Kentucky's Collin Chandler Poised to Shine in SEC Play

Sophomore guard expected to be second-leading scorer for Wildcats down the stretch

Feb. 3, 2026 at 9:39pm

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Despite an up-and-down season marked by injuries, the Kentucky Wildcats are starting to find their footing in SEC play. One player who has stepped up in a big way is sophomore guard Collin Chandler, who has been making clutch plays and hitting timely shots over the last few weeks. With several key players still sidelined, the bold prediction is that Chandler will emerge as the Wildcats' second-leading scorer for the remainder of conference play.

Why it matters

Chandler's increased production and impact could be a game-changer for Kentucky, raising the team's ceiling as it looks to secure a strong finish to the regular season and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats have dealt with significant injuries, so Chandler's emergence as a consistent scoring threat would be a major boost.

The details

Over the last seven games, Chandler is averaging 10.7 points per game as the Wildcats have gone 6-1. He has hit several clutch shots, including a key three-pointer to seal a win over Ole Miss. Despite his efficiency from three-point range (39.6%) and his ability to make plays in crunch time, Chandler is only averaging 6.8 shot attempts per game. If he starts to see more opportunities, the prediction is that he will become the second-leading scorer on the team behind Otega Oweh.

  • Over the last seven games, Chandler is averaging 10.7 points per game.
  • Kentucky is 6-3 at the midway point of SEC play.

The players

Collin Chandler

A sophomore guard for the Kentucky Wildcats who has stepped up his production and impact in recent weeks, emerging as a clutch scorer and three-point threat for the team.

Otega Oweh

The leading scorer for the Kentucky Wildcats, who is expected to remain the team's top offensive option down the stretch of SEC play.

Mark Pope

The head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, who has guided the team through an up-and-down season marked by key injuries.

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What’s next

Kentucky will look to build on its recent success as it takes on Oklahoma to kick off the second half of SEC play.

The takeaway

Collin Chandler's emergence as a consistent scoring threat could be a game-changer for Kentucky, providing a much-needed boost as the team navigates the challenges of key injuries and looks to secure a strong finish to the regular season and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.