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Kentucky vs. Michigan in London; TV Info and Things to Know

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UK Athletics

The Kentucky Wildcats did not have the most ideal November, exiting the first month of the season with a 5-2 record, with both losses coming against their only two ranked teams. Leaving fans with some disappointment.

This was not helped by a poor offensive showing against Bellarmine on Tuesday. However, the Wildcats have an opportunity to redeem themselves as they play a preseason Top 25 team in the Michigan Wolverines in London this Sunday.

Also sitting at 5-2, Michigan has losses to Arizona State and most recently No. 3 Virginia, showing their inconsistency. Thus far, the Wolverines look like a team that plays to their opponent, as they have just a 6-point average margin of victory, so don’t be surprised by a close game.

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This is a big test for both sides. Let’s take a closer look at the matchup.

Look to solve rotation issues

Rotation issues have been there from the beginning of this season, but the Wildcats are seven games in and it doesn’t appear to have gotten any better.

In the first half of the Bellarmine game, there were times there were three non-shooters in at the same time, which allowed the Knights to pack the paint against Tshiebwe and forced bad shots and turnovers. With this being Kentucky’s point of emphasis on offense in the first half, they scored just 21 points.

In the second half, most lineups included two shooters which opened up the floor as they made five threes on 45 percent shooting, and shot 56 percent from the field in general. The heralded Wallace-Fredrick-Reeves-Toppin-Tshiebwe lineup even got some run with good results.

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With that said, Kentucky has depth to work with. While some players need to step up, the coaching staff has the responsibility of finding lineups that allow players to play toward their strengths and benefit the team. That doesn’t include “two-big” or “non-shooting” lineups.

Will length bother Oscar Tshiebwe?

Last season, Oscar Tshiebwe was undoubtedly the most dominant player in college basketball. Hence why he was the unanimous National Player of the Year. Yet, he did struggle at times, especially against length.

Three of Tshiebwe’s lesser performances last year came against Alabama, Auburn, and Western Kentucky. What did these teams have in common? They all had bigs that were at least 7 feet tall and could block shots.

Despite his 6-foot-9, 260-pound frame, Tshiebwe is taken out of his game a bit when playing against that kind of length. In the three aforementioned games, Tshiebwes’s averages went from 17.4 points and 60.6 percent shooting from the field to just 13.3 points and 45.9 percent, as he was forced to extend his game to the mid-range and forced inside shots at times.

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Michigan has their own 7-foot-big (7-foot-1 to be exact) that will match up against Tshiebwe, Hunter Dickinson. The Wolverine big is one of the best shot blockers in the country, averaging 2.3 per contest, and allows his matchup to shoot just over 40 percent from the field this season.

Tshiebwe has yet to play against this type of player this season, and it will be interesting to see how he handles it on Sunday.

Which version of Michigan will Kentucky play?

Ranked as the No. 22 team in the preseason, Michigan has the talent of a Top 25 team, but they have been inconsistent this season.

Just this past Tuesday, the Wolverines pushed No. 3 Virginia to the end, only losing 70-68. However, they have struggled against lesser opponents like Eastern Michigan and Ohio, and lost in an 87-62 blowout to Arizona State.

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The biggest variances in their performances are their poor defense and inconsistent scoring.

On the defensive end, the Wolverines have taken a step back from where they have been. Ranked as the fourth most efficient defense in 2021 by KenPom, Michigan is ranked just 87th this season. While Dickinson can block shots, opponents haven’t struggled to get to the rim or get shots off in general, with Michigan ranked toward the bottom of the country in field goal attempts allowed.

On the offensive side of the ball, Michigan has just two players that average double-figures, Hunter Dickinson and Jett Howard. Outside of these two players, the Wolverines’ production has been inconsistent, but when they are provided ample help they can compete with anyone in the country, as seen in the Virginia game.

Kentucky Basketball vs. Michigan Wolverines

Time/Date: 1 pm ET on Sunday, December 4th
Location: The O2 Arena in London, England
TV Channel: ABC
Live Online Stream: WatchESPNESPN+, SEC Network+ or ESPN app
Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the UK radio network call on the UK Sports Network.
Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
Rosters: UK | UM
Team SheetsUK | UM
Stats To Know: UK | UM

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Odds: The official point spread has yet to be released, but the computer models are confident in the Wildcats. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Kentucky a 86% chance of winning, and Bart Torvik has it at 75%.

PredictionsBart Torvik picked the Cats to win 75-68.

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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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