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Men's Basketball

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: WatchESPN, ESPN+, 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 Sheets: UK | 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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Predictions: Bart Torvik picks the Wildcats to win in a nail-biter, 71-70.

Men's Basketball

Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno Earn Conference Preseason Honors

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Photo via Chet White | UK Athletics

On Monday, Oct. 12, Kentucky’s Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno both earned All-SEC preseason honors, with the Iowa State transfer selected to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team and the returning sophomore selected to the Preseason All-SEC Third Team.

Momcilovic is entering his senior season with the Wildcats, looking to follow up his junior campaign after reigning as the undisputed best shooter in college basketball. He averaged 16.9 points per game last year, with his shooting splits reading 50.6/48.7/87.8.

Leading the Cyclones to a No. 2 seed and being selected to All-Big 12 Second Team, it’s safe to say that this isn’t the first time that Momcilovic has been left off of the top list, making the Kentucky superstar hungry to prove the haters wrong on a much larger stage.

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Moreno is returning for his sophomore season after earning All-SEC Freshman Team honors last year, looking to show the Big Blue Nation everything he learned throughout the draft process and that he has changed this summer.

The Kentucky native was thrown into the fire, earning 30 unexpected starts for the Wildcats. He developed as the season went on, ending the 2025-26 campaign averaging 7.8 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.

With both Momcilovic and Moreno as staple players on this year’s roster, the SEC has slated Mark Pope’s team to finish seventh in the conference this season, finishing behind Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Vanderbilt.

The full lists of the All-SEC Teams can be found below:

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First Team

  • Rueben Chinyelu (Florida)
  • Juke Harris (Tennessee)
  • Thomas Haugh (Florida)
  • Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State)
  • Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt)

Second Team

  • Amari Allen (Alabama)
  • Alex Condon (Florida)
  • Milan Momcilovic (Kentucky)
  • Jordan Smith Jr. (Arkansas)
  • Matas Vokietaitis (Texas)

Third Team

  • PJ Haggerty (Texas A&M)
  • Malachi Moreno (Kentucky)
  • Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn)
  • David Punch (Texas)
  • Billy Richmond III (Arkansas)

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Men's Basketball

Otega Oweh Shows Flashes in First NBA Preseason Appearances

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Photo via Getty Images

Former Kentucky standout Otega Oweh took another step in his basketball career on Tuesday night, making his NBA preseason debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder and taking on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Oweh came off of the bench and played 28 minutes, finishing with six points, six rebounds, two steals, one block and an assist. The former Wildcat struggled offensively, shooting only 3-of-9 from the field and missing all four of his free throw attempts.

Despite the shooting struggles, Oweh showed flashes of his defensive ability and physicality that made him a fan favorite during his two seasons in Lexington.

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The Pelicans escaped with a 116-110 win, leaving the Thunder with a 0-1 record. The next night wouldn’t draw a different result, with Oweh’s team losing by two and only playing the beloved superstar a total of 16 minutes.

Due to foul trouble, this would be the only minutes he would receive, ending the game with two points on three shots.

Oweh was selected with the 41st overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Thunder after averaging 18.6 points per game during his senior season at Kentucky, joining former Wildcats Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Although his preseason debut wasn’t the offensive performance he might have hoped for, Oweh will have more than enough opportunities to prove himself as he looks to earn a role in a professional rotation.

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Competes at Annual Pro Day Inside of Rupp Arena

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Photo via Marissa Gilchrist | UK Athletics

Kentucky held its annual Pro Day on Tuesday, Oct. 6, where NBA scouts were able to watch the team go through individual drills and a live game-like scrimmage. There are plenty of takeaways that stood out during the two hour practice. Let’s dive into it:

1.) Franck Kepnang Shows Off in the Paint

The first thing that stood out was transfer big man Franck Kepnang, with the seven-foot big from Washington dominating in the paint. Starting with the individual drills, he showed his size and ability to get downhill off of a pick-and-roll.

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The bigs went through a finishing through contact drill, and the new Wildcat seemed unfazed by the pads being pounded against him. With Moreno and Kepnang running the paint together, it will make it very difficult for opposing teams to stop both of them.

2.) Ousmane N’Diaye Has High-Scoring Performance

Overseas big Ousmane N’Diaye was another standout in front of the NBA scouts. In the first six-minute “quarter”, N’Diaye led all scorers with eight points.

He showed off his ability to score at all three levels, hitting multiple threes and also demonstrating his ability to score in the paint. N’Diaye wasn’t playing the five spot, which really allowed his team to stretch the floor and help with spacing.

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With Moreno, Kepnang, N’Diaye and Reece Potter all standing at seven-feet tall, Mark Pope has the opportunity to run a four-big lineup all while each player hones a different skillset. Having this much size will pay dividends come time for conference play.

3. The Forwards Do a Little Bit of Everything

A few other players who performed well were Milan Momcilovic and Braydon Hawthorne. Momcilovic played very unselfish during the inter-squad scrimmage, looking to first get his teammates involved and not forcing his game whatsoever.

He did hit a nice step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer in the second “quarter”, highlighting his 10-point performance. Hawthorne had some great looks from beyond the arc and did a phenomenal job getting his teammates open, driving and distributing the rock.

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He finished with six points and one assist.

Overall, the whole team appeared molded together and played as a unit rather than just isolation ball, which is a great sign in early October. There is no shortage of individual talent on this roster, and that was evident on Tuesday, with leaders and experience at every position.

The wait is almost over BBN. Kentucky will take the court in its first exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 16, when Little Rock comes into town. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET and will air live on SEC Network+.

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