With both fan and team morale very low, Kentucky basketball was in desperate need of a convincing win on Saturday, and that is exactly what happened as they played the Louisville Cardinals.
Coming out of the gates, Kentucky had a near-perfect start. Starting with back-to-back threes from Chris Livingston and Cason Wallace, the Wildcats started 5-6 from the field. Less than three minutes in, Kentucky had captured a 12-2 lead, forcing Kenny Payne to call a timeout.
For much of the first half, the lead hovered around 10 points, led by Jacob Toppin and Cason Wallace who combined for 25 of Kentucky’s 45 first-half points. Oscar Tshiebwe also recorded another double-double after the first twenty minutes, with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
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Louisville entered the second half with a 45-32 deficit but responded with 5 quick points to cut the lead to single digits. On the defensive end, the Cardinals adjusted to a zone defense which slowed down Kentucky’s scoring.
However, Kentucky responded well and was able to extend the lead to 27 at its highest. In the end, the Wildcats won 86-63, winning their first game over the Cardinals since 2019.
Let’s take a closer look.
Improved Energy
One of the criticisms of this year’s team has been a lack of consistent energy. However, that was not a problem on Saturday.
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To start the game, Kentucky’s energy looked noticeably different. On the floor, the offense was fluid and their defense was active, as they jumped out to a quick double-digit lead in less than three minutes.
In Monday’s press conference, Sahvir Wheeler said that was a point of emphasis and credited the bench for providing that energy and “setting the tone”.
This team still has its struggles to fight through, but their response against Louisville shows that they are willing to fight to fix them.
Smaller Rotation
Following the loss to Missouri on Wednesday, John Calipari talked about how some of the issues the team is facing may be due to personnel, suggesting that lineup changes are needed.
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“We have to step up to the plate and maybe play less people,” Calipari said. On Saturday, he held true to his word, as only six Wildcats recorded double-digit minutes, with four recording over thirty minutes.
Following the game, John Calipari confirmed this was intentional and was an attempt to play more “deliberate”. “I got upset with a couple guys when we were playing deliberate, you didn’t have something and you turned it over, or why did you do that, we’re not playing that way.”
Pure Domination Over Louisville
Even when Louisville is bad, it is enjoyable for Kentucky to get a win in the rivalry. On Saturday, they won in dominating fashion, holding the advantage in all but two major statistical categories (FT percentage and blocks).
Winning a game in the fashion they did will hopefully boost team confidence going forward as the Wildcats enter conference play.
Game MVP: Jacob Toppin
Prior to the season, Jacob Toppin was asked if there was a game that he was most looking forward to this season. His answer, “the Louisville game,” and he did not disappoint.
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After nearly a month of not scoring more than five points, Toppin responded in a big way, finishing with a career-high 24 points on a highly efficient 10-15 from the field.
Toppin’s play at the four also allowed the Kentucky offense to be much more efficient as a whole, scoring 83 points on a season-high 60 percent field goal percentage. If Toppin can use this game and find a way to consistently contribute 10-15 points per game, it will make solving other offensive issues much easier.
Following another flurry of transfer portal additions in his second year at the helm, it appears that Mark Pope and staff are satisfied with their sophomore haul. The portal in Lexington may be officially closed for the 2025-26′ season.
Right after Kentucky received the surprising commitment of Denzel Aberdeen, Matt Norlander, an analyst for CBS Sports, posted the following on X (Twitter):
“Barring any portal defections, Kentucky has ended its pursuits of all other portal targets, sources told CBS Sports. Getting Aberdeen today [April 21] meant they’ve moved off Andrej Stojakovic, Rylan Griffen, etc. Otega Oweh going through pre-draft process-but I expect him back in Lex”.
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With the addition of Aberdeen, the Wildcats’ roster ballooned to near-max capacity for next season. Seeing two of the team’s walk-on players, Grant Darbyshire and Walker Horn, enter the transfer portal seemed to all but confirm this suspicion, too.
Losing One of Our Own
That is, until last night. With less than two hours remaining for players to do so, Travis Perry shocked much of the Big Blue Nation by throwing his name into the hat. This came just weeks after a string of comments from the Kentucky-native point guard seemed to confirm his return for a sophomore season.
Though all the same, given Kentucky’s bulk of back-court additions this offseason, his departure makes sense for the sake of playing time alone. The Lyon King will be sorely missed.
So while the Kentucky staff may still be very much content with their current roster, with hundreds of players remaining in the portal and an unexpected spot on the roster coming open, another grab is far from out of the question.
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Who Coach Pope and company would go after is entirely unclear, as that potential player would likely have to accept a minimized role off the bench for a stretch of his time in Lexington. If anything, the logical replacement would be a direct fill-in at the PG2/PG3 spot in Perry’s absence.
Either way, the ‘Cats are set to come into next season as one of the most exciting teams in college basketball with a ceiling far out of view. Mark Pope continues to prove his prowess in the transfer market, too, easing the worries of Wildcats fans and closing the door on many supposed “insiders” who’ve spent the last month suggesting otherwise.
The transfer portal has been kind to Kentucky in the Mark Pope era. Last season, the staff was able to build a Sweet Sixteen roster almost exclusively from the portal, and this offseason have put together a top-five portal class.
While the portal giveth, it also taketh. Just hours before the deadline to enter, Kentucky native and fan favorite Travis Perry has entered the transfer portal, per multiple reports.
Coming to Kentucky as the state’s all-time high-school scoring record holder, fans were excited to see how his career would unfold in Lexington.
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Not expecting to play much freshman, he was called upon due to injuries and played some key minutes for the Wildcats into the postseason. He averaged 2.7 PPG and .6 APG on 32% shooting from three.
Looking at the depth chart, it was difficult to see where Perry would get much playing time next season, leading to his decision to enter the portal.
Perry has yet to release an official statement, but all the best to him in his future.
Another day, another “boom.” Denzel Aberdeen has officially committed to Kentucky for the 2025-26’ season.
A soon-to-be senior guard fresh off his championship win with Florida, Aberdeen spent his first three years of eligibility in Gainesville. Now, following an apparent conflict in the Gators’ rotation, he’s swapped teams in the southeast.
At 6 ‘5”, 190, Aberdeen spent much of this past season beating defenders off the dribble and making them pay at the rim. His speed and size made him a nightmare off the bench for opposing teams, and for the short stretch of play that he started during the year, Florida didn’t miss a beat.
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In 19 minutes, Aberdeen averaged 8 points, two rebounds and one assist per game. His consistent contribution to the Gators’ title run made him one of the most coveted transfers in the cycle this season, and given his big blue commitment just days after entering the portal, Mark Pope clearly wasted no time in Kentucky’s pursuit.
Aberdeen slots in as yet another addition to what was already one of the strongest portal classes going into next season. His SEC experience and combo-guard intangibles make Aberdeen one of the most exciting portal players to come through Lexington in a long while, reinforcing Kentucky’s back court to what may be the final degree.
Whether or not Mark Pope is officially done for next season, nobody is sure, but this commitment only further cements the fact that he knows exactly what he’s doing. Just like the fanbase behind him, Coach Pope seems to never sleep.