Denzel Aberdeen is PG1, and that was on full display in Baton Rouge.
Kentucky Basketball’s comeback win at LSU will be remembered for the ending.
The Cats erased an 18-point second-half deficit in Baton Rouge and stole a 75–74 victory on a last-second bucket from Malachi Moreno. It was chaotic, dramatic, and exactly the kind of win Kentucky desperately needed.
But the most important development from the night happened well before the final shot.
For the first time since Jaland Lowe went down with a season-ending injury, Kentucky had to play a game knowing its primary point guard wasn’t coming back this year.
And in that moment, Denzel Aberdeen stepped into the role and delivered his most meaningful performance of the season.
Aberdeen finished with 17 points, four assists, three steals, and just 1 turnover while playing 34 minutes. All 17 of his points came in the second half, right when Kentucky needed someone to steady the offense and stop the bleeding.
That detail matters. Kentucky was disjointed early, struggling to generate clean looks and falling into the kind of hole that usually ends road games in the SEC. When the comeback started, it coincided directly with Aberdeen becoming more assertive. He pushed the pace when it was there, slowed it down when it was not, and made LSU defend him as a scorer instead of sitting on passing lanes.
Just as important was what he did not do. He did not force bad shots. He did not overdribble. He did not turn the ball over. One turnover in a game like this, on the road, as the only true point guard available, is massive.
Kentucky did not just survive without Lowe. It found structure.
With Lowe out, additional minutes had to come from somewhere, and Jasper Johnson was one of the players asked to absorb them. Johnson played just eight minutes and struggled to find a rhythm, finishing scoreless while missing all four of his shots and had a +/- of -8.
Johnson didn’t even play in the second half as Aberdeen logged all 20 minutes at point guard. While the former Woodford County product has shown signs of promise this season, it’s clear that Johnson still needs more development before Kentucky can rely on him to consistently run the offense effectively.
Moreno’s shot will get the spotlight, and rightfully so. But if this win is about anything long-term, it is this: Denzel Aberdeen showed Kentucky what life without Jaland Lowe can look like.
Not perfect. Not always pretty. But controlled, competitive, and good enough to win games.
Category: General Sports
