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Men's Basketball

Kentucky vs Ole Miss: Postgame Recap

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© Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

The Kentucky Wildcats looked to bounce back after a loss against Kansas as they traveled to Oxford, Mississippi to take on Ole Miss in another late-night Tuesday matchup. With ten games remaining on the schedule and still on the bubble, the Wildcats couldn’t afford to drop this game.

That task was made harder when prior to the game, it was announced that Cason Wallace was ruled out due to a knee contusion suffered during shootaround. However, Ole Miss was not without their own absences, as their two leading scorers would not be playing.

Plagued by slow starts for much of the season, Kentucky fell victim once again. Nor were they benefitted from a scorching hot start by the Rebels, led by Amaree Abram. By the first media timeout, Ole Miss had captured a 13-8 lead, only missing two of their first seven shots.

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Kentucky responded to take a 25-19 lead and had a chance to pull away. However, shortly after, Sahvir Wheeler went down with an ankle injury and the Wildcats limped into halftime in a tie game, 32-32.

Wheeler was the first player to return to the floor for the second half in a taller pair of shoes, but still not 100 percent. Yet, he battled through and had six of his nine assists in the second half, and was able to lead a much better offensive performance in the second half. With that said, the offense was pretty easy, get Antonio Reeves the ball as he finished with 27 points and helped Kentucky win 75-66.

While not the biggest margin of victory, a win is a win, especially on the road in the SEC. Let’s take a closer look.

Antonio Reeves

Scoring a season-high 27 points and tying a season-high in three-pointers (6), no player was as important in Kentucky’s win as Antonio Reeves. When Kentucky was reeling and was in need of a basket, Reeves seemed to always answer the call.

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After the game, Reeves talked about his performance and compared it to his role at Illinois State. “Coming off ball screens. Getting to pull-up game, floater game. It felt like Illinois State days. I just felt comfortable out there.”

Reeves’ performance was his best of the season, but it comes as no surprise given his recent play. Over the last eight games, Reeves is averaging 17.3 points on 42.9 percent shooting from three, and looks reminiscent of the guy that averaged 20.1 ppg last season at Illinois State.

Playing his best basketball of the season, Reeves looks to have fully adapted to the Power Five level of play and will play an important role if Kentucky wants to make a run.

Ball Screen Defense

Kentucky’s biggest weakness this season has undoubtedly been their pick-and-roll defense, which many opposing head coaches have made a point to attack. On Tuesday night, Kermit Davis and Ole Miss became the latest team to expose this.

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Countless times, the Rebels were able to get in the middle of the lane and either drive straight to the rim or pass it for an easy layup. At one point, Calipari even replaced Oscar Tshiebwe with Damion Collins, hoping length would help, which it did.

Fortunately, this improved as the game went on and they limited Ole Miss to their normal offensive output. However, Kentucky’s schedule only gets tougher and this area No. 1 they have to improve in.

Injuries

Outside of the win, the biggest story for Kentucky is the injuries of Cason Wallace And Sahvir Wheeler. Kentucky’s two point guards are not 100 percent and that is concerning as the team enters February, especially given how much injuries affected the team last season.

With that said, both injuries seem to be relatively minor, and they may not miss any more time.

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Wallace, who suffered a contusion against Kansas, sit out as a precaution Calipari confirmed after the game. As for Wheeler, his ankle was “busted up” but only missed the last three minutes of the first half before coming in and playing all 20 minutes in the second half. After the game, Wheeler said he “sprained it a little” but will begin treatment when they arrive back in Lexington.

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Men's Basketball

Amari Williams Picked 46th by the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA Draft

Amari Williams is the second Kentucky player selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, as Boston takes the big man with their second round pick.

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Amari Williams is drafted by the Boston Celtics.
Wesley Hale | Imagn Images

Fan-favorite big man (and official Weetabix sponsor) Amari Williams has officially made it to the big leagues, taken by the Boston Celtics with the 46th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, via a trade with the Orlando Magic.

The selection makes Williams the second Wildcat to be scooped up from this year’s pool, following Koby Brea being picked by the Phoenix Suns just five picks earlier at the 41st spot. From Mark Pope’s first Kentucky team, two transfer athletes (thus far) in their last year of eligibility have achieved next-level dreams by way of the blue and white.

Williams, who averaged 11 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game during his lone season in Lexington, will look to aid Boston in filling their recently vacant five-spot, left by the recently traded Kristaps Porzingis.

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As Wildcat fans surely know, not only can Williams battle with the best of them in the paint, but he can run the floor as efficiently as just about any guard, too. His versatility and sizable frame ensure a high ceiling in the NBA and, despite not every draft board seeing him selected, the league champions two years removed made the call when it mattered.

Hailing overseas from Nottingham, England, and spending his first four years of college basketball at the University of Drexel, Williams’ success is a testament not only to Kentucky Basketball’s immaculate tradition, but to his own incredible work ethic and intangible ability.

Cats fans will be sure to follow and support their point-center to the next level, as they always do. Go be great, Amari – all of BBN has your back.

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Men's Basketball

Koby Brea Selected to the Phoenix Suns With the No. 41 Overall Pick in the 2025 NBA Draft

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Tristan Pharis | KY Insider

Koby Brea arrived at Kentucky last season as one of the nation’s deadliest shooters, lived up to the billing, and reaped his rewards on Thursday night at the NBA Draft. The former Kentucky star is heading to the Phoenix Suns with the No. 41 overall pick

As a 6-foot-7 wing, Brea entered the 2025 NBA Draft as one of the most experienced prospects after spending four years at Dayton and a fifth at Kentucky during Mark Pope’s successful first season as head coach, where he became one of the best three-point shooters in all of college basketball.

Last season at Kentucky, the Bronx native averaged 11.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43.5% from beyond the arc on nearly six attempts per game in 36 games, 16 of which were starts, showcasing his scoring ability in transition, off the catch, and via handoffs and screens.

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Not only did Brea achieve his own dreams of playing at the next level, but becomes a piece of history for Pope, becoming the first player drafted out of Kentucky during the Pope era.

Brea joins a rebuilding franchise with a notorious background for drafting Kentucky guards. Eric Bledsoe rings the bell, Tyler Ulis of course, and the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, Devin Booker obviously leads the pack.

Go be great Fuego!

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Men's Basketball

How a Call with Mark Pope Led Denzel Aberdeen to Kentucky

After winning a national title at Florida, Denzel Aberdeen committed to Kentucky without ever visiting campus—thanks to a revealing three-hour call with head coach Mark Pope.

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Chet White | UK Athletics

As a junior, Denzel Aberdeen was a key part of Florida’s national title run. But a certain phone conversation convinced him to leave his home state and head north to Lexington in hopes of experiencing that feeling once again.

He had never set foot in Lexington before deciding to become a Kentucky Wildcat — and he didn’t need to. All it took was one phone call — three hours long, on Easter Sunday — with head coach Mark Pope to convince him that he belonged in blue and white.

“Our phone call lasted about three hours, to be honest,” Aberdeen said, meeting with the media in Lexington for the first time earlier this week. “A lot of it was just getting to know me and getting to know the school, the university, getting to know him (Pope), how their style was, a lot of film. Once I saw that, I was like this looks like a great guy to play for.”

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The two went on to discuss Aberdeen’s role at Kentucky in more depth, including how Pope envisions him fitting into Kentucky’s new system — a system that, according to Aberdeen, is very similar, if not better than the one he just left.

“We had a lot of great players at Florida, especially the tall bigs. Bigs that love to run there, and we have just as much here; our bigs love to run, they play defense, and they play at a fast pace. So I think the things that we’ve got here are just as good, or even better,” Aberdeen said.

Averaging 7.7 points and nearly 20 minutes per game off the bench for the Gators last year, it’s clear to see what Aberdeen brings to the team: experience, versatility, calmness in the backcourt, and championship pedigree. Pope’s phone conversation with Aberdeen wasn’t just impactful on the court — it also speaks volumes to what he is doing off the court in pursuit of the goal he laid out in his introductory press conference: to hang banners.

This phone call wasn’t just about Denzel Aberdeen. It was a glimpse into Pope’s player-first, transparent coaching approach, which could define his era at Kentucky — and potentially make this season a special one, with Aberdeen playing another key role in a deep NCAA Tournament run.

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“I know the goal is to win No. 9,” he said. “I know the fans want that, we want that, all the staff and coaches want that. That pushes us. We know what we gotta do when we come here and put on that Kentucky jersey. Just playing for the University of Kentucky is a big thing. Being here is a blessing, and I can’t look back.”

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