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Men's Basketball

Kentucky vs. LSU: TV/Streaming Info, Keys to the Game, and Predictions

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Kentucky Wildcats guard Adou Thiero (3) celebrates his alley-op dunk as he checks out o.f the game as Auburn Tigers take on Kentucky Wildcats
© Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Kentucky Wildcats are coming off arguably their most impressive win of the season, dominating a 13th-ranked Auburn Tigers team in a sold-out, College Gameday environment. The biggest takeaway from the win was their defense, which they will try to carry to Baton Rouge as they take on the LSU Tigers on Wednesday.

Coached by former Murray State head coach, Matt McMahon, the LSU Tigers are better in his second season at the helm. With just a 13-12 record, sitting 10th in the SEC, the Tigers are more dangerous than their record suggests. In fact, they have three quad-one wins on the season, the same amount as Kentucky, including a win at South Carolina this past Saturday.

That said, this is a game that Kentucky should and needs to win if they want to make a run at the SEC Regular season title. LSU is a team that likes to play a style that the Cats are comfortable with and have been in a slump, losing seven of their last ten games.

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Let’s look at the matchup.

Defensive Consistency

The most impressive part of Kentucky’s win over Auburn was their defense. According to BartTorvik, it was their best defensive performance of the season, beating their previous best, which came against Ole Miss, the game prior.

Fortunately for the Cats, LSU’s offensive ranks 89th, compared to the top 30 offenses that Ole Miss and Auburn came in with. However, the Tigers are shooting 49 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three over their last five games.

McMahon’s offense features a lot of ball screens, so communication and understanding LSU’s personnel will be critical. Considering LSUV averages 13 turnovers per game, amongst the highest in the country, using some pressure could yield good results and help the Cats get some easy baskets in transition.

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Coming off back-to-back season-best defensive performances, can Kentucky sustain the defensive consistency?

Jordan Wright

The name may sound familiar from his days at Vanderbilt, as he often torched Kentucky. In fact, in his 10 career matchup against the Cats, he has averaged 11.6 points on an unreal 63 percent shooting from three. That includes scoring 18 or more in three of his last four games against them.

Now at LSU, Wright is one of the Tigers’ most important players, averaging career-highs in points and assists. However, he is also averaging a career-low in field goal percentage, below 39 percent. So high usage, low efficiency.

Take Advantage on the Perimeter

LSU’s defensive philosophy consists of daring their opponents to shoot and beat them from the outside, giving up more than a third of their points to opposing teams from the three-point line, while holding opponents to just 45.3 percent on two-pointers.

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This Kentucky team is one of the best shooting teams in program history, shooting a nation’s best 40.5 percent. However, attempts have been down of late, shooting less than 20 attempts in three straight games.

Kentucky’s offense will create some great perimeter looks and they have the shooter to capitalize. If it is an off-shooting night, crashing the boards could prove fruitful as LSU gives up nearly 10 offensive rebounds to their opponents per game, amongst the highest in the country.

Opposing Players to Watch

G Jordan Wright 6-6, 230 lbs

  • 15.0 PPG (14th in SEC)
  • 5.1 RPG
  • 2.6

Averages in 10 games vs Kentucky (Transferred from Vanderbilt)

  • 11.6 PPG
  • 52.5% FG
  • 63% 3P

G Jalen Cook 6-0, 194 lbs

  • 15.6 PPG (10th in SEC)
  • 3.8 RPG
  • 2.8 APG

F Tyrell Ward 6-6, 180 lbs

  • 8.3 PPG
  • 42.2% 3P (9th in SEC)

Kentucky Basketball vs. Louisana State Tigers

  • Time: 9 PM EST on Feb. 21st
  • Location: Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, LA
  • TV Channel: ESPN will have TV coverage.
  • Announcers: To be announced.
  • Online Stream: Stream the game online using WatchESPN and the ESPN app.
  • Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the radio call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
  • Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
  • Rosters: UK | LSU
  • Stats to Know: UK | LSU
  • KenPom: UK | LSU
  • Team Sheet: UK | LSU
  • Odds: The odds for the game have yet to be released, but check out SportsBetExpert for your picks. ESPN’s matchup predictor has Kentucky winning, but not as large as a chance as you would thing against a team that has dropped seven of their last 10, just an 59.8% chance of victory. Bart Torvik is right in line at 59%. EvanMiya and KenPom are slightly higher at 63.3% and 63%.
  • Predictions: All the projections pick Kentucky, but my small margins. Bart Torvik picks Kentucky to win 85-83. Haslametrics has them winning 84-81. EvanMiya has it at 84-80, and KenPom is at 83-80.

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky vs. Duke : TV/Streaming Info, Keys to the Game, and Betting Odds/Predictions

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Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats take on the Duke Blue Devils in the Champion's Classic in Atlanta in a Top 25 matchup.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

The Kentucky Wildcats have finished the first week of the regular season 2-0. However, on Tuesday they will have their first big test of the season, traveling to Atlanta to take on the Duke Blue Devils in the Champion’s Classic.

Duke comes in with a roster reminiscent of past Kentucky teams, full of elite freshmen. Meanwhile, Kentucky comes in with the oldest team in program history. It will be a true battle between youth and experience.

The Wildcats are just 1-6 in their last seven Champions Classic games and just 1-5 against Duke over their last six meetings. Can the Wildcats change course? Let’s take a look at the matchup.

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Rebounding Battle

Duke has the tallest team in the country, with an average height of 6’7.5”. That certainly helps them in their battle of the boards, where through two games they are averaging 45 rebounds and 14 offensive rebounds.

Meanwhile, Mark Pope has not been pleased with Kentucky’s effort on the boards to start the season. In their latest game against Bucknell, rebounding was a clear point of emphasis as the Cats grabbed 57 rebounds, including 22 offensive boards.

Kentucky doesn’t give up too much height, but they do give up some athleticism. With a lot of long rebounds from threes, all five Cats on the floor need to box out.

Turnover Battle

In addition to their height, Duke also has the length to be pests on defense. Combining for 18 steals on defense through two games, the Blue Devils are able to create offense.

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After turning the ball over fifteen times against Bucknell, eight of which between Amari Williams and Andrew Carr, they’re are going to have to be aware of the pressure inside and keep the ball moving.

Conditioning

Mark Pope has talked about improving his team’s conditioning, wanting them to be in a shape reminiscent of Rick Pitino’s 90s teams, which Pope was a part of. They will be able to see where they stand physically, and potentially use it to their advantage.

Currently, Kentucky ranks 26th in adjusted tempo, while Duke ranks 181st. However, both team’s average possession lasts less than 15 seconds. This means a fast-paced game should be expected.

Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg has cramped in each of the Blue Devil’s first two games. If Kentucky can be successful in pushing the pace, it will give them a better chance at the win.

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The Stage

This is Kentucky’s most experienced team in program history. However, on Tuesday, many of them will be playing on the biggest stage of their career.

We have seen Kentucky freshmen struggle in this event in the past. Now with a team of veterans, can they contribute when the lights shine the brightest?

Opposing Players to Watch

G/F Cooper Flagg 6-9, 205 lbs

  • 15.5 PPG
  • 9 RPG
  • 4 APG
  • 2.5 SPG

G/F Kon Knueppel 6-7, 217 lbs

  • 18.5 PPG
  • 3 RPG
  • 50% 3P

G Tyrese Proctor 6-6, 183 lbs

  • 12.0 PPG
  • 5 RPG
  • 1.5 APG
  • 50% 3P

Kentucky Basketball vs. Duke Blue Devils

  • Time: 9:00 PM ET on November 12th
    Location: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia
    TV Channel: ESPN
    Announcers: Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas, Jess Sims
    Online Stream: ESPN+, and the ESPN app.
    Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the radio call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
    Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
    Rosters: UK | DUKE
    Stats to Know: UK | DUKE
    KenPom: UK | DUKE
    Team Sheet: UK | DUKE

Be sure to send us your Kentucky-Duke score predictions down in the comments section!

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Men's Basketball

Recap and Takeaways from Kentucky’s 100-72 Win Over Bucknell

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The Kentucky Wildcats get a 100-72 win over Bucknell to improve to 2-0 on the season, with a matchup against No. 7 Duke coming up next.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

After coming off the first win of the Mark Pope era in a 103-63 win versus Wright State, the Cats were going to have another early test, this time in the Bucknell Bison of the Patriot League. Big man Noah Williamson came into the game as the Bison’s star player after a 19-point season opener versus Delaware and followed that up with an impressive 32-point game versus Southern Indiana in the Bison’s first two regular season games. 

First Half ups and downs

The Cats started with a 10-3 lead entering the first timeout, led by star guard Jaxson Robinson with 5 quick points to open the game. The ‘Cats would later extend their lead with the help of Dayton transfer Koby Brea who made three of his six three-point attempts in the first half. Mark Pope’s squad would also face a struggle in the middle of the half with sloppy play and uncharacteristic misses on the offensive side of the floor. The ‘Cats would get back on track late in the half and enter the halftime break up 47-31.

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Second Half firepower

The ‘Cats didn’t skip a beat as they started to roll in the second half with Kerr Krissa finding his teammates left and right for open shots. Kriisa would finish the game with 12 assists with just 2 turnovers. Brea stayed hot hitting 3 more 3 pointers. Brea finished with 20 points and 6 of 8 from behind the arc. Kentucky would steamroll the Bison with a final score of 100-72 in their second game under head coach Mark Pope as his team gets ready for a clash versus the Duke Blue Devil on Tuesday.

Keys to the game 

The three-point attempts and makes were both up against the Bison from their matchup against Wright State where they only made 11 of 24. Tonight in the win against Bucknell the ‘Cats took 36 threes connecting on 13. The impressive play from Amari Williams who held Bucknell’s star player Noah Williamson to just 7 points on 3 of 12 shooting was a big plus for Pope’s squad tonight. Lastly, Kerr Kriisa was all over the court creating havoc on both ends finishing with 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 12 assists in a game where Mark Pope acknowledged Kriisa by saying “I have to be careful. I think I knew exactly who I was getting. I’ve been recruiting Kerr for I think seven years or something. I’m telling you he’s a really special player. He’s a really special young man.” Pope made it known just how important Kerr Kriisa was for his team.

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When are the ‘Cats back in action?

Kentucky will take on the Duke Blue Devils Tuesday night at 9 PM at Champions Classic in Atlanta, GA inside State Farm Arena the game will air on ESPN.

Box Score

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Men's Basketball

Louisville Basketball Struggling to Sell Tickets for #12 Tennessee, Giving Away FREE Tickets

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IMAGN

Kentucky never has to worry about a big game being sell out, nor most regular season games. However, that is not the case for the school an hour down the road.

With a new and energetic head coach bringing an exciting style of play, one would think that Louisville Cardinal fans would be ready to support their program and attend a Top 25 game in their NBA style arena. Yet, you would be wrong.

With a matchup with 12th ranked Tennessee on Saturday, the Cardinals have thousands of tickets available for KFC Yum Center. Earlier this week head coach Pat Kelsey went around Louisville’s campus to encourage students to purchase tickets and attend the game.

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UPS and Louisville boosters have purchased tickets in bulk this week to give away. Now just 24 hours away from tip and in order to have a respectable atmosphere, they have resorted to giving away FREE tickets, as long as you are a Planet Fitness member which costs $10/month.

Sound the “LUNK” alarm for Louisville’s ticket sales.

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