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Kentucky vs. LSU: TV Info, Things to Know, and Predictions

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UK Athletics

Last week was a mixed week for the Kentucky Wildcats. After an embarrassing performance at Missouri, Kentucky responded well against Louisville, looking much sharper. As the Wildcats continue to try and right the ship, they will take on the LSU Tigers in Rupp Arena on Tuesday.

The Tigers have had a unique season of their own. Under the direction of former Murray State head coach, Matt McMahon, LSU is off to an 11-1 record, tied with Missouri for the best record in the conference.

Also similarly to Missouri, LSU has played an easy schedule, playing just three teams ranked in the top 125 in KenPom. With that said, they did just beat a top-10-ranked Arkansas team to open up SEC play.

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Which version of LSU will Kentucky get? We will find out.

Let’s take a closer look at the matchup.

Make the Best of Offensive Opportunities

LSU is a defensive first-team and as proof, the Tigers have held both of their top 50 opponents to 61 points or less. This doesn’t bold well for a Kentucky offense that has struggled at times this season.

On a positive note, Kentucky is coming off arguably their best offensive performance of the season. Against Louisville, they notably had better execution and ball movement which led to their second 80+ point scoring output since November.

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On Tuesday, the Wildcats will play a disciplined LSU defense, giving up just 15 free throws per game, and also focus on limiting perimeter shooting, as their opponents shoot just 27.6 percent.

Expect the Tigers to play a mix of man and zone, but the scoring opportunities will be there, especially if Cason Wallace and Sahvir Wheeler can take advantage of driving lanes and they can continue to use effective ball screens.

To carry the offensive momentum, the Wildcats are going to have to take advantage of the opportunities they are given.

Limit KJ Williams and Adam Miller

Two players combine for nearly half of LSU’s points on average, KJ Williams (18.5 ppg) and Adam Miller (13 ppg).

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Shooting just 37 percent from the field, Miller is far from efficient but with high volume. Fortunately for Kentucky, they have two good defensive guards in Cason Wallace and Sahvir Wheeler that can limit Miller even further.

However, Williams poses a much more difficult challenge. Averaging 18.5 points per contest, Williams is the second-leading scorer in the SEC and is the type of player that Kentucky has had problems with this season – big and versatile.

Just last week, Kobe Brown of Missouri scored 30 points against Kentucky, scoring from inside and out. If Jacob Toppin and the rest of the Wildcat frontcourt can step up and limit Williams, Kentucky will have a great chance for the win.

Limit Offensive Rebounding

Looking at LSU’s rebounding statistics on the season, nothing jumps off the page. However, against Arkansas, the Tigers completely dominated the boards with a 62-30 advantage, including 23 on the offensive glass – scoring 22 points off of.

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The Tigers do shoot above average from the field, but have also won games solely off of extra possessions (i.e. Arkansas). Kentucky must bring the physicality to win the battle of the boards, and keep LSU to ‘one-and-done’.

Still “Coming Together”?

One of the themes for the Wildcats after the Louisville game was “coming together.” This was echoed by John Calipari and the players in their postgame interviews.

It is easier for a team to come together against one of the worst teams in the country. However, the LSU game provides the chance for Kentucky to fight and come together against a quality SEC opponent.

Kentucky Basketball vs. LSU Tigers

Time/Date: 8:00 pm ET on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023.
Location: Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY
TV Channel: ESPN
Announcers: TBA
Online Stream: WatchESPNESPN+, SEC Network+ or ESPN app
Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the UK radio network call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
Replay: SEC Network (check local listings).
Rosters: UK | LSU
Team SheetsUK | LSU
Stats To Know: UK | LSU

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Odds: The betting odds have yet to be released for this game. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Wildcats an 86.8% chance of winning, while Bart Torvik gives Kentucky a slightly lower advantage at 81%, and KenPom has it at 83%.

PredictionsBart Torvik picks the Wildcats in a 71-63 victory. KenPom projects a 74-63 victory, Kentucky!

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Men's Basketball

CBS Sports: Kentucky Has “ended pursuits” in Transfer Portal Following Aberdeen Commitment

In the wake of yet another addition to Kentucky’s incoming roster, CBS Sports reports that Coach Pope and staff may have closed the portal.

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Mark Pope and staff may have everything they need from the transfer portal.
Chet White | UK Athletics

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.

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Men's Basketball

REPORT: Travis Perry Enters Transfer Portal

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Kentucky basketball Travis Perry talks about growing more comfortable on the court.
Jordan Prather | IMAGN

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.

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Men's Basketball

Top Transfer Guard Denzel Aberdeen Commits to Kentucky

Former Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky, likely closing the transfer portal for next year’s roster.

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Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky.
UF Athletics

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.

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