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Does Kentucky Struggle to Contend With Physicality, or Are They Simply Not Allowed To?

While the Wildcats stomached their third loss of the season, many spectators have called into question an uncontrollable aspect of the gam

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Kentucky's Brandon Garrison and Andrew Carr go up for a rebound against Florida.
Chet White | UK Athletics

In each of their three losses this year thus far, Kentucky has faced one looming criticism following the final buzzer: the inability to contend physically with their opponents.

Rebounding is a “Major Issue”

To a certain extent, this is a fair point. In wins and losses, the Wildcats have struggled to rebound the ball all season, despite holding a slight statistical advantage in that category overall. Take the recent win against Brown as a prime example, a game in which Kentucky was out-rebounded 35-29. Regardless of the 88-54 win, many folks have still stressed the glass as one of the team’s most urgent issues. Following the 82-69 loss to Georgia, wherein the Cats lost the board-battle 41-34, Coach Mark Pope and forward Andrew Carr concurred.

“It’s back-to-back games where we gave up 15 offensive rebounds… It’s unacceptable for us,” he said. “… that’s a major, major issue for us is the glass,” said Pope.

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Carr emphasized the same, saying, “We got to get more nasty, more angry when we’re playing… get better on the defensive glass.”

So it’s safe to say that those words don’t fall on deaf ears, and in no world can, or should, Kentucky escape this argument entirely. But in the same breath, it can be fairly stated that much of the physical effort the team has shown has been immediately met with a negative whistle on either end. Many will scoff at such a suggestion, but on paper, the discrepancies are painfully apparent.

The Call-Based Catalyst

At one point during the second half of the aforementioned loss to the Bulldogs, the chasm between Kentucky’s attempts at the strike and Georgia’s was an astonishing 22; 31 to 9. Even considering a last-minute string of free throws for the visiting Wildcats, the final tally of attempts was 38 to 19 in the Bulldogs’ favor. Georgia made 29 (76%,) and Kentucky 15 (79%.)

The home team’s 38 chances at the line fell only two points shy of half their average points scored per game as a team this season, at 80.

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On the night as a whole, Kentucky actually scored one more field goal than Georgia and made only one less three. Both teams shot below 30% from the arc and hovered around the 40% mark from the field in total. Georgia won by 13. It doesn’t take rocket science to spot the difference.

A Sour Standard

Simply put, in their matchup, Georgia wasn’t held to the same standard as Kentucky as far as the ability to play physical basketball goes. In their last two games combined, one at home and on the road respectively, and both in the SEC, Kentucky trails their opponents’ attempted free throws 43-73.

Foul numbers and free throws won’t be exactly the same for both teams, sure, but a difference as severe as that one calls for a closer look.

It’s an odd, contradictory sort of scenario, where the SEC is hailed as the toughest conference in college basketball, yet attempting to play tough lands, certain teams, most often the visiting team (or the blue team, if you will,) in a free throw hole.

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And it isn’t just Kentucky fans who’ve taken issue with the trend.

Dan Wolken, a columnist for USA Today Sports, posted on X (Twitter) multiple times during the Kentucky-Georgia game. His first read, “If what I’m seeing tonight is an accurate representation of SEC basketball officiating, road wins should count double. Home teams getting away with some stuff.” The post was sung to the chorus of nearly 2,000 likes.

“An officiating disaster class,” he said in another. “Disgraceful stuff.”

Keep The Faith

But while the problem may be relatively easy to diagnose, a potential solution seems virtually impossible to dissect. Like every other aspect of the game, officiating is a fallible piece in the larger basketball puzzle. How, or why, it often works the way it does is unclear; all that can be said at this point is that, lately, Kentucky has consistently been given the short end of that stick.

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One way or another they’ll have to find a way to win in spite of these disheartening stats, and if the Big Blue Nation take comfort in anything, it should be in Mark Pope and this team working tirelessly to do so.

The Cats will have a chance to bounce back in their second consecutive road game against the Bulldogs, this time taking on 24th-ranked Mississippi State. You can catch the battle on SEC Network this coming Saturday, Jan. 11th, at 8:30 p.m.

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Men's Basketball

The 2025-26 Cats Consensus: It’s Time for Banner Number Nine

Every new and returning Wildcat shares the same dream: bringing a championship trophy to Lexington once more.

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Mark Pope in a crowd of fans at Big Blue Madness
Tyler Ruth | UK Athletics

“We are here to win banners.”

While just about everything Mark Pope said at his introductory press conference went viral in one way or another, that aforementioned declaration stood out amongst his crowd of quotes like no other to a fanbase more than a decade removed from a national championship.

To the big blue nation, Coach Pope’s words last spring were a much needed battle cry. Now, as he’s set to enter his second year at the helm, Pope has made sure the team he assembled for the 2025-26 season shares the same hunger.

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It begins on a basic level, with players across the board throwing the number “9” around on social media in posts, replies, and commitments. Much like the Kentucky faithful, the newest roster to roll through Lexington isn’t afraid to make reference to the top task at hand.

For (likely) starting point guard Jaland Lowe, it’s an opportunity he “can’t miss.” “See y’all soon #BBN,” he said in a post on X, announcing his return to the collegiate level. Lowe chose a junior season at Kentucky over a chance to be chosen in the NBA Draft. Otega Oweh, the now-projected SEC player of the year, would follow suit shortly thereafter.

The Ultimate Goal

Andrija Jelavic, a primary member of the incoming unit, as well as the team’s lone international player, dubbed the title chase as “the ultimate goal” in his interview with KY Insider. “We all [the team] agree that the ultimate goal is the same and that is to bring a championship to Kentucky, to the state and the fans,” he said.

To Jelavic, it goes further than hunger. It’s a responsibility.

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And that responsibility is what sets Kentucky apart from other programs. As awkward as the conversation around John Calipari can get, when push comes to shove, much of the dissatisfaction growing within the fanbase as his tenure came to a close was rooted in the coach’s apparent disinterest in winning another championship.

Year after year went by; top-ranked roster after top ranked roster. After a while, it seemed that Kentucky was more often mentioned in the first round of the NBA Draft than it was in the NCAA Tournament. The problem persisted, the tension festered and, ultimately, the two sides split… and it all goes back to that elusive ninth title.

Name on the Front of the Jersey

Mark Pope has said before that he wants to bring in guys who are playing for the name on the front of their jersey. It just so happens that there are enough of those like-minded athletes across the nation to build one of the consensus best teams in college basketball, all of whom are in full pursuit of a new blue banner in the rafters of Rupp.

With a mindset like that shared across the board and talent like the 2025-26 team has at hand, it’s only a matter of time before that dream becomes a reality once more. For the first time in more than a decade, the entire Big Blue Nation is on the same page – and that includes the guys who can actually make it happen.

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Men's Basketball

Koby Brea Talks With Andrija Jelavic About His Legendary Chapter Awaiting At Kentucky

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ABA League (Left) | Imagn (Right)


Andrija Jelavic, in a recent Q&A with Kentucky Insider, revealed that he exchanged messages with former Wildcat Koby Brea, who will be handing down his No. 4 jersey to Jelavic.

The big man was asked if he had spoken with any former Wildcats after comparing his play style to Karl-Anthony Towns, and what he knew about Kentucky growing up.

“I exchanged some messages with Koby Brea because I’m gonna be wearing his number four,” Jelavic said. “About Kentucky, I always knew that they are the biggest franchise in college basketball history, and just everything about them is legendary.”

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Jelavic added on what exactly Brea said in those messages.

“He just told me to go be great and that he can’t wait to see me play,” Jelavic said. “Also, that he likes my number decision.”

Alone, the fact that Brea reached out speaks volume to the culture that is established at Kentucky. The lethal sharpshooter from Mark Pope’s first team at Kentucky played only one season in the blue and white, yet, seems interested in the future of the program despite chasing his own big league dreams.

To end our exclusive interview, Jelavic talked about the goals he has now as a Wildcat and how he wants to be a legendary piece to this year’s roster.

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“Definitely to bring many wins and hopefully a championship to Kentucky, Jelavic said. “To be a player that Kentucky will always remember.”

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Men's Basketball

The Bluegrass Call: Otega Oweh Returns To Kentucky For The 2025-26 Season

The wait is over. Otega Oweh is returning to Kentucky.

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Otega Oweh and Mark Pope
Chet White | UK Athletics

Big Blue Nation has been waiting weeks for Otega Oweh’s decision, and the moment is finally here.

After participating in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine and testing his luck against the best young talent in the world, Oweh has officially decided to withdraw his name from the draft and return to Kentucky for his senior season.

Jonathan Givony was the first to report Oweh’s decision on May 28, sending Wildcat fans into a flurry of emotion that their leading scorer from last year’s team is officially back.

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Before last season began, fans knew that Oweh was a highly regarded prospect with loads of potential, but until he proved it night in and night out, it remained uncertain who the star was going to be on the 2024-25 roster.

Many expected it to be Jaxson Robinson, who played under Mark Pope at BYU and held four years of experience under his belt at the collegiate level. Next in line was Lamont Butler, who also opted into his fifth-year option and brought Pope’s squad a level of confidence and dependability with the ball, having played deep into the season with San Diego State multiple times.

However, when the Wildcats were riddled with injuries, Oweh emerged as “the guy” in the blue and white. There’s countless moments you can reflect on from his junior session: locking up the nations’ best with Cooper Flagg, dropping 20 or more points on a nightly basis, embarrassing his former team, the Oklahoma Sooners, not only once but twice with his clutch performances, and ultimately walking off of the court as a leader, a mentor and a legend in every associated Kentucky fan’s eyes.

Oweh gave the season hope, taking on a role that was unexpected.

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When the final buzzer of the season sounded, many of the Kentucky faithful wondered what was next for double-zero, and if he wanted to “run it back” with Pope and company.

On April 15, Oweh declared for the NBA Draft, calling Kentucky fans the “best fans in the world.” At the time, the decision seemed quite scary for those keeping tabs on Pope’s second-year roster, but the last line in Oweh’s announcement remained crucial: “…while maintaining my NCAA eligibility.”

Looking back, maybe awaiting the decision was probably stressful for the best fans in college basketball, seeing the “former” Wildcat bully defenders in the combine and have his way offensively. Oweh waited until the day of the withdrawal deadline, and even had another workout the same day. Reports came out that he was receiving great feedback from the NBA programs, and that sentence sounds scary.

When he originally entered the draft process, he was presumed to be just be trying his luck, which did a complete 180 when he stated that he’s wasn’t doing anything “one foot in, one foot out” and that he wanted to achieve his dreams.

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Well, look at it now. The decision has been made and Oweh is going to put on the blue and white once again. He followed his heart, and soon his own form of the bluegrass call, “Oweh, Oweh, Oweh”, will be chanted throughout Rupp Arena after every captivating play and bring a fire to his soul.

The ninth championship in Kentucky basketball history is long overdue, but now, the odds are ever in their favor. Pope has his superstar back, and he’s prepared to lead his team its former glory.

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