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Kentucky vs. Georgia: Postgame Recap and Game MVP

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UK Athletics

Following their marquee win over Tennessee, the Kentucky Wildcats returned to Rupp Arena in a matchup against Georgia, and to prove they are turning the corner.

Despite having good looks, Kentucky started the game off slow once again, trailing 7-2 to begin the game. As the half went on, those shots began to fall, however, the main problem for the first half for the Cats’ was their defense. The Georgia offense was clearing out and driving on the Wildcats at will, or getting clear cuts to the basket. The Bulldogs’ guards combined to score 27 out of the 42 points for Georgia in the first half. Kentucky trailed 42-34 against Georgia at halftime.

The second half was a totally different story. Oscar Tshiebwe came out of the gates swinging, scoring eight straight points, which was capitalized by a three from CJ Fredrick, giving Kentucky a 46-45 lead. Georgia kept it close until the 8-minute mark, but Kentucky was able to pull away. The Wildcats outscored Georgia by 22 points in the half, led by a video game like performance from Tshiebwe, going on to win 85-71.

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Let’s take a closer look at the game.

Tale of Two Halves Defensively

After limiting Tennessee to a season-low in points (56), this team proved they are much better on defense than what they had shown. However, to start the game against Georgia, they reverted to old habits.

Unable to stay in front of the ball, Kentucky gave up way too many straight-line drives and cuts to the basket, which allowed Georgia to tie their season-high for points in a half (42). On the half, the Bulldogs were scoring an unreal 1.24 points per possession and shooting over 55 percent from the floor.

In the second half, the Wildcats tightened up defensively and increased their intensity. Their activeness is shown most with the 5 blocks and 6 steals in the second half alone. The improved defensive execution is what allowed to Kentucky to pull away, allowing just three made field goals in the last ten minutes.

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Going forward, the Wildcats cannot afford to continue to dig themselves into early deficits due to poor defense, as it will result in them dropping more games.

“The Lineup”

Against Tennesee, there was one lineup where Kentucky found the most success and that was with Wallace-Reeves-Fredrick-Toppin-Tshiebwe. Was it fool’s gold? No.

After not starting the game, Sahvir Wheeler entered the game and quickly had a steal and a pair of assists. However, he followed that up with two out-of-control drives and his size was being taken advantage of by the bigger and more physical guards that Georgia had.

In the second half, Wheeler played just one possession, as Cason Wallace took over point guard duties with the lineup referred to above. The result? The Wildcats scored 51 points and outscored Georgia by 22 points.

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Looking at the final box score, Wheeler had a -9 plus/minus – by far the lowest of the team -and played just 11 minutes. After two games, it is no longer a coincidence. Wheeler is one of the best playmakers in the country and can provide some good off the bench, but Kentucky has found their best five to help them succeed.

Game MVP: Oscar Tshiebwe, is he back?

Without a doubt, Oscar Tshiebwe was the MVP for Tuesday night’s game against the Georgia Bulldogs. Tshiebwe had a career-high 37 points and 24 rebounds during the game, with 23 points and 15 rebounds coming in the second half alone.

Unlike many teams, Georgia refused to double-team Tshiebwe in the post. This led to his explosion in points, primarily coming from post drives and putbacks. With Tshiebwe looking fully healthy following his knee surgery, and Calipari praising how Tshiebwe has gotten back in the gym, Kentucky fans could see Oscar continue to put up a dominant second half of the season.

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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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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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