Kentucky basketball alumni team La Familia is one step closer to capturing the ultimate prize in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) after producing a thrilling comeback to defeat Boeheim’s Army 70-66 on Sunday afternoon at Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington. The hard-fought victory sends the Wildcats alumni squad into the championship game of the TBT alumni bracket, leaving them just two wins away from claiming the tournament’s £2 million winner-take-all prize.
Fueled by an electric home crowd and a determined second-half rally, La Familia once again showcased the resilience and winning mentality that has defined its tournament run. With the victory, the Kentucky alumni will return to Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday night to battle for the alumni bracket title, with a place in the TBT national championship on the line.
La Familia wasted no time making a statement against Boeheim’s Army. The Wildcats alumni opened the contest with tremendous confidence from beyond the three-point line, attempting six consecutive shots from deep and converting four of them. The hot shooting immediately energized the Lexington crowd and helped La Familia build an early double-digit advantage.
The fast start allowed Kentucky’s alumni team to lead by as many as 12 points during the opening quarter before finishing the period ahead 20-14. While Boeheim’s Army gradually settled into the game, La Familia continued to execute offensively and maintained control for much of the first half.
The momentum shifted late in the second quarter when Syracuse’s alumni finally broke through. With just over two minutes remaining before halftime, Cole Swider knocked down a three-pointer to give Boeheim’s Army its first lead of the afternoon at 35-34. However, La Familia quickly answered, regaining the advantage before the break and taking a 39-36 lead into halftime.
The third quarter belonged to Boeheim’s Army, who came out of the locker room with renewed intensity. They exploded on a 14-3 scoring run during the first five minutes of the half, turning a three-point deficit into a commanding 50-42 lead. The Syracuse alumni continued to control the tempo and entered the fourth quarter ahead 52-48.
Boeheim’s Army eventually stretched its lead to nine points in the final period and appeared to have seized complete control. But La Familia never lost belief. Instead, the Kentucky alumni patiently fought back possession by possession until the game reached TBT’s signature Elam Ending, where the clock is turned off and teams play to a predetermined target score.
With the target score set at 69 points, Boeheim’s Army held a 61-58 advantage entering the final stretch. From that moment on, La Familia completely flipped the script.
The Wildcats alumni outscored their opponents 12-5 during the Elam Ending, delivering clutch baskets, key defensive stops and relentless effort on the glass. The comeback was completed when former Kentucky forward Kahlil Whitney soared in for a powerful put-back dunk, sealing the 70-66 victory and igniting celebrations throughout Memorial Coliseum.
Whitney finished with seven points and three rebounds, but his final basket became the defining moment of the afternoon.
Following the game, Whitney described the winning dunk as one of the greatest moments of his basketball career.
“I want to be here every summer playing for La Familia. The fans are amazing, the way they get behind us and motivate us,” Whitney said. “Definitely a great feeling. To be here playing at home and have home-court advantage, it just makes you want to get the job done even more.”
The biggest offensive performance belonged to Archie Goodwin, who continued his remarkable return to the tournament. After missing the opening two games of La Familia’s first-round series against Louisville’s The Ville, Goodwin has transformed into the team’s offensive leader.
He erupted for a game-high 30 points while knocking down five three-pointers. In addition to his scoring explosion, Goodwin contributed six rebounds and five assists, delivering one of the finest individual performances of this year’s tournament.
Goodwin credited the team’s championship mentality for another impressive victory.
“We just know how to win. We have winning guys, and I think that matters in this type of setting. I’m just grateful to be part of this group,” he said.
Veteran guard Darryl Morsell also played a crucial role in the win. Morsell recorded 11 points while dominating the boards with a game-high 12 rebounds and adding five assists, giving La Familia valuable production on both ends of the floor.
Former Kentucky centre Willie Cauley-Stein continued providing leadership and energy throughout the tournament. Although no longer an active professional player, he admitted the experience has reignited his love for competition.
“I’m not an active player anymore, so this is like once a year I get to come out here and show I’ve still got it,” Cauley-Stein said. “I came into this tournament with expectations of doing anything to help. I just want this money. I want to play. I want to enjoy this feeling as long as I can.”
La Familia shot an efficient 43.6 percent from the field, converting 24 of 55 attempts, while Boeheim’s Army finished at 38.6 percent after making 22 of its 57 shots.
Ty Nichols led Boeheim’s Army with 24 points, while Elijah Hughes added 16 and Buddy Boeheim scored 14 in the losing effort.
The atmosphere inside Memorial Coliseum once again reflected the strong connection between Kentucky basketball’s past and present. Members of the 2026-27 Kentucky Wildcats team were in attendance to support the alumni squad, joined by Wildcats legends Derek Anderson, a key member of Kentucky’s 1996 national championship team, and former National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe, both seated behind the La Familia bench.
La Familia now prepares for Wednesday night’s alumni bracket championship game against the winner of the semifinal between AfterShocks (Wichita State) and JHX Hoops (Kansas). A victory would not only secure the alumni bracket title but also earn the right to host the TBT Championship Game on August 2 in Lexington.
With the home crowd firmly behind them and momentum continuing to build, La Familia stands just two victories away from completing an unforgettable summer run and bringing the £2 million TBT championship prize to Big Blue Nation.
