Men's Basketball

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

Published

1 year ago

February 3, 2023

Sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble but leaning in, the Kentucky Wildcats must keep winning. After gritting out a victory over Ole Miss, they turn their focus to a Florida Gator team that also finds themselves on the bubble, but on the outside looking in.

Led by first-year head coach, Todd Golden, the Gators are a team mostly made up of transfers, so expectations are not what they have been in the past. This was seen in their 7-6 record in the non-conference schedule.

However, they have figured some things out in conference play, sitting at 6-3 and tied with Kentucky for third place in the SEC. This is not due to playing a tough schedule, as they have collected wins over Missouri and Tennessee, and only lost by three to Auburn.

Given where both teams stand, Saturday is going to be a dogfight. Let’s take a closer look at the matchup.

Health of Cason Wallace

Kentucky was able to win at Ole Miss with relative ease Tuesday, despite starting point guard Cason Wallace being out with what John Calipari is calling a knee contusion. Wallace suffered the injury against Kansas by banging his knee during the contest, though he was able to finish the game.

The injury got worse during Tuesday’s shootaround, so Wallace was held out for precautionary measures.

During his Wednesday call-in show, Calipari said that while this isn’t a long-term issue, Wallace is uncertain to play vs. Florida.

“I don’t know,” Calipari said of Wallace’s status for Saturday. “He went and got checked out. He banged knees, so it’s painful, but there’s no structural (damage). That’s all good, but we’ll see.”

If Wallace can’t go, that would be a major loss against a Florida team that suddenly looks very dangerous, even if UK has a full roster.

The good news is Sahvir Wheeler is a capable backup who did well vs. the Gators last year. In those two matchups, Wheeler shot a combined 10/17 for 22 points with 11 assists vs. three turnovers.

Still, there’s no question Wallace is the superior player. His availability may very well decide who wins Round 1 of this series.

Interior Defense

While Florida ranks 144th in offensive efficiency, they rank 10th in defensive efficiency. A large part of this is due to their interior defense, ranked third in the country in blocked shots with an average of six per game.

Colin Castleton specifically is the star of the Florida defense, accounting for over half (3.2 bpg) of Florida’s blocked shots. What is more impressive, is that he’s doing it without fouling, averaging 1.48 blocks for every foul. The Gators also do well at stealing entry passes, an area where the Wildcats have struggled.

With that being said, it is not going to be easy for Oscar Tshiebwe in the paint and Kentucky will need to hit some three-pointers to help space the floor, making Antonio Reeves a very important piece yet again. And hopefully, CJ Fredrick can see a couple go down.

Offensive Rebounding

Given Florida’s stout defense, it is likely Kentucky will find it difficult to score and one way to counter that is with offensive rebounds and extra possessions. Which has been a large part of Kentucky’s offensive game plan.

After recording double-digit offensive rebounds in 17 of their first 19 games, Kentucky has failed to gather more than seven in their past three games. In two of those contests, the Wildcats shot well enough from the field to win, but that was not the case against Kansas, shooting just 15% from three.

Fortunately, Florida is a team that tends to give up offensive rebounds, rankings in the lower half of the country in that category. In all but one of their nine losses, Florida has lost the rebound battle. This is an area Kentucky will need to capitalize on.

Capture and Hold the Momentum

While the Kentucky offense has improved, it is still difficult for them to make runs in short spurts. Plagued by poor starts for much of the season, this has put them in early holes that take time to dig themselves out of.

Against Kansas, Kentucky got off to a better start, but they allowed the Jayhawks to end the first half on an 11-4 run. For the rest of the game, that lead stayed at around 6-7 points and gave Kansas a cushion to answer any attempt at a Kentucky run.

As mentioned earlier, this is an important game that Kentucky cannot afford to lose. Capturing the momentum early and holding it will make winning a much easier task.

Bonus: Mike Pratt Jersey Retirement

The late Mike Pratt will have his jersey raised to the Rupp Arena rafters on Saturday. A long overdue moment, the former All-SEC Wildcat and longtime broadcaster will be honored for his accomplishments and service to the program.

Pratt’s jersey retirement will be just the second in the last two decades and the first since Tony Delk’s in 2015. One thing that would make Pratt proud is a win over Florida.

Kentucky Basketball (15-7) vs. Florida Gators (13-9)

Time/Date: 8:30 pm ET on Saturday, February 4th, 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 | FLA
Team Sheets: UK | FLA
Stats To Know: UK | FLA

Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook has yet to release the odds. ESPN’s matchup predictor is very confident in Kentucky’s chances, giving the Wildcats a 75.2% chance to win, though that’s obviously assuming Cason Wallace plays. Bart Torvik has it closer, giving Kentucky a 58% chance, while KenPom has it at 63%.

Predictions: Bart Torvik picks the Wildcats to win in a nail-biter, 68-66. KenPom is going with a 70-66 victory, Kentucky!

Also published on a Sea of Blue.

BB Recruiting

Kentucky to Host Multiple Top Transfers This Weekend

Published

10 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats are hosting multiple top transfers this weekend for visits, looking to add to their roster.

With the deadline for players to enter the portal coming up on May 1st, Kentucky nearly has all their options on the table. Now two weeks since taking the job, Mark Pope has expressed interest in nearly two dozen names and has been keying in on some top names in the portal.

As of writing this article, top 25 transfer Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), is currently on a visit to Lexington, with three more players set to visit this weekend. There’s a good chance that some of those visits turn into commitments.

Let’s take a look at those names.

Deivon Smith – Guard, Utah

Physicals: 6’0, 173 lbs
Stats: 13.3 PPG, 7.1 APG, 6.3 RPG, 46.% FG, 40.8% 3P
Ranking: 10th (Evan Miya), 38rd (247Sports)

Kentucky has had just three players record a triple-double in program history. Deivon Smith recorded five triple-doubles this past season alone, the second-most all-time for a single season in NCAA history.

While undersized, he is one of the best all-around guards in the country, as his numbers show. It’s still early, but Kentucky getting the first visit is significant. St. John’s and Texas Tech have also been mentioned here.

Andrej Stojaković – Guard, Stanford

Physicals: 6’7, 190 lbs
Stats: 7.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 40.9% FG, 32.7% 3P
Ranking: 183rd (Evan Miya), 51st (247Sports)

Stojakovic is the son of former NBA All-Star, Peja Stojakovic. A familiar name for Kentucky fans from his high school recruitment. Stojakovic is a terrific shooter, and a top-25 recruit in the 2023 class.

On Thursday, Stojakovic cut his list to just three schools: California, UNC, and Kentucky. As a West Coast product, California was a school that showed interest when he was in high school, and so did Mark Pope when he was at BYU. Pope has made Stojakovic a priority, he could seal the deal this weekend.

Aidan Mahaney – Guard, Saint Mary’s

Physicals: 6-3, 180 lbs
Stats: 13.9 PPG, 2.6 APG, 38.6% FG, 35.5% 3P
Ranking: 96th (Evan Miya), 14th (247Sports)

One of the best guards in the portal. As a lead guard for Saint Mary’s, he displayed a good sense of playing under control, setting himself up and others. That said, his numbers were rather inefficient as the primary scoring option for the Gaels and shooting more than half of his shots from three. There are concerns about his playing against bigger guards.

Mahaney visited UConn Thursday and it looks to be a race between Creighton, Virginia, UConn, and Kentucky.

Andrew Carr – Forward, Wake Forest

Physicals: 6-11, 230 lbs
Stats: 13.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 52.6% FG, 37.1% 3P
Ranking: 33rd (Evan Miya), Not Listed (247Sports)

A near 7-footer who is efficient and can stretch the floor, shooting over 37 percent from three, is a player that Mark Pope would love to add to his roster. That describes Andrew Carr who has played two years at each Delaware and Wake Forest and is looking to go elsewhere for his last season of eligibility.

Carr is coming off a visit to Texas Tech and will visit Villanova after he visits Lexington this weekend.

Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Hiring Top Assistant Coach Alvin Brooks III from Baylor

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky may not have been able to pull Scott Drew away from Baylor, but they were able to pull Alvin Brooks III, one of the best assistant coaches in the country. First reported by CBS Sports on Wednesday morning, Brooks has accepted an associate head coach position at Kentucky, the same role in which he had at Baylor.

NEWS: Top Baylor assistant Alvin Brooks III is leaving the Bears to join Mark Pope's staff at Kentucky, sources tell @CBSSports. He spent the past eight years under Scott Drew and will be associate HC @ UK. Brooks is highly respected in the profession. It's a major coup for Pope.— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 24, 2024

Brooks comes to Kentucky with a great reputation as a recruiter, helping Baylor bring in some elite talent over the last couple of seasons, most notably, McDonald’s All-Americans VJ Edgecombe (2024), Ja’Kobe Walter (2023), and Keyonte George (2022).

Just 44 years old, Brooks has two decades of coaching experience. Before his time at Baylor he also had stops at Kansas State (2012-16), Sam Houston State (2010-12), Bradley (2007-10), Midland (2006-07), and Arkansas-Fort Smith (2004-06).

Brooks spoke with Kentucky Insider earlier this month about Kentucky’s hire of Mark Pope, as someone who competed against him at BYU. He spoke highly of the hire, specifically of his Xs and Os, and saw “no negatives”.

Interestingly, he will not be the first Alvin Brooks to be a part of the Kentucky Basketball program as his father was the Director of Operations from 2007-09 under Billy Gillispie. Brooks joins an assembled staff of Cody Fueger, Jason Hart, and Mark Fox, leaving just one assistant spot remaining which likely won’t come soon.

That said, the concern with Pope was his recruiting ability. With Hart and now Brooks, he has addressed that concern and has added two of the best recruiters in the country.

BB Recruiting

Transfer Amari Williams Commits to Kentucky

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Drexel transfer Amari Williams has committed to play for the Kentucky Wildcats. Becomes first transfer commitment under Mark Pope.

Graphic via ClutchPoints

Amari Williams has made his decision. He has committed to the Wildcats, first reported by Joe Tipton of On3.

Williams’ decision comes after visiting Lexington this past weekend. On all accounts and given his commitment, all things went well, even taking a visit to Keeneland with new head coach Mark Pope.

Originally from Nottingham, England, Williams has played the last four years at Drexel. He has career averages of 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks.

From his sophomore season forward, Williams has been named to the All-Coastal Athletic Association Team three times and has won three straight CAA Defensive Player of the Year Awards.

The 6-foot-10, 265-pound forward is a physical big. On the offensive end, he scores most of his points at the rim, many of which come in transition or off offensive rebounds, but he is also comfortable extending to the elbow. He is a better passer than one would expect as well, with an 18% assist rate.

As his Defensive Player of the Year awards suggest, Williams makes his biggest impact on the defensive side of the ball. With a 7-foot-5 wingspan, he blocks plenty of shots (8.5% block rate) and alters many more. His physical size and length help him rebound the ball well.

Both were areas Kentucky lacked in last season.

If you’re an analytical guy, Williams has been a top-20 player in player efficiency ratings the previous two seasons, with a 28.5 PER each season.

For reference, Kentucky’s most efficient players last season, Reed Sheppard and Antonio Reeves, both had a PER of 23.6.

Evan Miya, one of the best analytics gurus in college hoops, has Williams ranked 14th overall in DBPR for next season, which measures the defensive value a player brings to his team when he is on the court. So Kentucky just landed one of the best defensive transfers in America.

With his commitment, Williams becomes Kentucky’s first transfer under Mark Pope and just the second commitment overall, joining Collin Chandler, a 4-star recruit of the 2022 class returning from a mission trip this summer.

It’s worth noting that he played alongside fellow Kentucky target and Utah State transfer Great Osobor in England. Could the two join forces in Lexington as Kentucky’s frontcourt?

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