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Kentucky Avoids Major Upset; Beats Vandy 71-62

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I can’t say I’m surprised by how that game went. Classic trap game. Kentucky plays No. 17 Auburn on the road Saturday, but they had 8-11, haven’t won an SEC game since I was four, Vanderbilt tonight. I was worried for awhile, but Nick Richards Abdul-Jabbar and Tyrese Maxey saved the day for Kentucky.

The Cats started out slow, as you could expect. They never really got any offense going and looked very sluggish. Nick Richards going out with two fouls early didn’t help at all, either. Kentucky had one of their worst halves of basketball of the year and found themselves down 35-28 at halftime.

Second half was a different story. Nick Richards and Tyrese Maxey balled. Vanderbilt got nervous, tired, dare I say the Rupp crowd kicked in? Kentucky played alert and had the “oh crap, we could lose” mentality in the second half. They avoided an Evansville and won 71-62.

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Let’s talk a little about the game.

Nick Richards and Tyrese Maxey

Both of these guys played well tonight. But, Nick Richards was a big reason Kentucky won this game. The Jamaican stud had 15 points (all in the second half) and grabbed 11 boards. That’s like his ninth double-double this season, right?

But we can’t forget about Tyrese Maxey now. He had 17 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two three’s.

If Kentucky wants to make a deep tournament run, these two will be a huge key.

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Cal played a zone

Something happened tonight we very, very rarely see. John Calipari played a zone. Mostly because the Cats couldn’t guard Saban Lee. A Vandy player hit a three and I’m pretty sure he got them out of it immediately after.

But, did Coach Cal learn something from the Arkansas game? We didn’t quite get the same result since Kentucky didn’t shut Vandy down like they did Arkansas, but we’re definitely making progress.

Jerry Stackhouse doesn’t un-cross his arms. Ever.

John Calipari and Jerry Stackhouse are polar opposites when it comes to coaching. Cal runs up and down the sideline, screaming at his players and the officials, while Stackhouse barely moves, never says a word, and doesn’t ever uno-cross his arms. Scratch that, he did un-cross his arms to raise his hands on a no-call, then crossed them again.

His coaching antics are about as boring as Vanderbilt athletics is.

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Scottie Pippen’s son, Scottie Pippen Jr., plays for Vandy

I found this really cool and kind of sad at the same time.

But, I guess Scottie went to Arkansas State, so his son is already ahead of him.

Kentucky faced their largest halftime-deficit tonight

Kentucky was down seven at the half tonight, which is their largest halftime deficit of the season. This stat really surprised me.

Kentucky was down by as much as ten in the second half and found a way to comeback and win. I don’t care who you’re playing, coming back from a ten point deficit, especially with how good Vandy played, is really impressive.

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The difference between tonight and Evansville

I couldn’t help but think of the Evansville nightmare while watching tonight. For most of the game, Kentucky played a lot like they did that night.

Here is why Kentucky avoided the upset:

  • Nick Richards is a stud
  • Tyrese Maxey is now the player we thought he would be
  • Kentucky’s defense was a lot better tonight
  • Kentucky won the rebounding contest

What’s next?

Other than a banked in three at the buzzer loss to South Carolina, Kentucky is unbeaten in SEC play. That and a huge win on the road against Texas Tech. Kentucky is one of the hottest teams in the country.

The Cats have a showdown Saturday against No. 17 Auburn, which is set to tip-off at 6 p.m. EST on ESPN. Kentucky is everyone’s Super Bowl and that will be truer than ever Saturday. Win it and you’re likely a top ten team again and are looking at maybe a 2-3 seed in the tournament.

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Men's Basketball

Otega Oweh Declares for NBA Draft, Maintains College Eligibility

Arguably the centerpiece of last year’s team, Otega Oweh has declared for the NBA Draft… but that doesn’t mean he’s officially gone.

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Otega Oweh declares for the NBA Draft whilst maintaining his college eligibility.
Chet White | UK Athletics

Few players have taken the Big Blue Nation by storm like Otega Oweh did with his arrival this past season. A lot was new in Lexington last year, but #00 stuck out for a number of reasons; namely, his infectious energy on the court and the high odds that he was going to put an opponent on a poster on any given night.

Now, Oweh has declared for the NBA Draft. He made the announcement on social media, calling Kentucky fans the “best fans in the world.”

While this may seem dire for folks keeping tabs on next year’s roster, that last line in Oweh’s announcement is crucial: “…while maintaining my NCAA eligibility.” Essentially, Otega’s time in Lexington is far from over, at least for the time being.

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Whether or not “Tegatron” returns to Rupp will likely depend on what he hears during the draft process, and where exactly he wants to land. In the modern college basketball landscape, it’s become common practice for players to “test the waters” in the draft, just to get an idea as to where they stand with the league, before returning to college for another year of development.

Take, for example, Jaxson Robinson just last season. Before his eventual transfer to Kentucky, Robinson declared for the draft out of BYU, maintaining his eligibility, before pulling from the process in order to spend his senior year at Kentucky. It happens all the time.

While that doesn’t necessarily set Oweh’s return in stone, it at least gives the Big Blue Nation to take a breather and keep calm, as his departure is far from official. Either way, #00 is a Lexington legend whose first go-around in Kentucky blue was as memorable as anyone’s could be. The “Oweh, Oweh, Oweh” chants will go on regardless.

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Men's Basketball

Four Star Forward Visiting Kentucky Amidst Recruitment Rumors

Mark Pope is looking to close out a strong sophomore effort in the transfer portal, and this freshman guard may be the final piece.

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Four star guard Braydon Hawthorne is on a visit to Kentucky.
Braydon Hawthorne | WVU Athletics

As the transfer portal trucks on (and the NCAA races to find ways to regulate it), Mark Pope is looking to tie a bow on his already highly-ranked 2025-26′ roster. The latest potential addition becomes in the form of a freshman who, after pulling his commitment from West Virginia, will be on an official visit to Kentucky today, Wednesday, April 16.

Braydon Hawthorne, the 6’8″ forward at hand, is a lengthy, scoring wing with high upside on the offensive end. His 7’3″ wingspan opens opportunities for development on the defensive end, too – he’s an investment opportunity of the highest order. On3 currently has him at 48th on their ranking of 2025 recruits.

In addition to Kentucky and West Virginia (where Hawthorne is from), schools such as Virginia Tech, Arizona State, Marquette, Dayton, Old Dominion, Mount St. Mary’s, and more have thrown their hats into the ring, although the general consensus seems to be that Kentucky has the strongest pull/interest in the prospect for the time being.

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Whether or not that actually means he’ll be in blue and white is unfortunately unsure – as that’s how the transfer portal operates – but an in-person visit is a good indicator of mutual interest. Plus, with Kentucky “losing out” on Lamar Wilkerson, who committed to Indiana, a scoring spot in the back court remains open… and Hawthorne is a compelling candidate to fill it.

While Wildcats fans wait patiently for a potential commitment, all eyes are on Coach Cody Fueger’s X account for a trademark “boom” post.

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Men's Basketball

Brandon Garrison Announces Return To Kentucky For The 2025-26 Season

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Chet White | UK Athletics

Brandon Garrison isn’t going anywhere. 

The 6-foot-10 forward will be returning to the Kentucky Wildcats for his junior season in the 2025-26 campaign. 

Garrison took to social media first, posting a story on his personal Instagram that showed a simple graphic reading the words “I’m back.”

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Speculation and rumors have swirled around the Oklahoma native all offseason, and with the addition of Andrija Jelavic, Big Blue Nation worried that Garrison would be hitting the portal sooner than later. 

Now, with his returning announcement public, Garrison will look to assert himself in the offseason as a dominant force that deserves the starting role.

Last season, he backed up 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. 

It’s unclear if he’s guaranteed anything in regards to a starting spot. However, having played a year already in Mark Pope’s system, Garrison may get a nod for the role over one of the transfer pickups. 

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Pope and the coaching staff have been publicly confident in the development of “BG” and see him as a vocal leader on and off the court. 

With a full offseason ahead where he’ll be harnessing his skill set and bettering his game in any way possible, Kentucky fans will be glad that Garrison chose to stick around another year. 

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