Connect with us

Men's Basketball

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

Published

10 months ago

on

Kentucky Wildcats guard Rob Dillingham goes for a dunk at Rupp Arena.
© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

There is no sugarcoating it, Kentucky Basketball got whipped by South Carolina. As fellow coaches told John Calipari after the loss, “It didn’t even look like your team.”

After a few “roughhouse” practices — as Coach Cal put it on his call-in show — the Cats will look to make a statement as they travel to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas, one of the most disappointing teams in college basketball thus far this season.

The Razorbacks were picked to finish third in the SEC, yet are just one game above .500 on the season and 1-5 in SEC games, with all five losses coming by double digits. The advanced metrics have them currently rated the second-worst team in the SEC. They are 127th in the NET, signaling they are a borderline Quad III team. KenPom ranks them 105th, while Bart Torvik has them ranked 127th.

Advertisement

Last year, Kentucky went 1-1 against the Hogs, losing at home in blowout fashion, then scored a massive win in Fayetteville thanks to 37 points (12/17 shooting) from Antonio Reeves.

Here’s what to watch for when the Kentucky Wildcats face Arkansas.

Ball Movement

Against South Carolina, Kentucky had just seven assists. For reference, the Wildcats rank top 10 nationally in assists per game and assist/turnover ratio, and were coming off a win against Georgia where they tied a season-high in assists with 27.

So what happened? The physicality and perimeter pressure certainly played a part, but they also weren’t following the game plan at times. After the game, Calipari said he told his team to “move the ball” at least 30 times, which one fan who sat behind the Kentucky bench confirmed to me.

Advertisement

There will be some 1-on-1 possessions with Arkansas, but they like to play fast as well, and it should open up the court more to push the ball ahead.

Finish Through Contact and Make Free Throws

Kentucky got punked by South Carolina, who plays a very physical brand of basketball. The Wildcats cannot allow themselves to get manhandled like that again, or it will result in another bad L.

Arkansas is another team that won’t take it easy on Kentucky and will look to play with physicality and take away easy shots at the rim. Case in point, they foul their opponents at one of the highest rates in the country, committing nearly 20 per game.

Kentucky’s guards have to look to take it to the basket with aggression and finish through contact, not around. If they can’t finish, the worst case is they get fouled or push back the defense enough for a kickout.

Advertisement

Lineup Consistency

Kentucky has yet to play with a full team this season, but with Zvonimir Ivisic now eligible and Adou Thiero set to return within the next week, that is expected to change.

However, Kentucky cannot play 23 different lineups as they did against South Carolina. With February just days away, it means that Kentucky needs to start hitting its stride in the coming weeks and continue to build chemistry within a stricter rotation.

With players being added and coming off injury, it’s understandable to experiment with lineups. However, you can’t do it at the cost of games, and you still have to find some consistency.

Opposing Players to Watch

G Tramon Mark, 6-6, 185 lbs

Advertisement
  • 17.8 PPG (5th in SEC)
  • 52.6% FG (4th in SEC)
  • 40.4% 3P (14in SEC)

G Khalif Battle, 6-5, 185 lbs

  • 11.5 PPG
  • 38.6% 3P (19th in SEC)

F Trevon Brazile, 6-10, 220 lbs

  • 8.9 PPG
  • 6.5 RPG (12th in SEC)

Kentucky Basketball vs. Arkansas Razorbacks

  • Date: Saturday, January 27th, 2024
  • Time: 6:00 PM ET
  • Location: Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, AR
  • TV Channel: ESPN
  • Online Stream: Stream the game online using WatchESPN and the ESPN app.
  • Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the UK radio call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
  • Replay: WatchESPN and the SEC Network (check local listings).
  • Rosters: UK | ARK
  • Stats to Know: UK | ARK
  • KenPom: UK | ARK
  • Team Sheets: UK | ARK
  • Odds: ESPN gives Kentucky a 70.7% chance of winning this road contest. EvanMiya gives the Cats a 70.5% chance of victory. Bart Torvik has it at 73%, and KenPom is at 73%.
  • Predictions: Bart Torvik picks Kentucky to win on the road, 89-81, with Haslametrics providing a similar score projection, 89-79. However, EvanMiya has the Cats winning just 85-79. KenPom is going with an 87-80 victory, Kentucky!

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

Related Topics:
Advertisement

Men's Basketball

Kentucky vs. Jackson State: TV/Streaming Info, Keys to the Game, and Betting Odds/Predictions

Published

3 hours ago

on

November 22, 2024

By

Kentucky players encouraging each other at Rupp Arena.
Chet White | UK Athletics

The Kentucky Wildcats are back in action Friday to face the Jackson State Tigers in the second game of the BBN Invitational.

To put it simply, Jackson State is bad, very bad. Sitting at 0-5 and ranked 321st in KenPom, the Tigers will likely be the worst opponent Kentucky will play all season.

Coached by Mo Williams, one of LeBron James’ old teammates with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Tigers have only finished above .500 twice in the last decade. This season, Jackson State is predicted to finish fourth in the SWAC.

Advertisement

Mark Pope recently said he wanted to build a standard, regardless of opponent and, and that will be tested on Friday.

Let’s take a look at the matchup.

More 3-Point Attempts

Admittedly nitpicking, one of the things that Mark Pope was not happy with in Kentucky’s win over Lipscomb was the amount of three-point attempts. While they shot nearly 50 percent from deep, going 12-25, Pope wants to see the number of attempts closer to 35.

The Tigers have allowed their opponents to shoot 47.8 percent from deep, the second-worst mark in the country. Pope and the staff will certainly generate a game plan to take advantage of this. Expect to see 30+ attempts.

Advertisement

Ball Movement

Despite beating Lipscomb by 29 points, the Wildcats had a season-low in assists with just ten. For context, Kentucky had averaged more than 23 assists per game entering the matchup.

“That’s not us. That’s not who we are,” Pope said after the game.

While there wasn’t a lot of selfishness, the ball just wasn’t ‘flying’ as it has been early this season. This is a priority for the staff and this mature group, and they will aim for 25+ assists.

Keep JSU off the Free-Throw Line

Jackson State ranks in the top 100 nationally in one area: Free throws made per game. So, Kentucky, defend without fouling.

Advertisement

Kentucky’s offense makes headlines, but the defense has played very well to start the season, holding all four opponents to under 73 points. Let’s see if they can get down in a stance and defend well for 40 minutes vs. a team that stresses contact and drawing fouls.

Opposing Players to Watch

C Shannon Grant 6-11, 290 lbs

  • 7.5 PPG
  • 4.8
  • Preseason All-SWAC First Team selection

G Jayme Mitchell Jr 6-5, 190 lbs

  • 15.0 PPG
  • 3.8 RPG
  • 44.4% 3P

F Romelle Mansel 6-9, 220 lbs

  • 10.8 PPG
  • 5.8 RPG
  • 31.7% FG (second most FG attempts on the team)

Kentucky Wildcats Basketball vs. Jackson State Tigers

Time: 7 PM ET on November 22nd
Location: Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY
TV Channel: This game will not be on TV and is streaming only,
Online Stream: SEC Network+, ESPN+, and the ESPN app.
Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the radio call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
Rosters: UK | JSU
Stats to Know: UK | JSU
KenPom: UK | JSU
Team Sheet: UK | JSU

Odds: FanDuel Sportsbook has yet to release the odds for the game, so check Thursday afternoon for an official spread. Multiple projections give Kentucky a 99% chance of winning: Bart Torvik (99%), EvanMiya (99.9%), and ESPN (99.0%). The exception is KenPom (92%).

Predictions: KenPom (93-63), Haslametrics (96-63), Bart Torvik (95-61), and EvanMiya (96-59) all are going with a 30+ point victory, Kentucky!

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Players Say They Think About Winning National Championship “Every Second”

Published

4 days ago

on

November 18, 2024

By

Kentucky basketball players celebrate after their big over Duke.
IMAGN

The expectations at Kentucky are the highest of any school in the country, and there is good reason why. The winningest college program ever. Eight national titles, under five different coaches. Seventeen Final Four appearances. You get it, a lot of success.

Fans want the players to have those same expectations. Despite not having the elite talent or preseason hype of great Kentucky teams past, this year’s team still has their eyes set on doing something “people will remember forever”, winning a national championship.

Asked on social media, if hanging banner #9 was all the players thought about “every second”, Ansley Almonor had a response.

Advertisement

“We do.”

It takes a lot to win a national championship, including some luck, but this team is certainly going to be loved for their desire to live out their dream of playing at Kentucky and their unselfishness. Those two things can take them a long way this season .

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart Seemingly Takes Shot at John Calipari, “Anybody Can Recruit”

Published

6 days ago

on

November 16, 2024

By

Mitch Barnhart sitting next to basketball coach John Calipari.
IMAGN

John Calipari and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart had their differences over fifteen years, but success can hide a lot of things. Not that they hated each other, but they each had vastly different personalities. As that success weaned towards the end of Calipari’s tenure, those issues started to be noticed publically.

If you need evidence of that, despite their efforts to dispute it, there is the infamous press conference where Barnhart talked about “entitled” coaches, shortly after Calipari publicly called for a new practice facility. Then, there were multiple times when Calipari expressed that the administration was not on the same page and that he was facing “headwinds”.

That said, Calipari is now at Arkansas, but those differences and some disdain remain. During an interview on the Kentucky Football pregame show, Barnhart seemingly took a shot at Calipari when asked about Mark Pope’s recruiting philosophy and prioritizing fit.

Advertisement

“I tell people all the time, ‘Anybody can recruit, not everybody can evaluate,’” Barnhart said. “You can recruit. You can be phenomenal at bringing people to your program. But if it does not fit you, it’s really not helpful.”

Of course, Calipari is one of the best, if not the best, recruiters in college basketball history. At times, he prioritized talent and athleticism over fit.

Quite the coincidence.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending