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Kentucky vs Arkansas Round 2: TV/Streaming Info and Keys to the Game

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© Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

On Wednesday, the Kentucky Wildcats had the opportunity to secure the 3-seed and a double-bye in next week’s SEC Tournament. However, they lost to a hot Vanderbilt team that has now won seven of their last eight games.

The Wildcats still have that same opportunity, but this time on the road and against a tougher opponent, the Arkansas Razorbacks. The two teams faced off earlier in February, with Arkansas coming out on top after a dominant second-half performance.

The matchup will look a bit different this time as the Razorbacks have returned their highly touted freshman, Nick Smith Jr. After not playing for nearly two months due to injury, it seems that the projected lottery pick has found his footing, averaging 18 points per game over his last four games.

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With Smith back on the roster Arkansas has shown that they are one of the most talented teams in the SEC, nearly beating an Alabama team that is seen as a favorite for the National Title. A loss on Saturday doesn’t necessarily hurt Kentucky, but a win would give them another quad-one victory for their resume, helping their case for a higher tournament seed.

Let’s take a closer look.

Force Arkansas Out of the Paint

Arkansas has great athletes and because of that, they are very aggressive in trying to get to the rim. In fact, two of their three leading scorers – Anthony Black and Ricky Council – shoot 33 percent or less from three, but shoot over 50 percent from two.

While Arkansas is capable of hitting the three, they have not done so consistently, and shoot one of the worst marks in the country (32.1%). Furthermore, The Razorbacks have only made more than eight threes once this season.

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For these reasons, Kentucky will need to go under most screens – unless it is Davonte Davis – and stay in between their man and the basket, something they struggled to do in their first matchup. This will limit Arkansas’ main source of offense, if they have a season-best shooting night, that’s something you live with.

Win the Rebounding Battle

One of Kentucky’s best strengths has been their rebounding. The Wildcats have been outrebounded by their opponent only three times this season, but all resulted in losses.

While winning the rebounding battle doesn’t guarantee a win, it has been a big factor in Kentucky’s success, especially in offensive rebounding and second-chance points. Since their turnaround with the win at Tennessee, the Wildcats have outrebounded their opponent by nearly 10 rebounds per game (9.5).

In their earlier matchup, the Wildcats actually outrebounded Arkansas 31-26. However, if you look deeper, most of those rebounds came in the first half where Kentucky had a 16-10 advantage and the scoreboard displayed a close game, 41-40. In the second half, Kentucky was outrebounded 16-15, which isn’t terrible but they were limited to just five second-chance points, and Arkansas outscored Kentucky 47-33.

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To give themselves a shot to win, Kentucky must win the rebounding battle, but they also need to convert on their second-chance opportunities, especially if they shoot as badly as they did against Vanderbilt.

Transition Defense

One of the areas where Arkansas succeeded most in their first matchup against Kentucky is in their transition offense. One reason for this is their aforementioned athleticism, reminiscent of some of Kentucky teams in the past.

With that said, 15 turnovers isn’t ideal, which is how many Kentucky committed in their first matchup. These turnovers led to a good portion of their 20 fastbreak points. Therefore, taking care of the ball and taking good shots would be Kentucky’s best ‘defense’.

The Wildcats will need to do their best to sprint back on every possession, which may be difficult given Kentucky’s depth concerns.

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Kentucky Wildcats (20-10) vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (19-11)

Time/Date: 2:00 pm ET on Saturday, March 2nd, 2023
Location: Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
TV Channel: CBS
Online Stream: CBSSports Online
Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the UK radio network call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
Replay: Check local listings.
Rosters: UK | ARK
Team SheetsUK | ARK
Stats To Know: UK | ARK

Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook has yet to. ESPN’s matchup predictor was the Wildcats an underdog, giving them just a 30.7 % chance. However, Bart Torvik’s are similar, giving Kentucky just a 28% chance.

PredictionsBart Torvik picks the Wildcats to put up a fight, but ultimately lose 75-69.

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Men's Basketball

Brandon Garrison Takes On A Leadership Role Heading Into Next Season

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Brandon Garrison and Kentucky head coach Mark Pope
Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

Brandon Garrison had his ups and downs during the 2024-25 season, at times making plays above his experience level on the court, and other times, causing unfortunate turnovers and making Big Blue Nation yell “pass the ball” when he attempted to show off his handles.

However, since the offseason has began, we’ve seen the backup big man from last year’s squad take major jumps in not only his skill set, but in his mentality and leadership as well.

“BG” announced that he was coming back to Kentucky on April 12 for the 2025-26 season, and since then, has been the talk of the town to be the starting center for Mark Pope’s second-year team.

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Last season, Garrison played behind Amari Williams, coming off of the bench and averaging 5.9 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game in just 17.3 minutes a night. 

Having played a year already in Pope’s system, Garrison may get a nod for the starting role over one of the transfer pickups, especially since Pope and the coaching staff have been publicly vocal about his development. With young players such as Jayden Quaintance and Malachi Moreno coming in behind Garrison, you can guarantee he will play a major role in their development.

In an offseason press conference, Pope said that Garrison has already taken on more of a mentorship role heading into next season.

“He’ll be the first to tell you that Amari Williams was a life-changing mentor for him,” Pope said. “He’s excited to help some other guys come along.”

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Pope added on that Garrison went out of his way to have breakfast and talk to four of the incoming transfers, on their official visits, about Kentucky and the way the staff does things.

“Brandon Garrison showed me some signs in the last month, and certainly this summer, where he is just, like he is growing up, man,” Pope said in an interview with KSR on May 22. “It’s so cool to see, it’s the best thing to see as a coach. He’s talking about what he wants to be. It’s no longer kind of what he is and who he is and how he acts, but it’s what he wants to become.”

As the season inches closer, we’ll learn more about Garrison’s impact on the court and if he’ll be the day one starter, but regardless, off the court, you can bet he has some wisdom to pass down.

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Former Wildcats Headline Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals Matchup

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Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Kevin Jairaj | IMAGN

The NBA Finals tip off with familiar faces on both sides in the first-ever series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.

For the first time since 2012, when the Thunder were led by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City is in the NBA Finals. The franchise has the opportunity to earn its first title in Oklahoma City since the team’s rebrand and relocation in 2008.

As for the Pacers, it’s the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. Indiana is seeking its first championship in team history. 

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City’s superstar and crowning 2024-25 league MVP has continued his season-long dominance into the postseason. Averaging 31.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Gilgeous-Alexander impressed as the Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1, as he led all but one game of the series in scoring. 

After an underwhelming performance in Game 3, Gilgeous-Alexander responded with a near triple-double performance, posting 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Oklahoma City defeated the Timberwolves narrowly, 128-126.

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The Thunder blew out Minnesota in Games 4 and 5 thanks to back-to-back massive performances by Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 34 and 40 points, respectively. Clinching his first bid to the NBA Finals. 

At midcourt after their Game 5 victory, OKC hoisted the Western Conference Trophy in front of their home crowd. Gilgeous-Alexander walked off with the Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson Trophy for his Western Conference Finals heroics.

Cason Wallace

Second-year pro Wallace is the Thunder’s ultimate plug-and-play contributor. Although Wallace isn’t a stat-stuffing machine like Gilgeous-Alexander, his defensive prowess stands out.

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In five games, the Kentucky product averaged 25.8 minutes per game off the bench. Wallace was often assigned to guard Wolves superstar Anthony Edwards. 

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged five points, 3.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and nearly a block and steal per game. 

Known for his hustle, Wallace excels at imposing himself on defense despite commonly matching up with larger opponents. His ability to disrupt the Timberwolves’ offense created offensive opportunities, which coincided with his pass-first mentality on offense.

Wallace could be found stealing from 7-foot-1 Frenchman Rudy Gobert in the post and nailing 3-pointers on the other end.

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In Game 5, Wallace scored only five points but had two rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Helping OKC seal a commanding 124-94 victory to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.

Isaiah Jackson

The tallest former Wildcat out of the bunch, Jackson stands at 6-foot-9 as a physical off-the-bench presence for Indiana.

Unfortunately, the big man won’t be available to play in the NBA Finals. In the fifth game of the season, Jackson suffered a season-ending Achilles tear on Nov. 1 in a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. 

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This season Jackson made six appearances for the Pacers, including a start against the Boston Celtics early in the season. Posting seven points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

Despite the injury, the four-year Pacer would still receive a ring if Indiana wins for his short-lived contribution this season.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips-off on Thursday, June 5, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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The 2025-26 Cats Consensus: It’s Time for Banner Number Nine

Every new and returning Wildcat shares the same dream: bringing a championship trophy to Lexington once more.

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Mark Pope in a crowd of fans at Big Blue Madness
Tyler Ruth | UK Athletics

“We are here to win banners.”

While just about everything Mark Pope said at his introductory press conference went viral in one way or another, that aforementioned declaration stood out amongst his crowd of quotes like no other to a fanbase more than a decade removed from a national championship.

To the big blue nation, Coach Pope’s words last spring were a much needed battle cry. Now, as he’s set to enter his second year at the helm, Pope has made sure the team he assembled for the 2025-26 season shares the same hunger.

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It begins on a basic level, with players across the board throwing the number “9” around on social media in posts, replies, and commitments. Much like the Kentucky faithful, the newest roster to roll through Lexington isn’t afraid to make reference to the top task at hand.

For (likely) starting point guard Jaland Lowe, it’s an opportunity he “can’t miss.” “See y’all soon #BBN,” he said in a post on X, announcing his return to the collegiate level. Lowe chose a junior season at Kentucky over a chance to be chosen in the NBA Draft. Otega Oweh, the now-projected SEC player of the year, would follow suit shortly thereafter.

The Ultimate Goal

Andrija Jelavic, a primary member of the incoming unit, as well as the team’s lone international player, dubbed the title chase as “the ultimate goal” in his interview with KY Insider. “We all [the team] agree that the ultimate goal is the same and that is to bring a championship to Kentucky, to the state and the fans,” he said.

To Jelavic, it goes further than hunger. It’s a responsibility.

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And that responsibility is what sets Kentucky apart from other programs. As awkward as the conversation around John Calipari can get, when push comes to shove, much of the dissatisfaction growing within the fanbase as his tenure came to a close was rooted in the coach’s apparent disinterest in winning another championship.

Year after year went by; top-ranked roster after top ranked roster. After a while, it seemed that Kentucky was more often mentioned in the first round of the NBA Draft than it was in the NCAA Tournament. The problem persisted, the tension festered and, ultimately, the two sides split… and it all goes back to that elusive ninth title.

Name on the Front of the Jersey

Mark Pope has said before that he wants to bring in guys who are playing for the name on the front of their jersey. It just so happens that there are enough of those like-minded athletes across the nation to build one of the consensus best teams in college basketball, all of whom are in full pursuit of a new blue banner in the rafters of Rupp.

With a mindset like that shared across the board and talent like the 2025-26 team has at hand, it’s only a matter of time before that dream becomes a reality once more. For the first time in more than a decade, the entire Big Blue Nation is on the same page – and that includes the guys who can actually make it happen.

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