Kentucky basketball was back in action once again on Tuesday, hosting the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers inside Rupp Arena. A slow start, but Kentucky was tested

Five things you need to know from No. 8 Kentucky’s 87-68 win over Western Kentucky in men’s NCAA college basketball at Rupp Arena on Tuesday night: 1. Cats prove they can win “ugly.” Much has been written in the liftoff of the Mark Pope coaching era about the aesthetically pleasing brand of basketball Kentucky plays.

Kentucky made just 8 of 28 three-pointers, well below their season average of 12.6. But the Wildcats held a WKU team that makes 10 threes per game to just 4 of 26 from beyond the arc. Kentucky also dominated the smaller Hilltoppers on the board, 54-41.

The Kentucky Wildcats beat the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 87-68 during a game at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024.

The number eight ranked Kentucky basketball team faced off with Western Kentucky on Tuesday evening, in an in-state matchup. It would be a battle throughout, with both teams playing a physical brand of basketball.

A sluggish start gave way to a 19-point win for the Kentucky men's basketball team Tuesday night, as the Wildcats closed out a victory over Western Kentucky, 87-68