Connect with us

Men's Basketball

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

Published

10 months ago

on

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.

Related Topics:
Advertisement

Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Players Say They Think About Winning National Championship “Every Second”

Published

3 days ago

on

November 18, 2024

By

Kentucky basketball players celebrate after their big over Duke.
IMAGN

The expectations at Kentucky are the highest of any school in the country, and there is good reason why. The winningest college program ever. Eight national titles, under five different coaches. Seventeen Final Four appearances. You get it, a lot of success.

Fans want the players to have those same expectations. Despite not having the elite talent or preseason hype of great Kentucky teams past, this year’s team still has their eyes set on doing something “people will remember forever”, winning a national championship.

Asked on social media, if hanging banner #9 was all the players thought about “every second”, Ansley Almonor had a response.

Advertisement

“We do.”

It takes a lot to win a national championship, including some luck, but this team is certainly going to be loved for their desire to live out their dream of playing at Kentucky and their unselfishness. Those two things can take them a long way this season .

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart Seemingly Takes Shot at John Calipari, “Anybody Can Recruit”

Published

5 days ago

on

November 16, 2024

By

Mitch Barnhart sitting next to basketball coach John Calipari.
IMAGN

John Calipari and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart had their differences over fifteen years, but success can hide a lot of things. Not that they hated each other, but they each had vastly different personalities. As that success weaned towards the end of Calipari’s tenure, those issues started to be noticed publically.

If you need evidence of that, despite their efforts to dispute it, there is the infamous press conference where Barnhart talked about “entitled” coaches, shortly after Calipari publicly called for a new practice facility. Then, there were multiple times when Calipari expressed that the administration was not on the same page and that he was facing “headwinds”.

That said, Calipari is now at Arkansas, but those differences and some disdain remain. During an interview on the Kentucky Football pregame show, Barnhart seemingly took a shot at Calipari when asked about Mark Pope’s recruiting philosophy and prioritizing fit.

Advertisement

“I tell people all the time, ‘Anybody can recruit, not everybody can evaluate,’” Barnhart said. “You can recruit. You can be phenomenal at bringing people to your program. But if it does not fit you, it’s really not helpful.”

Of course, Calipari is one of the best, if not the best, recruiters in college basketball history. At times, he prioritized talent and athleticism over fit.

Quite the coincidence.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

ESPN’s Jay Williams Gives Message to Kentucky Fans, “You’re Not Going to Like It…”

Published

6 days ago

on

November 15, 2024

By

ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams gives a message to Kentucky fans after the Wildcats win over Duke. "You won't like it."
ESPN

Back in April, opposing fanbases like Duke, told Kentucky fans to “cope with Pope” following the hire of Mark Pope and the corresponding initial shock. On Tuesday, those same fanbases had to watch as Mark Pope outcoached Jon Scheyer and Duke in the final minutes of the Champion’s Classic to get his first marque win in just his third game at Kentucky.

Of course, shortly after the game, Duke fans began to rationalize the loss by highlighting their team’s youth. While true, it sounded like an echo chamber of what Kentucky fans said for years under John Calipari. One notable example was former Blue Devil Jay Williams.

At halftime, while Duke was leading 46-37, Williams called this year’s Duke team the most talented since the 2001 team that he was a part of at halftime. To his credit, he complimented Kentucky on the comeback victory, specifically on their offense and maturity, but then 36 hours later he posted a message to Kentucky fans on social media.

Advertisement

“Let me put you on to something,” Williams started. “Whether you like it or not, networks are going to sell Cooper Flagg. He’s going to be the number one pick in the draft. You’re going to talk about whether he won the or whether he lost the game, regardless of the outcome.”

“You’re not going to like it. There should be more kudos to Mark Pope and Kentucky,” Williams continued. “Regardless of whether you won the game or not, they’re still going to sell Cooper Flagg because he is selling the sport. Sorry.”

William’s statement is true. That said, it comes off as ‘sour grapes’ about losing. Cooper Flagg is a great talent and will likely be the first pick in the NBA Draft, but most Kentucky fans would say they would much rather have the win than the marketing.

Futhermore, Kentucky and its ‘brand’ has raised the level of multiple players and coaches, and will continue to do so. A deeper impact than Cooper Flagg will have on Duke in just one season.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending