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Men's Basketball

Kentucky vs. Ole Miss: TV/Streaming Info and Keys to the Game

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© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

The Kentucky Wildcats started January in poor fashion. After narrowly defeating LSU at home, they suffered back-to-back embarrassing losses to Alabama and South Carolina. However, the team regrouped and started a four-game winning streak before losing to Kansas this past Saturday.

Given Kentucky’s impressive and quick turnaround, there is still one game remaining in the month as they will travel to Oxford, Mississippi to take on the Ole Miss Rebels on Tuesday.

The Rebels are currently below .500 with a 9-12 record overall and tied for the last in the SEC at 1-7. Their lone win came against South Carolina but battled Tennessee to the wire to open conference play, losing 63-59.

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With Kentucky coming to town Ole Miss will put up their best effort and that starts with a good crowd as they will have a ‘powder blue out’. With that said, Kentucky is still on the NCAA Tournament bubble and cannot afford to drop a game against a lesser opponent.

Let’s take a closer look at what to watch for.

Offensive Rebounding

Kentucky has been one of the best rebounding teams in the country, specifically on the offensive boards and a large part of that is Oscar Tshiebwe. This has been key in Kentucky’s turnaround, as they averaged over 38 rebounds per game, outrebounding their opponent by 13.

Against Kansas, the undersized Jayhawks put two bodies on Tshiebwe and challenged the other four Wildcats to rebound and they failed to do that. Also undersized, Ole Miss will likely try to do the same.

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While the Wildcats must grab offensive rebounds of their own, they must also limit the Rebels on the offensive boards. The Rebels don’t have a true big, but they do a good job at rebounding as a team, ranked 69th in the country (36.9 rpg). This means that each Wildcat will need to get back to boxing out and fighting for every rebound.

In Need of a CJ Fredrick Game

One asset of Kentucky’s new ‘Basketball Benny’ lineup that makes it effective is that CJ Fredrick and Antonio Reeves are on the floor together. When these two share the floor, it creates space for both of them to be more effective.

Reeves is taking full advantage of the open looks and is playing his best basketball of the season. However, Fredrick, while getting open looks, is struggling. In Kentucky’s last five games – the four-game winning streak + Kansas – Fredrick is shooting just 23.5 percent from three.

A career 47 percent three-point shooter prior to the season, Fredrick is in desperate need of a confidence-building game. At some point, you have to think the open looks will begin to fall, and Oxford would be as good a place as any. If the Wildcats want to make a deep run, Fredrick has to begin hitting his shots with more consistency.

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Matthew Murrell

Ole Miss is not an efficient shooting team (42.8%), nor do they have a lot of scoring options. Junior guard, Matthew Murrell, is the only Rebel averaging double-digit points (14.9 ppg) and he has a history of playing well against Kentucky. Last season, Murrell went off for 25 points in a losing effort at Rupp Arena.

Murrell looks to get most of his points from three, but is shooting a career-low 29 percent on nearly seven attempts per game. Yet, he is athletic and strong enough to take it off the dribble. Cason Wallace, one of the best perimeter defenders in the SEC, will be tasked to guard Murrell.

It is important to note that Murrell did suffer a knee injury and has not played in the last two games, but he is listed day-to-day.

Kentucky Basketball (14-7) vs. Ole Miss Rebels (9-12)

Time/Date: 9:00 pm ET on Tuesday, January 31st, 2023
Location: The Sandy and John Black Pavilion in Oxford, MS
TV Channel: ESPN
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: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
Rosters: UK | MISS
Team SheetsUK | MISS
Stats To Know: UK | MISS

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Odds: The DraftKings Sportsbook now has yet to release the odds. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Kentucky a good chance to win at 68.3 percent, but Bart Torvik has it close to a toss-up, giving the Cats a 53 percent chance.

PredictionsBart Torvik picks the Wildcats to lose in a nail-biter, 68-67.

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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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