No. 9 Kentucky Upsets No. 1 Purdue 78-65

No. 9 Kentucky upset No. 1 Purdue 78-65 in an exhibition at Rupp Arena, knocking off the top-ranked Boilermakers in a game that does not count in the standings. Kentucky shot 49.2% to Purdue’s roughly 38.6% and dominated the boards and key areas — second-chance points (14-4), fast-break points (15-5) and bench scoring (34-18). Freshman Jasper Johnson led Kentucky with 15 points, three Wildcats finished in double figures, and 10 players logged meaningful minutes and production. Kentucky coach Mark Pope tempered the hype, noting Purdue’s poor shooting and saying his team still needs better conditioning and consistency, while Purdue coach Matt Painter called the game a useful data point and cited transition defense, rebounding and a 3-of-17 mark from three as concerns. Both staffs emphasized the exhibition’s instructional value and said the result provides Kentucky a confidence boost and Purdue tangible areas to address entering the 2025–26 season.