Kentucky’s dominant 80-57 victory over South Carolina had a special moment in the closing minute, as freshman Trent Noah scored five straight points to cap off the win. The Harlan native, who had originally committed to the Gamecocks before signing with the Wildcats, made the most of his 13 minutes on the floor. He contributed five points on 2-for-5 shooting (including 1-for-3 from three-point range), grabbed five rebounds, and added an assist. This was a significant improvement from his previous game against Ole Miss, where he played the same amount of time but failed to record a single stat.
Noah’s playing time wasn’t limited to garbage minutes. He checked into the game with 5:42 remaining in the first half and immediately provided energy for the Wildcats. He pulled down four rebounds and assisted Andrew Carr on a three-pointer that extended Kentucky’s lead to eight points. Head coach Mark Pope was highly complimentary of Noah’s performance in the postgame press conference, though he also playfully pointed out a moment of inexperience when the freshman faced South Carolina’s 1-3-1 zone defense.
“I thought Trent was really solid tonight,” Pope said. “His energy never wavers, and as a coach, that’s a great thing to have. You always know exactly what you’re going to get when you put him on the floor. That includes some youthful mistakes and moments where he’s uncomfortable, but his energy stays the same every single day in practice. That’s a real gift.”
Pope referenced one moment in particular when Noah hesitated against South Carolina’s zone defense. “His first possession against the 1-3-1, he kind of froze up a little bit. That’s what young guys do, right? But he stays focused, and his effort never dips.”
A week earlier, Noah did not play at all in Kentucky’s loss to Arkansas. Following a disappointing showing against Ole Miss, his strong performance in Rupp Arena was a reassuring sign of progress.
“He’s going to be a terrific player,” Pope said in a separate conversation after the game. “He adds so much to our team, and I’m really proud of him. He was a big difference-maker for us tonight.”
South Carolina Coach Lamont Paris: “No Hard Feelings”
Before joining Kentucky, Noah had originally signed with South Carolina and head coach Lamont Paris. However, when Mark Pope was hired by the Wildcats, Noah was granted a release from his National Letter of Intent and opted to play for his home-state school. After the game, Paris was asked whether he had any lingering resentment over Noah’s decision, but he dismissed the idea entirely.
“Hard feelings? Would someone actually do that?” Paris responded. “You think someone would have hard feelings? This is 2025. I’ve been doing this for a long time. There are no hard feelings. It’s just life. Certainly, no hard feelings.”
Paris also mentioned South Carolina’s decision to switch to a zone defense late in the game. “I was really focused on our team and what we needed to do,” he said. “Every possession matters. We threw a zone out there late in the game because it can be a good tool for us. We’re coaching, our guys are learning, and we need to keep improving. Sorry to disappoint you, but I really wasn’t focused specifically on Trent Noah.”
Noah’s performance against the team he initially committed to made for an interesting subplot in an already decisive Kentucky victory. With his energy and effort becoming more noticeable, he continues to carve out a role on a Wildcats team that is looking ahead to the rest of the season.