After seven long, eventful months, the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team is back and is ready to tip off the Mark Pope era. The Wildcats’ opponent in the season opener will be the Wright State Raiders.
Wright State comes to Rupp Arena for a payment of $90,000 to give the Wildcats a respectable test. Coached by first-year head coach Clint Sargent, the Raiders were picked to finish fifth in the Horizon League and have the league’s preseason Player of the Year in forward Brandon Noel.
This will be the fifth game of the series, with Kentucky winning the previous four games by an average of 20.25 points.
Here’s what to watch for in Kentucky vs. Wright State to tip off the new season.
Defensive Litmus Test
Last season, Wright State had one of the nation’s best offenses, ranking fourth in points per game (86.5) and first in field goal percentage (53%). While they are under a new coach, Sargent has been at Wright State since 2016 and will play a similar style.
While they with pace, they do not rush things, and playing an inside-out game. Last season, the Raiders scored two-thirds of their points on two-point shots. That said, Sargent will likely shoot more threes than his predecessor.
This game should be a good litmus test for the Kentucky defense, which Pope says needs improvement. “We were actually dancing, recovering to the gap instead of recovering to the shooter,” he said of his preseason contests on Thursday.
This will be a great early test for the Cats, especially since Wright State has a very good forward in Brandon Noel, who recorded 19 points and 16 rebounds in a road win over Oakland last season.
Size Advantage
Wright State does not have a player in the rotation taller than 6’8, giving the Wildcats a clear size advantage with the trio of Andrew Carr, Brandon Garrison, and Amari Williams.
This should also create pressure inside the paint, allowing for shooters to be open. Also, this should help Kentucky on the boards, especially on the offensive glass. Mark Pope prioritizes this in his offense and wants to see his team improve on that from the preseason.
“I haven’t been super excited about us on the glass right now,” Pope said in his pregame presser. “We haven’t had the presence on the offensive glass, which is vitally important. How we play, we have got to have a presence on the offensive glass. And I think there were some times we got lackadaisical on the defensive glass. So I’d like to get much, much better there, much more sure there.”
Let’s see if Kentucky can assert itself now that the games are real, even if the team potentially does not have one of its best frontcourt players…
Amari Williams Injury
Early in Kentucky’s second exhibition game, Amari Williams suffered a leg injury, which forced him to miss the rest of the game. Thankfully, it sounds like it’s only a minor issue, but it does have Williams’ status in doubt for Monday night.
“Imaging was really good, really positive,” Pope said of Williams during a Thursday press conference. “He’s day-to-day right now. He won’t do anything — just free throws today, and we’re hopeful he’ll be back soon. But we’ll kinda proceed with all the caution and urgency that we possibly can.”
If Williams can’t go, it means Brandon Garrison will be the starting center after a solid showing in the exhibition season. While Garrison is more than capable of holding down the fort, Williams is the better overall big man. He’s also a better fit for Kentucky’s offense since he’s a good passer and can take the ball up the floor after grabbing a rebound.
Crowd/Energy
The Kentucky fanbase has been juiced with Mark Pope’s infectious energy since he was hired in April. That excitement has carried through the offseason and the first preseason exhibition game against Kentucky Wesleyan. However, for Minnesota State, the crowd was quite pitiful.
What will the crowd look like for Monday’s season opener? There will likely not be 100% attendance, but it will be interesting to see the turnout. There are several tickets still available online.
Opposing Players to Watch
F Brandon Noel, 6-8, 240 lbs
- 14.5 PPG
- 8.0 RPG
- Preseason Horizon League Player of the Year
*Stats from 2023-24 season
G Alex Huibregtse, 6-3, 205 lbs
- 12.3 PPG
- 3.3 APG
- Preseason Horizon League Second Team
*Stats from 2023-24 season
F Michael Imariagbe, 6-7, 220 lbs
*Stats from 2023-24 season
Time: 7:00 PM EST on November 4th
Location: Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY
TV Channel: ESPNU
Announcers: Tom Hart and Jimmy Dykes
Online Stream: ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the radio call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
Rosters: UK | WSU
Stats to Know: UK | WSU
KenPom: UK | WSU
Team Sheet: UK | WSU
Odds: FanDuel Sportsbook has Kentucky as a 21.5-point favorite with an over/under of 157.5. EvanMiya gives the Cats a 92.9% chance to win. Bart Torvik and KenPom are slightly higher at 95% and 94%, respectively, while DRatings is at 93.1%.
Predictions: Bart Torvik and Haslametrics have Kentucky winning 91-71 and 93-73, respectively. EvanMiya and KenPom both predict an 86-69 win for the Wildcats. DRatings has Kentucky winning 96-81.
Send us your score predictions in the comments section!
Also posted on A Sea of Blue.
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