 28-25 lead with 4:17 remaining in the half.Kentucky used a 15-0 run and increased defensive pressure to take control late in the half, forcing six turnovers in just over four minutes.The Wildcats entered halftime leading 37-33, despite shooting just 1-for-11 from three-point range.Momcilovic led Kentucky with 10 first-half points, followed by Moreno with eight and N'Diaye with seven. The Wildcats recorded 11 assists and committed seven turnovers, with none coming in the final 9:07 of the half.Kentucky carried that momentum into the second half, with N'Diaye connecting from beyond the arc before delivering a block that set up a Mason Williams three-pointer. The sequence helped the Wildcats build a 47-35 lead early in the half.But Texas Tech wasn't going away quietly.Donovan Atwell knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to cut Kentucky's lead to 47-41 with 13:30 remaining. The Red Raiders continued to chip away at the deficit as the Wildcats' offense went cold, going nearly five minutes without a field goal.Texas Tech eventually erased the double-digit deficit, tying the game at 52 with 8:34 left to play. The Red Raiders also took advantage of second-chance opportunities, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds for 13 second-chance points.Alex Wilkins helped Kentucky regain the lead with a pair of free throws before freshman Mason Williams delivered another momentum-shifting sequence.Williams knocked down a three-pointer and followed it with a steal on the defensive end, helping the Wildcats take a 57-54 lead with 7:11 remaining.Despite Texas Tech continuing to answer Kentucky's offensive pushes, the Wildcats found ways to respond down the stretch.Wilkins connected on a crucial three-pointer to extend Kentucky's lead to 70-61 with 2:49 remaining, forcing another Red Raiders timeout.About a minute later, Milan Momcilovic knocked down another three-pointer to push Kentucky's lead back to double digits. Texas Tech responded with a basket of its own, cutting the deficit to 73-65 with 1:23 remaining.Despite seeing its double-digit lead disappear midway through the second half, Kentucky responded down the stretch, outscoring Texas Tech 24-13 after the game was tied at 52.Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno led the Wildcats with 15 points apiece, followed by Mason Williams with 14 and Alex Wilkins with 13.The 76-65 victory gives the Wildcats a second straight exhibition win and an encouraging result against a nationally ranked opponent before the regular season begins. For more on Kentucky Men's Basketball and all of the Wildcats, join us onBBN Tonight, airing weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on the official station for UK Athletics, LEX 18. ...read more read less