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

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Kentucky travels to Auburn for a tough SEC road matchup, looking to pull an upset.
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

After ending a three-game home skid with a win over Ole Miss, Kentucky Basketball will go on the road to “The Jungle” for one of their toughest games of the season, facing Bruce Pearl and the No. 13 Auburn Tigers with College GameDay in town.

While this Auburn team has seven players from last year’s squad who lost to Kentucky by 32 points last season, they are not the same team. This season, the Tigers have added 5-star guard Aden Holloway, who played alongside Rob Dillingham for much of his youth basketball career, Denver Jones, a 20 PPG scorer from FIU, and Chad Baker-Mazara, one of the top JUCO players in the country last season.

Together, they are a team that moves the ball very well and defends at a high level, ranking top 10 in both KenPom offensive and defensive efficiency.

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Here’s what to watch for when Kentucky battles the Tigers.

Win the Boards

Good rebounding and physical teams are the ones that Kentucky has struggled with this season. SEC teams like South Carolina and Tennessee fit that bill, and in those games, it never really felt like Kentucky had a chance. Auburn is characterized in the same way.

Over the last few weeks, the Kentucky staff and players have talked about needing to improve their physicality and effort in rebounding. Saturday will provide the latest opportunity to see how the Wildcats perform against such a team.

With Tre Mitchell potentially out (more on that later), a lot will rely on the 7-footers, who will have to play with more physicality and make better decisions. However, the Tigers have a small backcourt, which Kentucky could take advantage of.

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Stick to the Game Plan

This Kentucky team has struggled on the road. Outside of a blowout win against Vanderbilt, the Wildcats have won two other games by an average of just four points, and losing two others.

Auburn has yet to lose at home this season and has beaten SEC opponents by an average of more than 20 points at home, including a 40-point win against No. 11 South Carolina this week. With a sold-out College GameDay environment and an arena layout that makes it feel like the crowd is on top of you, it will be the most difficult environment Kentucky has played in this season.

In road games this season, Kentucky has let the crowd affect them, which has led to them playing outside of themselves and the scouting report. They cannot do that on Saturday. If they do, it could be an ugly loss.

Tre Mitchell Watch

Kentucky had a full and healthy roster for the first time this season and all of 24 minutes on Tuesday against Ole Miss, as Tre Mitchell checked out in the second half with a shoulder injury.

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At the time of this article, his status is unclear, but it does not look promising for Saturday.

A leader on the court, Mitchell is someone that the younger players look to when things aren’t going right. When he is not out there, it’s easy to see that Kentucky misses that presence. However, the game will be played with or without him.

Could Justin Edwards continue his improvement and have a big game in his absence? Could Adou Thiero, who is throwing down 360 dunks in warmups as his back is feeling better, have a productive game like he did against Gonzaga?

More importantly, will guys like Ugonna Onyenso, Aaron Bradshaw, and/or Zvonimir Ivisic be able to step up in a hostile environment to help offset Mitchell being limited or out altogether? That will be a big key to Kentucky being capable of winning this game.

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Opposing Players to Watch

F Johni Broome 6-10, 240 lbs

  • 16.2 PPG (8th in SEC)
  • 8.4 RPG (2nd in SEC)
  • 2.4 BPG (2nd in SEC)
  • 55.4% FG (2nd in SEC)

F Jaylin Williams 6-8, 245 lbs

  • 13.4 PPG
  • 4.9 RPG
  • 42.6% 3P (9th in SEC)

G Tre Donaldson 6-3, 200 lbs

  • 7.2 PPG
  • 3.8 APG
  • 2.5 RPG

Kentucky Basketball vs. Auburn Tigers

  • Time: 6 PM EST on Feb. 17th
  • Location: Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama
  • TV Channel: ESPN will have TV coverage.
  • Announcers: Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas, and Jess Simms are calling the action.
  • Online Stream: Stream the game online using WatchESPN 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 | AUB
  • Stats to Know: UK | AUB
  • KenPom: UK | AUB
  • Team Sheet: UK | AUB
  • Odds: The odds for the game have yet to be released, but check out SportsBetExpert for your picks. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Cats just a 14.9% chance of achieving victory. EvanMiya and BartTorvik are at 14.2% at 16%, respectively, while KenPom is at 18%.
  • Predictions: Bart Torvik picks Kentucky to lose 90-78. Haslametrics and EvanMiya has them losing 88-77 and 87-76. KenPom is the “nicest” with an 87-77 loss for the Cats.

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

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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Men's Basketball

Koby Brea Talks With Andrija Jelavic About His Legendary Chapter Awaiting At Kentucky

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ABA League (Left) | Imagn (Right)


Andrija Jelavic, in a recent Q&A with Kentucky Insider, revealed that he exchanged messages with former Wildcat Koby Brea, who will be handing down his No. 4 jersey to Jelavic.

The big man was asked if he had spoken with any former Wildcats after comparing his play style to Karl-Anthony Towns, and what he knew about Kentucky growing up.

“I exchanged some messages with Koby Brea because I’m gonna be wearing his number four,” Jelavic said. “About Kentucky, I always knew that they are the biggest franchise in college basketball history, and just everything about them is legendary.”

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Jelavic added on what exactly Brea said in those messages.

“He just told me to go be great and that he can’t wait to see me play,” Jelavic said. “Also, that he likes my number decision.”

Alone, the fact that Brea reached out speaks volume to the culture that is established at Kentucky. The lethal sharpshooter from Mark Pope’s first team at Kentucky played only one season in the blue and white, yet, seems interested in the future of the program despite chasing his own big league dreams.

To end our exclusive interview, Jelavic talked about the goals he has now as a Wildcat and how he wants to be a legendary piece to this year’s roster.

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“Definitely to bring many wins and hopefully a championship to Kentucky, Jelavic said. “To be a player that Kentucky will always remember.”

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