Kentucky fans didn’t need analytics, press conferences, or insider reports to see what was coming — but they did need Mark Pope to finally pull the trigger. And on Friday night against Loyola Maryland, he did exactly that.
What looked like a bold gamble from the outside was, to Kentucky fans, simply overdue:
Starting freshman center Malachi Moreno.
For weeks, fans had been calling for a spark in the frontcourt. With Mouhamed Dioubate sidelined by an ankle injury and Brandon Garrison battling inconsistency, the timing was perfect. Pope made the move — and it transformed the game.
The Freshman Who Changed Everything
Moreno wasted no time proving Pope right. In his first career start, the 7-foot freshman delivered a breakout performance:
10 points
8 rebounds
2 assists
4 blocks
His presence in the paint immediately shifted the tone of the matchup. Loyola Maryland couldn’t match his length, timing, or energy. Every rebound, every altered shot, every hustle play added fuel to a Kentucky team that had been searching for exactly this kind of jolt.
Moreno didn’t just fill a role — he elevated the entire lineup.
A Starting Five That Finally Had Balance
Kentucky rolled out this starting unit:
Denzel Aberdeen
Collin Chandler
Otega Oweh
Kam Williams
Malachi Moreno
It was a group built on speed, athleticism, and defensive pressure — and it worked. Aberdeen and Chandler pushed the pace, Oweh and Williams attacked relentlessly, and Moreno anchored everything at the rim.
For the first time in weeks, Kentucky looked like a team with both direction and identity.
Fans Asked for It. Pope Delivered.
While national analysts called it a risky lineup shakeup, the Big Blue Nation knew better. They’d seen enough to understand that Moreno’s energy was exactly what the frontcourt lacked. Pope’s decision wasn’t reckless — it was responsive.
He listened. He adjusted. And Kentucky benefitted.
The Wildcats played with a toughness and confidence that had been missing, turning defense into offense and keeping Loyola Maryland on its heels from start to finish.
A Turning Point or Just the Beginning?
Friday’s win wasn’t just another non-conference victory. It was proof that this Kentucky roster has untapped potential — and that Pope is willing to make the tough, unconventional decisions needed to unlock it.
Moreno’s performance may have earned him more than just a one-game trial. It may have earned him a permanent role in the lineup, or at the very least, a major bump in minutes.
One thing is certain:
What many thought was a gamble was actually Pope embracing what Kentucky fans already believed — Moreno was ready.
And with that belief rewarded, the Wildcats suddenly look like a team on the rise.
