Oweh scores 22, Moreno adds 17 to help Kentucky beat Mississippi State 92-68

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Kentucky's Otega Oweh (00) goes up to dunk as Mississippi State's Achor Achor, right, watches during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

Kentucky's Malachi Moreno (24) and Mississippi State's Quincy Ballard (15) battle for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/James Crisp) — Kentucky's Otega Oweh (00) goes up to dunk as Mississippi State's Achor Achor, right, watches during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

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7:50 PM on Saturday, January 10

The Associated Press

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Otega Oweh scored 22 points on 10-of-17 shooting and had five of Kentucky's season-high 14 steals to help the Wildcats rally from a 12-point deficit and beat Mississippi State 92-68 on Saturday night.

Malachi Moreno made 8 of 10 from the field and finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals for Kentucky (10-6, 1-2 SEC). Denzel Aberdeen added 16 points and Kam Williams scored 14 points.

Mississippi State (10-6, 2-1) had its six-game win streak snapped. Josh Hubbard led the Bulldogs with 20 points and Achor Achor had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Jayden Epps also scored 13 points but was 4-of-12 shooting, 1 of 7 from 3-point range.

Achor made a jumper and Hubbard followed with a layup to open the second half and cut the deficit to a point, but it was all Kentucky from there.

The Wildcats scored 27 points off 15 Mississippi State turnovers.

Epps hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer to spark a 14-2 run that gave the Bulldogs a 12-point lead 5 1/2 minutes into the game.

Mississippi State shot 57% in the first half, but Kentucky had a 12-4 advantage in points off turnovers and outscored the Bulldogs 10-2 in second-chance points to take a 44-39 lead into the intermission.

Projected lottery pick Jayden Quaintance (knee swelling) did not play for the Wildcats. Jaland Lowe and Jamarion Davis-Fleming (apparent ankle injury) each left the game and did not return. Lowe, a junior guard, stripped the ball from Hubbard less than three minutes into the game, but immediately grabbed at his right shoulder, which Lowe first injured during the Kentucky’s Blue-White game on Oct. 17 and it has been re-aggravated multiple times.

Kentucky leads the series with the Bulldogs 104-21, 52-5 at home.

Up next

Kentucky: Visits LSU on Wednesday.

Mississippi State: Hosts No. 13 Alabama on Tuesday.

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