# Kentucky Wildcats Beat JMU 89-80

> Kentucky Wildcats edge James Madison Dukes 89-80 in key regular season win.
- Title: Kentucky Wildcats Beat JMU 89-80 · Kentucky Wildcats On SI
- Summary: Kentucky Wildcats edge James Madison Dukes 89-80 in key regular season win. Kentucky Wildcats beat James Madison Dukes 89-80 in regular season opener with…
- Keywords: kentucky wildcats, james madison duces, regular season opener, champions classic, zoom diallo, kansas jayhawks, rupp arena, Kentucky Wildcats On SI
- Source: Kentucky Wildcats On SI — https://si.com/college/kentucky/men-s-basketball/takeaways-from-kentucky-basketball-s-89-80-win-against-jmu
- Published: 2026-11-07T02:13:05+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: kentucky wildcats, james madison duces, regular season opener, champions classic, zoom diallo, kansas jayhawks, rupp arena, sports
## Kentucky back in action
Kentucky Wildcats returned after a 85-57 win against Manhattan in season opener.
## First half tight contest
Kentucky and James Madison tied 39-39 at halftime after Madison used shooting to stay close.
## Second half momentum shift
Kentucky built a 13-2 lead by halftime to take a 73-65 lead with 7:26 left.
## Zoom Diallo breakout game
Zoom Diallo scored 16 points on 7-11 shooting with zero turnovers in key game.
## Three-point defense tested
James Madison shot 15-45 from three-point range in game against Kentucky.
## Defensive length late game
Kentucky forced six turnovers in second half to build 14-7 run late in game.
## Next game against Kansas
Kentucky will face #17 Kansas Jayhawks in Champions Classic on Tuesday night.
## Key takeaway

Kentucky Wildcats beat James Madison Dukes 89-80 in regular season opener with Zoom Diallo scoring 16 points.