Men's Basketball

Kentucky Gets Stunned In Loss At LSU

Published

1 year ago

February 22, 2024

Kentucky was stunned in an upset road loss on Wednesday night in Baton Rouge, where they fell to a 75-74 loss to LSU. Antonio Reeves and Rob Dillingham both carried the Cats, but a 15-point lead slipped away, and an unlucky tip-in by LSU in the final seconds was the game after a go-ahead jumper by Rob Dillingham with a few seconds left.

Kentucky had a rough 2nd half, and it led to a stunning loss. Let’s look at what went down throughout the game that cost the Cats the game.

Rob Dillingham, Antonio Reeves Will Kentucky

It was these two that combined for 48 of Kentucky’s 74 points, with big shots by Dillingham in the final minutes, and one of those put Kentucky up by 1 point with 13 seconds left, but a last-second tip-in by LSU wasted the terrific clutch performance.

Reeves led Kentucky in scoring with 25 points, and Dillingham finished with 23, and 21 of his points were in the 2nd half. Those performances ultimately couldn’t get it done, thanks to a 2nd half collapse and a last-second tip-in.

Kentucky Has 2nd Half Collapse

Kentucky started the 2nd half on a run to give them a comfortable 15-point lead. That lead turned out to be not so comfortable, as Kentucky let the lead slip away, getting down by as much as 5 points. From there it was back-and-forth, with Kentucky having to fight back. Defense was struggling during this time, with Kentucky not able to stop LSU from attacking the basket. Thanks to a clutch shot with 13 seconds left by Rob Dillingham, the Cats led by 1-point, but an LSU tip-in goes in for a tough road loss for the Cats

This was the story of the game to put it simply. It was a 6-minute stretch of a collapsing lead.

Calipari Says “Fifty-Fifty Balls” Cost Kentucky

After the game, Calipari spoke with the media (very briefly, discussing his thoughts on the loss. He stressed that “Fifty-fifty balls” and defensive issues cost them the game. “Fifty-fifty balls cost us the game. It’s all we talk about. Fifty-fifty balls,” Calipari said. “Don’t tell me about your offense. If you’re not going to come up with 50/50 balls, you can’t win.” Kentucky’s lead collapse was definitely a reason for the game being in the position it was, but getting loose balls was also part of that collapse. Calipari said that communication was an issue during Kentucky’s collapse of the 15-point lead.

Calipari said he was proud, though, of how they fought back after collapsing. “I was proud of these guys, in this environment, doing what they did,” Calipari said. “Fought to get back, made baskets, (Rob) Dillingham made some unbelievable plays. He did what he does.”

It was another tough loss that puts Kentucky at 18-8 overall, 8-5 in SEC play, with 5 games left on the season. Kentucky brings in No. 13 Alabama to Rupp Arena on Saturday, a big opportunity to bounce-back after the tough road loss. Tip-off will be at 4 p.m., televised on CBS.

Men's Basketball

Jasper Johnson Makes Final U19 USA Roster Under Coach Mark Pope

Jasper Johnson has advanced in the U19 USA camp for the second time alongside the nation’s best recruits, and under Mark Pope’s wing.

Published

11 hours ago

June 20, 2025

Lane Mills

Instagram: @bruhjasperj (UK Athletics)

In a surprisingly relevant development smack dab in the middle of the offseason, Jasper Johnson has yet again advanced in the pool of players participating in the USA U19 camp.

The program, which could be a described as a sort of extension of the Team USA that just took home the gold in 2024, is comprised of some of the nation’s most anticipated talents set to take collegiate courts in the next couple of seasons.

Blue Gets In

Among them is Kentucky native and commit Johnson, and was also incoming Cat Malachi Moreno, before the latter was cut as a result of a mild injury he obtained throughout the camp’s course. Despite Moreno’s exit, his future teammate continues to impress.

Under the wing of Coach Mark Pope, who’s helmed the team in the camp up to this point, Johnson has now made the final cut after multiple roster slashes – he and only 11 other players remain in the minority that will go forward to actually compete for the team in the 2025 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup, which will take place June 28 through July 6 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The pre-competition camp serves not only as a trial of play before these athletes disperse to their own respective rosters this fall and next, but for Johnson, as a preview of what it’s like to play under Coach Pope. If his current success is any indicator, Kentucky fans may be in for something special when the pair tackle opposing teams together for the blue and white.

In similar noteworthy news, also attending the event are Taylen Kinney and Tyran Stokes, two Kentucky-born athletes with ties to Kentucky that the program is heavily recruiting. Jasper’s strong performance, combined with Coach Pope’s presence, can only help the Wildcats’ chances on that front, too.

To say the least, Mark Pope has found a way to facilitate Kentucky’s influence far beyond the boundaries of Lexington. He and Johnson, for the time being, will continue to press turn heads on the national stage, and it’s very likely that fans aren’t the only ones paying attention.

Men's Basketball

Archie Goodwin and Kahlil Whitney Set to Join La Familia This Summer

La Familia continues to add more firepower to the 2025 roster.

Published

1 day ago

June 19, 2025

Kai McClelland

James Crisp (Left), Adam Hunger (Right) | Associated Press

As the start of the 2025 TBT Tournament inches closer, La Familia has been slowly but surely adding star Wildcats to the roster.

Usually, we see announcements for new additions to the squad roll out on social media in some form, whether it be a post from La Familia’s official accounts or in form of Ansley Almonor’s announcement, which took place on BBN Tonight.

However, this time, Archie Goodwin and Kahlil “The Dragon” Whitney were added to the roster on the TBT website without any announcement, surprising Big Blue Nation as the news leaked and began to circulate.

They were removed from the website afterwards, but as of Thursday, June 19, appear on the website as listed members of the roster.

Goodwin has been an active member for years, highlighted by his semifinals appearance last year where he averaged 13.8 points per game en route.

Whitney is a name that may cause some to shed a tear, with so much potential surrounding the former five-star leading up to his debut. Ultimately, he left the program after appearing in just 18 games for Kentucky.

La Familia is competitive as all get out, shown by chippy play with guys who have nothing to lose but everything to win for the place they call home. Goodwin and Whitney, now added to that list of guys, will look to redeem themselves with one goal in mind. Win.

The official La Familia roster as of June 19:

– Willie Cauley-Stein (2012-15)

– Doron Lamb (2010-12)

– DeAndre Liggins (2008-11)

– Aaron Harrison (2013-15)

– Andrew Harrison (2013-15)

– Ansley Almonor (2024-25)

– Archie Goodwin (2012-13)

– Kahlil Whitney (2019-20)

Men's Basketball

Former Kentucky Star, 10-year NBA Veteran Eric Bledsoe Arrested and Charged with Felony Domestic Violence

Published

2 days ago

June 19, 2025

Tristan Pharis

Former Kentucky guard Eric Bledsoe has been arrested and charged with felony domestic violence.

Scott Utterback | Courier Journal

Eric Bledsoe, a key part of the 2009-10 Kentucky team that reinvigorated the Big Blue Nation following the Billy Gillispie era, was arrested on Wednesday morning.

According to reports, the California Highway Patrol investigated a report of domestic violence. The investigators were led to a gas station on a Los Angeles-area freeway where they discovered Bledsoe with a woman who was suffering from “bruising and swelling” to her face, and who said that Bledsoe allegedly hit her. Bledsoe was booked on a felony domestic violence charge and held on $55,000 bail.

Bledsoe was previously arrested on a similar charge back in 2022, but that case was later dropped when prosecutors said the alleged victim gave “inconsistent statements about whether there was a physical altercation.”

Bledsoe was part of Kentucky’s La Familia team last year in the TBT, and was announced to return again this season.