Kentucky's SEC transfers happy to be on Rupp Arena's good side: "It was one of the worst places to play."

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Jan 4, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Florida Gators guard Denzel Aberdeen (11) handles the ball during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

One of the most exciting games of Mark Pope‘s debut Kentucky season came in the Southeastern Conference opener.

The Wildcats, holding an 11-2 record at the time, hosted the red-hot Florida Gators, an undefeated team going into the matchup, one that would eventually go on to win the national championship, inside Rupp Arena to kick off the new year. Pope had already proved himself as a capable coach up to this point, evidenced by non-conference wins over Duke, Gonzaga, and Louisville.

But this SEC opener against Florida set the stage for something potentially special to happen.

How does 206 combined points and 26 total three-pointers sound for special? Kentucky snuck out a 106-100 win in an instant classic. Koby Brea paced the ‘Cats with 23 points on 7-9 outside shooting while Lamont Butler chipped in 19 points and eight assists. Despite Florida shooting 55 percent as a team, with Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin going for a combined 59 points, it wasn’t enough for the Gators to come out on top.

Denzel Aberdeen, who transferred to Kentucky in the offseason, was a member of that Florida team. The 6-foot-5 guard saw 15 minutes off the bench, finishing with four points (2-5 FG) and one assist. He remembers just how loud Rupp Arena got when the game was reaching its apex.

“It was a very high-scoring game, a lot of offense, not a lot of defense,” Aberdeen recalled when talking with reporters on Monday. “I remember (Kentucky) went on a run, a little 15-0 run or something like that, and it got very loud in here. It was crazy.”

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“On the opposing side, it was one of the worst places to play, I’ll say,” Aberdeen added. “It got very loud. It was fun though, coming as the opposing side, but man, coming in this year, I’m very excited, very excited to see 20,000 people just cheering your name, being happy that you’re in a Kentucky jersey.”

Aberdeen is no stranger to playing in Rupp Arena, having been on the floor twice in Lexington during his three-year college career. The same can be said for Mo Dioubate, who also came to Lexington two times during his stint with Alabama. Kentucky beat Dioubate and the Crimson Tide at Rupp in 2024, but dropped last season’s meeting in what was also a start-to-finish thriller.

While Dioubate isn’t too excited to make his return to Alabama’s Coleman Coliseum during the 2025-26 SEC season, he’s excited to be receiving cheers instead of boos whenever he steps on the Rupp Arena hardwood.

“I’m on the good side now, right?” he joked.