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Kentucky vs Vanderbilt: Postgame Recap

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© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday night, Kentucky hosted Vanderbilt for their final home game of the season. It was Senior Night and six Kentucky seniors were honored in the pregame ceremony. Unfortunately, Kentucky wasn’t able to capitalize on the hype surrounding the evening as the Wildcats fall 68-66 to Vanderbilt.

Kentucky came into the game on a four game winning streak, including a blowout win over Auburn just four days prior.

The Wildcats were playing their best basketball of the season and getting hot at the right time. But Wednesday night’s loss served as a road block that few saw coming.

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Thankfully, Kentucky is no longer at risk for missing the NCAA tournament. However, following Wednesday’s loss, Kentucky’s seeding for the big dance is up in the air.

Additionally, Kentucky’s seeding for the SEC tournament is in limbo. If they would’ve been able to avoid the loss to Vandy, they would’ve locked themselves into the 3 seed and a double-bye for the conference tournament. The 3-seed is still a possibility, but multiple things need to occur for that to happen.

Let’s look at what unfolded to lead to Kentucky’s unfortunate Senior Night loss.

Offensive Woes

After the hot shooting that occurred on Saturday vs Auburn, the Cats couldn’t seem to find the bottom of the net on many occasions Wednesday night. Kentucky only shot 32.2% from the field going 19-59. They only saw three three-pointers go through on 19 attempts. Free throw shooting was average as they went 25-35 from the stripe.

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Of Kentucky’s 59 shot attempts, 30 of them came from the mid-range. In the postgame press conference, KY Insider asked coach Cal if that was the shot he was wanting his team to take.

“We took 19 threes. And we wanted the mid-range shots, yes” Cal responded. “Because that’s how they play and it’s one of the things we do so well. We missed a bunch of them today. Just missed a bunch. That’s a shot we make, as a matter of fact, we play to get those, too.”

Meanwhile, Vanderbilt shot 40.3% from the field, 33.3% from three, and 76.9% from the free throw line.

Vandy’s guards Jordan Wright and Tyrin Lawrence filled up the stat sheet, combining for 44 points. Collectively, they shot 17-26 from the field and 6-7 from three. Wright went 4-4 on three point attempts. Wright also hit the go-ahead fade-away in the final moments of the game.

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Oscar Tshiebwe was Kentucky’s bright spot in the disappointing loss. The ever-reliable forward went for 21 points and 20 rebounds for his 17th double-double of the year.

As bitter as the loss was, it was impressive that Kentucky only lost by two after such a poor night of shooting.

Injuries

Just four minutes into the game, Vanderbilt forward, Liam Robbins went down with a lower leg injury and had to be helped off the court. Robbins would not return to the game. In a post game interview, Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse said that Robbins would “probably” miss the rest of the season.

Robbins also missed the previous matchup vs Kentucky in Nashville on January 24th. This was during a stretch of four games in which he had to miss with an ankle injury. Robbins was averaging 15.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game prior to his injury Wednesday night.

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Just shy of two minutes into the second half, Kentucky starting point guard Cason Wallace went down, also with a lower leg injury. Wallace was able to limp off the floor without assistance and made his way to the locker room to be further examined. Unfortunately, Wallace would be ruled out for the remainder of the game.

In the post game press conference, Coach Cal gave an update on Wallace’s status.

“Cason got X-ray’d, he’s fine. Didn’t swell. I’m hoping he’s OK for Saturday, but we’ll see,” Cal said.

Sahvir Wheeler Misses Senior Night

Six Kentucky seniors were honored Wednesday night. One senior, however, was absent from the festivities. Point guard Sahvir Wheeler had to undergo a medical procedure that caused him to have to miss his senior night recognition. Other seniors recognized include Oscar Tshiebwe, Jacob Toppin, CJ Fredrick, Antonio Reeves, and Brennan Canada.

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John Calipari’s wife, Ellen, came out in a #2 jersey in recognition for Sahvir Wheeler due to his absence. Wheeler has missed several weeks at this point due to a lingering ankle injury. However, the procedure that he had was related to a tail-bone injury, per reports.

In coach Cal’s announcement of Wheeler’s absence, he stated that “he will be out for a bit.” So it is unclear as to when or if he will return to play this season.

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Men's Basketball

Jaxson Robinson Lands Exhibit 10 Deal with Cleveland Cavaliers

With his exhibit 10 contract, Robinson officially rounds out Kentucky’s 2025 NBA class as the final one to find his place.

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Jaxson Robinson signs an exhibit 10-day contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
UK Athletics

After a lull in NBA news regarding freshly former Wildcats, Jaxson Robinson has rounded off last year’s class by officially landing an exhibit 10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The deal is fixated on a non-guaranteed one year period during which Robinson will have a chance to secure a spot on the permanent roster.

Robinson, who was originally projected by many as a second round draft pick before he sustained an injury to his wrist late last season, is the final Cat to find his place in the league. First, two were drafted (Brea, Williams,) then the next two were signed (Butler, Carr,) leaving Robinson as the odd-man out for a short period of time while he worked to earn an opportunity.

When healthy, the fan-favorite forward averaged 13 points, four rebounds and two assists for the blue and white throughout the 2024-25 season, showing flashes of elite shooting and surprising defensive prowess. His lengthy, 6’6 frame is built for the next level – given a streak of good health and the opportunity to play, Robinson could prove just that.

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And now, with the Cavs, he’ll have his first shot. Cleveland, reeling from a second-round exit in the NBA Playoffs and having just lost arguably their most proficient bench scorer in Ty Jerome, will certainly be looking for scoring options for their second unit. With the summer league ahead and plenty of time to make a splash, Robinson, despite his somewhat delayed signing, is bound to see the court sooner rather than later.

Big Blue Nation will be behind #2 going forward, either way. Wherever Robinson ends up, it’ll be on his feet.

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Men's Basketball

How Reece Potter Can Contribute to Pope’s Offense

The 7-foot-1 Lexington native returns home with hopes of thriving in Mark Pope’s offense after transferring from Miami (Ohio).

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Chet White | UK Athletics

When Kentucky added Reece Potter in the later stages of the portal season, many within Big Blue Nation assumed the 7-foot-1 Lexington native would be a valuable practice player. Now, the plan appears to be for him to contribute meaningfully to Mark Pope’s squad this season.

A junior transfer from Miami (Ohio), Potter stands out as the tallest player on Kentucky’s roster this season. With his size, he’s an obvious fit at the five, especially on nights the Wildcats need extra length. But he believes he can be much more than that in Mark Pope’s system, similar to other Kentucky big men who have thrived in this offense.

“I feel like I shoot the ball at a high level and I’m able to pass. Those are the things (Pope) really liked,” Potter said Monday. “He was able to use Amari Williams and BG (Brandon Garrison) in more of a point center type of way.”

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Now at Kentucky, Potter believes that being surrounded by so much talent, he will surely flourish with the help of those around him.

“I got some great players in front of me that do a great job of it,” Potter said. “I’m gonna be able to learn from them and keep growing my game in practice every single day.”

In two seasons with the RedHawks, Potter averaged 6.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in just over 15 minutes per contest, shooting at a 45.4% clip from the field, 39.85% from deep. Potter made 11 starts during his freshman season in 2023-24, appearing in 30 games in 2024 off the bench for a Miami team that went 25-9 overall and 14-4 in conference play, reaching the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game.

In high school with Lexington Catholic, Potter made a name for himself, being named the 11th Region’s Player of the Year as a senior. He averaged 17.9 points and 8.7 rebounds for the District 43 champs.

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Men's Basketball

Ranking Kentucky’s Marquee Nonconference Matchups for the 2025–26 Season

Rivalries rekindled, blue blood showdowns, and much more. Who are the Wildcats’ most important nonconference games based on hype and impact?

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Chet White | UK Athletics

Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats set the tone for the 2025–26 season by putting together what is arguably the toughest nonconference schedule in the country.

Here is a ranking of Kentucky’s marquee nonconference matchups based on their significance to the season and the level of fan excitement.

  1. Dec. 20 vs. St. John’s (CBS Sports Classic, Atlanta)

Elder vs. heir, mentor vs. protégé, teacher vs. student, whatever you want to call it, Mark Pope facing his former head coach, Rick Pitino, in “Catlanta” has all the makings of a classic.

Everyone knows the story. Pitino was the head coach at Kentucky from 1989 to 1997, leading the team to the 1996 NCAA championship, where Pope was a key player. When Pitino left, Big Blue Nation was heartbroken. Just a couple of years later, when he took the job for that team down I-64 that plays in red, Kentucky fans were pissed off.

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While Pitino and another Kentucky coach, who would later spark similar emotions when leaving for another program that also wears red, played out one of college basketball’s premier rivalries, a lot has changed.

A couple of scandals and vacated titles at Louisville later, the return of a former title-winning captain now at the helm in Lexington has softened Big Blue Nation’s attitude toward Pitino. His return to Rupp Arena for Big Blue Madness last October was the moment that truly mended the relationship. Still, it’s hard to forget what his last visit to Lexington looked like before that — he gave the one-finger salute to Big Blue Nation.

Well, all that sweet talk goes out the window come Dec. 20, as Pope and Pitino face off for the first time — and the elder has a pretty damn good team to teach the youngin’ a lesson.

St. John’s has been very active in the transfer portal, grabbing several high-profile players to bolster its roster. Key additions include Joson Sanon, Oziyah Sellers, Ian Jackson, Dillon Mitchell, and former Wildcat Bryce Hopkins, making things even more interesting.

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While the story of Pope vs. Pitino is one of remembering the past, mending relationships, and a shared love for everything big and blue, come late December, it will become nothing more than two coaches looking to win in what will most likely be a top-10 neutral-site matchup. That alone makes it the most important game of the nonconference slate.

  1. Nov. 11 @ Louisville

Now this is what the Battle of the Bluegrass should feel like. We’ll leave out the start date and who’s to blame (there’s only one person to blame, and he wears glasses), but Kentucky vs. Louisville is back where it belongs — as one of the premier matchups in all of college basketball, with just a short drive separating the two programs.

For years, Kentucky fans have just wanted Louisville to be good enough to make the rivalry interesting. About 15 years ago, this was arguably the best rivalry in the sport. But with Kentucky hitting a relative program slump and Louisville being forced to vacate titles and win just 12 games over two years, the rivalry lost its edge.

Last year, everything changed. Enter Pat Kelsey — and in just one year, Louisville went from the laughingstock of the ACC to one of the most dangerous teams in the country.

This year, Kelsey and the Cardinals want more. Louisville went all in this offseason, adding Ryan Conwell (Xavier), Adrian Wooley (Kennesaw State) and Isaac McKneely (Virginia) via the portal, along with the commitment of five-star point guard Mikel Brown Jr. The NCAA also cleared the eligibility of former Pope player Aly Khalifa, giving Louisville the pieces to seriously contend for not just an ACC title — but beyond.

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With all that said, Kentucky vs. Louisville is once again one of the most anticipated contests in college basketball. And thanks to Mr. Kelsey (according to Pope), we get it bright and early in the season as the opening game of the regular season in downtown Louisville.

Can’t wait.

  1. Dec. 13 vs. Indiana (at Rupp Arena)

After 13 years, the rivalry is finally back, and for the first time since 2010, Kentucky will host Indiana in the renewal of one of college basketball’s biggest “border war” matchups between two of the sport’s most storied programs.

The Kentucky vs. Indiana basketball rivalry is one of the most storied and emotionally charged matchups in college basketball history. Just ask John Calipari just how emotional he thought Hoosier fans were after beating Kentucky in the two’s last regular-season matchup.

Big Blue Nation already got to feel some of the Hoosier Hysteria with what felt like an old-school recruiting battle over the talents of Lamar Wilkerson this past portal season — and boy, did the neighbors up north rub that one in Wildcat fans’ faces.

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That was just a taste of what the lead-up to and aftermath of facing first-year Hoosiers coach Darian DeVries is going to feel like this fall. While Indiana has fallen on some tough times, DeVries has quietly built a Big Ten contender in Bloomington.

With the additions of his son Tucker, Reed Bailey, the aforementioned Wilkerson, Tayton Conerway and Nick Dorn, DeVries and the Hoosiers look to come to Lexington and make a statement in year one under the new regime, while Pope and the Wildcats look to defend their home court against a program that has nowhere else to go but up.

Surely, no matter what happens, discourse on social media will be very civilized, right?

  1. Dec. 2 vs. North Carolina (ACC/SEC Challenge, at Rupp Arena)

While many questions surround the future of the program in Chapel Hill, it will still be a clash of blue bloods at Rupp Arena as Kentucky hosts Hubert Davis and North Carolina in the 2025–26 SEC/ACC Challenge, marking the Tar Heels’ first visit to Lexington since the 2014–15 season.

It’s not often Kentucky hosts a powerhouse program like UNC. Add in the fact that a certain Caleb Wilson, who picked Carolina blue over Kentucky, will be visiting town, and it’s shaping up to be a fun one in Lexington and one that will be of utmost importance.

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  1. Nov. 18 vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic, Madison Square Garden)

Tom Izzo. Madison Square Garden. National TV. It doesn’t get much bigger.

Michigan State at the Mecca of basketball will be a huge early test and résumé booster in a game that will command true primetime attention.

Looking to be a contender in the Big Ten next year, Kentucky has an early-season opportunity to announce itself to the college basketball world, and there’s no better place to do it.

Pope vs. the old master will surely be cinematic.

  1. Dec. 5 vs. Gonzaga (Neutral, Nashville)

Simply put, beating a program like the Zags, who bring national credibility and star power, along with a coach like Mark Few who oozes consistency, is something to be very proud of.

This neutral-site matchup in Nashville automatically gives the game a pseudo-tournament feel, against a team and coach who have historically been very successful in such settings.

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Gonzaga will most likely be ranked anywhere from the top 10 to 20 at any point next season, meaning a win in this game will no doubt be a strong résumé builder in a schedule littered with such opportunities.

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