LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — All right, yes, it was only an exhibition game. But what an exhibition it was for the No. 9 ranked Kentucky basketball team.

When we last saw Kentucky, it was being physically bullied by Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. It simply couldn’t answer Tennessee’s defensive pressure or do anything to slow down the Volunteers.

This is not that Kentucky team. Mark Pope’s Wildcats were the more physical, more defensively dominant, more efficient team in a 78-65 win over preseason No. 1 Purdue Friday night in Rupp Arena.

Kentucky was deeper, shot the ball better, and battered Purdue on the boards 42-30. This is Purdue. That’s the Boilermakers’ game. And Kentucky was playing without a couple of key players – big man Jayden Quaintance and guard Laland Lowe.

It did

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