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

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Kentucky Wildcats Reed Sheppard dribbles out the clock against the Georgia Bulldogs in Rupp Arena.
© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off one of the most memorable regular season games in recent history, the impressive debut of Zvonimir Ivisic, the Kentucky Wildcats will turn look toward a road game against the South Carolina Gamecocks, another team that has outperformed expectations.

Finishing 4-14 in SEC play last season, the Gamecocks were selected to finish last in the SEC in the preseason.

But fast-forward to today, and they are 15-3 overall with a 3-2 SEC mark. Outside of a blowout loss to Alabama, their other two losses have come each by five points.

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Columbia is also a place where Kentucky has struggled under John Calipari. With just a 5-4 record, the Wildcats are just one win over .500 in Columbia and have lost two of the last three on the road.

Kentucky fell at home to these Gamecocks a year ago thanks to 26 points from star guard Meechie Johnson, so it’s safe to say defending him will be a big key to winning this game for the road Cats.

While the Gamecocks have one more win than Kentucky, their NET is just 61st right now. While good enough to make this a Quad I game for the Wildcats, it would, at best, put the Gamecocks on the NCAA Tournament bubble, so they really need a win like this to put themselves on the right side of the bubble.

The Wildcats may have the better roster, but this is shaping up to be the third straight war of a game they play on the road in SEC play, so don’t expect this one to be easy by any stretch.

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Here’s what to watch for when Kentucky faces South Carolina for a Tuesday night primetime affair.

Tempo Tempo Tempo

When the Cats debuted their new and improved offense, it was clear this offense was most effective when playing fast. As the season has progressed, John Calipari’s bunch have continued to play faster and faster.

As it stands, Kentucky is top 10 in possessions per game at nearly 78 per game. That is the fastest among all Power Six teams.

Their next opponent, South Carolina, plays among the slowest paces in Power Six basketball at 68 possessions per game. It’s helped them prevent every opponent thus far from reaching 80 points.

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Tuesday night will be a major clash of pace.

Fortunately, Kentucky has found success in speeding up their opponents nearly all season. For reference, the most points the Gamecocks have allowed this season is 77. Kentucky has scored more than that in all but one game this season.

Stay in Front of the Ball

The biggest complaint of this Kentucky team has been their defense, specifically staying in front of the ball. While they are improving, it’s still not where it needs to be. South Carolina has multiple guards that can take advantage of that, highlighted by Meechie Johnson and Ta’Lon Cooper.

Johnson is an aggressive guard who will look for his shot, averaging nearly 17 points per game. Cooper is one of the best facilitators in the SEC, averaging more than four assists per game. Both will force you to respect them inside and out, but Kentucky needs to put a heavy emphasis on limiting the drives.

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Big Z Part II?

When it was announced that Zvonimir ‘Big Z’ Ivisic had been cleared by the NCAA, there was little doubt that Calipari would put him in the game. However, no one expected that debut, not even himself.

“I was as surprised as all of you,” Ivisic told the media after putting up 13 points five rebounds, three blocks, two assists, two steals, a flagrant foul, two turnovers, and a technical foul in just 16 minutes, as he made sure to log just about every possible statistic imaginable. Kentucky also went on an 11-0 run in the first half with Ivisic on the court.

As well as he played, it was clear that Ivisic was playing out of position at times due to nerves and still needed to get some game conditioning. However, his footwork, defensive instincts, and fluidity were all apparent. His versatility will certainly earn him some playing time, but how much will that be with a loaded roster remains to be seen.

With Ivisic now in the lineup, Kentucky is just one player away from a complete roster, Adou Thiero, who has been dealing with back spasms and growing pains since late December, but it sounds like he could return very soon, which would be a major boost to Kentucky’s defense and rebounding.

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Opposing Players to Watch

G Meechie Johnson, 6-2, 184 lbs

  • 16.7 PPG (7th in SEC)
  • 2.4 APG
  • 37% 3P

F B.J. Mack, 6-8, 270 lbs

  • 13.8 PPG
  • 5.3 RPG

G Ta’Lon Cooper, 6-4, 200 lbs

  • 9.3 PPG
  • 4.5 RPG
  • 4.3 APG (3rd in SEC)
  • 41.7% 3P (11th in SEC)

Kentucky Basketball vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

  • Time: 7 PM ET on January 23rd
  • Location: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia (SC)
  • TV Channel: The SEC Network will have TV coverage of this game.
  • Online Stream: WatchESPN and the ESPN app.
  • Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the UK radio call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
  • Replay: WatchESPN and the SEC Network (check local listings).
  • Rosters: UK | SC
  • Stats to Know: UK | SC
  • KenPom: UK | SC
  • Team Sheets: UK | SC
  • Odds: ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Kentucky a 63.5% chance of achieving victory in Columbia. EvanMiya gives them a 63.8 chance at the win. Bart Torvik has it at 56%, while KenPom has it at 61%.
  • Predictions: Bart Torvik picks Kentucky to win in a one-score game, 79-77. Haslametrics and EvanMiya have the Cats winning 81-76 and 79-75, respectively. KenPom is going with an 80-77 victory, Kentucky!

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

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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