Kentucky already knew it would be walking into Neville Arena short-handed. Jaland Lowe, Kam Williams, and Jayden Quaintance were unavailable, thinning out the rotation in what was always going to be a hostile road environment.
Then came another wrinkle.
Just hours before tipoff, Denzel Aberdeen appeared on the SEC Injury Report as probable due to illness. He hadn’t practiced in two days. He was dealing with flu-like symptoms. His availability was suddenly in question.
But when the ball went up Saturday night, Aberdeen was on the floor.
And he stayed there.
Despite feeling “as sick as could be,” according to head coach Mark Pope, Aberdeen logged 38 grueling minutes in Kentucky’s 75-74 loss to Auburn — tying his career high in playing time. In a game that came down to the final possessions, the sophomore guard delivered one of the toughest performances of the Wildcats’ season.
“Denzel hasn’t practiced in two days and was sick as could be and just was courageous out there,” Pope said on the postgame radio show with Tom Leach. “Giving us the best he could.”
Aberdeen finished with 15 points and three assists, but the stat sheet only tells part of the story. He took on one of the toughest defensive assignments of the night, guarding Auburn standout Tahaad Pettiford. The result? Pettiford was limited to just nine points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field.
That defensive effort was critical in keeping Kentucky within striking distance.
Offensively, Aberdeen battled through visible fatigue. He shot 5-of-14 from the field, but when the moment demanded poise, he delivered. With 3:14 remaining and Kentucky fighting to stay alive, Aberdeen knocked down a clutch three-pointer that shifted momentum. Moments later, he calmly stepped to the free-throw line and buried two pressure shots to give the Wildcats a brief three-point lead in the closing stretch.
For a team searching for answers during a difficult stretch, his toughness stood out.
Aberdeen’s effort marked the third time this season a Wildcat has played through illness. Otega Oweh fought through the flu at LSU and sparked a comeback victory. In the following game at Tennessee, Collin Chandler — also under the weather — made the game-sealing steal. This time, however, the story didn’t end with celebration.
Instead, it became another heartbreaking chapter in Kentucky’s recent slide.
The Wildcats have now dropped three straight games, and while the margin at Auburn was razor-thin, the frustration continues to mount. Injuries, illness, and late-game execution have all played roles in this stretch.
Still, performances like Aberdeen’s show that effort and fight aren’t lacking inside the locker room.
Now the focus shifts to getting healthier — and stopping the skid. Kentucky desperately needs a reset as it prepares for South Carolina, hoping that grit like Aberdeen’s can finally translate into a much-needed win.
The Wildcats may have fallen short in Auburn, but one thing was undeniable: Denzel Aberdeen left everything he had on that floor.
