Kentucky basketball is officially back, and Milan Momcilovic wasted little time showing Big Blue Nation what he can bring to this team.

The Iowa State transfer made an immediate impact in his first regular-season game as a Wildcat. He led No. 23 Kentucky with 24 points as the Wildcats cruised past Manhattan 85-57 Tuesday night at Rupp Arena.

Momcilovic’s shooting ability was on full display. He finished 8-12 from the field and knocked down 6 of his 9 3-point attempts, tying the Kentucky record for most 3-pointers made in a Wildcat debut. Antonio Reeves previously accomplished the feat in 2022.

After leading the country in 3-point percentage last season at Iowa State, Momcilovic picked up right where he left off. His ability to stretch the floor and knock down shots from the perimeter gives Kentucky an offensive weapon that will be difficult for opposing defenses to contain throughout the season.

Kentucky did not get off to the strongest start, trailing Manhattan 12-7 early in the first half. However, the Wildcats quickly found their rhythm, putting together a dominant 32-6 run to turn the deficit into a 41-19 advantage. Kentucky eventually took a 48-22 lead into halftime.

The turnaround was fueled by better execution on both ends of the floor. The Wildcats started finding their shots offensively while creating problems for Manhattan defensively, turning an early back-and-forth game into a comfortable lead before the break.

From there, Kentucky remained in control. Momcilovic opened the second half with another 3-pointer, and the Wildcats continued to build on their advantage. Kentucky’s lead eventually reached 39 points before the final buzzer.

Momcilovic was the headliner, but Kentucky received several other strong contributions.

Zoom Diallo finished with 12 points and helped provide stability in the backcourt. Alex Wilkins added 11 points, 5 assists and 7 steals. His 7 steals were the most by a Kentucky player in his debut, making for an impressive first official game in a Wildcat uniform.

Malachi Moreno also made an impact inside, finishing with 8 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. He was active around the basket and gave Kentucky a strong presence on the glass, helping the Wildcats outrebound Manhattan 40-26.

Freshman Mason Williams added 7 points and 5 assists, while Franck Kepnang and Braydon Hawthorne provided valuable minutes off the bench, and both had monstrous highlight dunks. Kentucky received 26 points from its reserves and was able to get 11 players on the floor during the season opener.

As a team, Kentucky shot 53% from the field and 39% from 3-point range. The Wildcats also made the most of their opportunities at the free-throw line, converting 9-11 attempts. Defensively, Kentucky held Manhattan to just 35% shooting from the field and forced 13 turnovers.

For Manhattan, Novak Manojlovic and Kevin Kearney led the Jaspers with 11 points apiece. The Jaspers showed some early fight and briefly put Kentucky on its heels, but they struggled to keep up once the Wildcats found their rhythm.

There is still plenty for Kentucky to work on as the competition gets tougher, particularly after the slow start. But there were plenty of positives to take away from the season opener.

The biggest takeaway was seeing Momcilovic look every bit like the difference-maker the Wildcats brought him in to be.

Kentucky moves to 1-0 and will return to Rupp Arena on Friday night to host James Madison. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., with the game airing on the SEC Network.

The matchup also brings a reunion for former Kentucky graduate assistant and director of operations Preston Spradlin, now the head coach at James Madison, and current Wildcat Justin McBride, who played for the Dukes last season.

For more Kentucky news and coverage, follow me on X @DrewByousBBN.