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

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© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Through Kentucky’s improvement, there is one thing that has been missing, a controlled win. While there were some runs made by Florida, the Wildcats earned such a victory on Saturday in a wire-to-wire win over the Gators.

After starting 1-3 in the conference, Kentucky is now on a six-game SEC win streak and is tied with Auburn for third in the conference (note: two-way tie for second between Tennessee and Texas A&M). In that stretch, John Calipari’s motto to his team has been, ‘win the day’ and that is exactly what they have done.

The Wildcats are not overpowering their opponents, but are building upon each performance, and they will hope to do the same on Tuesday at home against a tough Arkansas team.

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Similar to Kentucky, the Razorbacks entered the season with very high expectations, but have fallen short. After starting the season in the Top 10, Arkansas fell out of the Top 25 rankings after losing five of their first six conference games. Since then, they have started a four-game win streak to get back to .500.

The Razorbacks are a team that have struggled mightily on the road, just 1-5 on the season, they picked up their first road victory in a narrow two-point win over South Carolina this past weekend. However, they are capable, ranked 29th in the NET, which is currently the second-highest of Kentucky’s remaining opponents.

Let’s take a closer look at this matchup.

Let the Playmakers Continue to Make Plays

Kentucky’s offense early in the season drew a lot of criticism, but changes have been made and the Wildcats are executing on the offensive end as well as they have all season. A big reason for that is that the playmakers are making plays, specifically Antonio Reeves and Cason Wallace.

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The offense has not been incredibly intricate but instead has been rather simple. Against Ole Miss and Florida last week, Reeves and Wallace were receiving the ball in high ball-screening action, which they have excelled in. As proof, Reeves scored a season-high 27 points against Ole Miss, and Wallace scored 20 points against Florida, his second-highest point total of the season.

Where the two have been most important is when the play breaks down. Obviously, not everything is going to go to plan, but Reeves and Wallace have the ability to improvise and make a play at the end of the shot clock due to their three-level scoring.

I am sure Kentucky’s offense will continue to add new wrinkles, but at its core, let your playmakers make plays.

Depth

In the offseason, Arkansas brought in eleven players from high school recruiting and the transfer portal, to mix with some key players on the roster. However, depth, which was presumed to be a strength, has become their biggest weakness.

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Just four Razorbacks have played in every game this season due to injury. The two headlining injuries have been Trevon Brazile who tore his ACL and Nick Smith due to an unspecified knee injury.

For an example of just how limited the Arkansas lineup has become, three players played all forty minutes for Arkansas in their last game against South Carolina.

On the other hand, Kentucky is not reliant on just one player. Against Florida, Kentucky’s two leading scorers, Antonio Reeves, and Oscar Tshiebwe combined for just eight points, while Fredrick, Toppin, and Wallace combined for 49 points.

In their seven-eight man lineup, the Wildcats have different players that are capable and have proven they can step up, that doesn’t include Daimion Collins and Adou Theiro that have are even deeper in the lineup and have provided good minutes as of late.

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As Sahvir Wheeler has said several times, games are like a tightrope and Kentucky should be prepared to use their depth to be the last one holding it.

Match the Physicality

One consistent thing about Eric Musselman’s Arkansas teams is that they are going to play hard and physcial, and Kentucky will need to match that.on Tuesday night.

As in every game that Kentucky will play the rest of the season, they will need to be physical and rebound their opponent, but it may slightly more important to do so against this Arkansas team.

The Razorbacks are a team that likes to crash the glass hard from the perimeter, and they have size at the guard positions. In fact, two of their three leading rebounders (Brazile is first but out for the season) are starting guards Davonte Davis and Anthony Black. Controlling the defensive glass will in turn allow Kentucky to push the ball in transition.

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On the other end, the Wildcats will need to crash the glass hard for second-chance points, as points may be hard to come by against a Razorback defense that is ranked in the top 15 in defense efficiency. The best way to combat poor shooting is second-chance opportunities around the rim.

To accomplish both of these tasks, the Wildcats are going to have to “fight” as Oscar Tshiebwe would say.

Kentucky Wildcats (16-7) vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (16-7)

Time/Date: 9:00 pm ET on Tuesday, February 7th, 2023
Location: Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY
TV Channel: ESPN
Online Stream: WatchESPNESPN+, SEC Network+ or ESPN app
Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the UK radio network call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
Rosters: UK | ARK
Team SheetsUK | ARK
Stats To Know: UK | ARK

Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook has yet to release the odds. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Wildcats a 64.8% edge. However, Bart Torvik’s computer models continue to be low on the Wildcats and give Kentucky just a 54% chance.

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PredictionsBart Torvik picks the Wildcats to win in a nail-biter, 71-70.

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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Men's Basketball

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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Men's Basketball

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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