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Kentucky vs. Louisville: Postgame Notes and Game MVP

Published

3 years ago

on

UK Athletics

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.

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Men's Basketball

Star Forward Milan Momcilovic Chooses Kentucky Over Louisville and Arizona

Published

2 days ago

on

June 1, 2026

By

Photo via AOL

The wait is over BBN!

Milan Momcilovic has officially announced that he will be playing his senior year of college basketball at Kentucky, suiting up in the blue and white for Mark Pope and the Wildcats!

The 6-foot-8 wing averaged 16.9 points per game in the 2025-26 season, leading the nation in 3-pointers made (136) and percentage from deep (48.7%).

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Momcilovic is mostly ranked as No. 2 in most portal rankings, but ESPN has the former Cyclone as the No. 1 overall player. With that being said, this technically serves as Pope’s first No. 1 transfer during his tenure at Kentucky.

Pulling his name out of the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday, May 27, Kentucky was seemingly the favorite to land the wing during the entire sweepstakes due to positional need, scheme fit and money available to spend. He could even play another year with the Kentucky Wildcats if the “5-in-5” rule is passed and he forgoes the draft again.

Putting Pat Kelsey in a locker and outbidding him on a recruit is always great for morale, but this fills the much-needed star spot for next year’s roster. Pope and his staff have shaped the team with plenty of skilled players, but Momcilovic adds that extra layer of shooting and will serve as the go-to guy when a game may be on the line.

This will be the final player added to the 2026-27 team, with an insert at the starting small forward position in Momcilovic’s future. Pope and the Big Blue Nation have their guy, and soon enough, we’ll see the Pewaukee, Wisconsin native on Rupp Arena’s court.

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Men's Basketball

National Reporter Matt Norlander Chooses Kentucky as Landing Spot for Star Forward Milan Momcilovic

Published

6 days ago

on

May 28, 2026

By

Photo via Imagn Images

The Milan Momcilovic sweepstakes is underway, with multiple teams involved in the No. 2 overall transfer player’s recruitment. It is believed that Kentucky and Louisville are the top candidates after his decision to pull out from the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday, May 27.

Along with the in-state rivals, Arizona and St. John’s are both very well still in the mix, but the Red Storm are slowly falling out of contention after landing Baylor’s Tounde Yessoufou.

On May 28, national reporter Matt Norlander cleared the air on CBS Sports’ Eye On College Basketball podcast, stating that he believes Kentucky will land Momcilovic by the end of the weekend or Monday.

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“My prediction right now is that Milan Momcilovic will go to Kentucky,” Norlander said. “My understanding is that decision is going to come in the next one, two, three days, four days max.”

He would go on to talk about the other top programs involved, stating why he thinks they will be working in an uphill battle in this bidding war.

“My forecast is that it’s Kentucky, but you know, we’ll see if Louisville can get in there,” he continued. “Arizona I don’t think has the money to contend, like I think Kentucky and Louisville just have more money to play with.”

For the worried members of the Big Blue Nation, this is certainly good news to be put out by one of the most trusted college basketball reporters at the national level.

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Going by this report and Adam Zagoria’s from NYT Sports, it shouldn’t be long until a commitment decision for Momcilovic is announced publicly.

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Men's Basketball

BREAKING: No. 2 Ranked Transfer Milan Momcilovic Removes Name From 2026 NBA Draft

Published

7 days ago

on

May 27, 2026

By

Kamil Krzaczynski | Imagn Images

Milan Momcilovic has officially removed his named from the 2026 NBA Draft and will return to college for his senior season.

Kentucky leads in his recruitment, followed closely by St. John’s, Louisville and Arizona. A backdoor to Iowa State is also still open.

The No. 2 ranked transfer would be a huge addition to Kentucky’s 2026-27 roster if he committed, averaging 16.9 points per game on 50.6/48.7/87.8 shooting splits last year. Funny enough, in the current world of college athletics that we live in, Momcilovic was responsible for eliminating the Wildcats from the NCAA Tournament, dropping 20 points in the Round of 32.

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He would go on to lose to Tennessee in the Sweet 16 with Iowa State, so at least we know that there’s some inner-hatred for a long-standing rival if he ends up a Wildcat.

He made the most three-point shots in Division I basketball and is a versatile 6-foot-8 wing, which would fit perfectly into Mark Pope’s offensive system. He completed workouts with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves during the draft process.

Now, the bidding war for the top dog begins, with some of the most prestigious programs in the sport placing their bets on the star forward.

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