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Men's Basketball

Kentucky vs. UCLA in CBS Sports Classic: How to Watch and Things to Know

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UK Athletics

Coming off a tough-fought win against Yale, Kentucky will play their first ranked opponent since mid-November, as they play the No. 16 UCLA Bruins in the CBS Sports Classic on Saturday. It will come approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of North Carolina vs. Ohio State, which tips off at 3:00 pm ET.

Similar to Kentucky, the Bruins have lost two games, both to quality opponents, Baylor and Illinois. However, the Bruins have dominated in their wins, proven by their scoring margin, ranked sixth in the country (18.0). This includes a dominating 87-60 win over No. 20 Maryland earlier this week.

Due to COVID-19, this will be the first matchup between the two teams since 2017, when UCLA won 83-75. This time around, another good game looks to be in store, as Kentucky holds an 8-7 lead in the all-time series.

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Let’s take a deep dive into the Top 20 matchup.

Defense First

Ranked top-20 in points (81.2), assists (16.8), and shooting percentage (49.9%), UCLA has one of the most efficient offenses in the country. This is headlined by a big three of Jaime Jaquez Jr./Jaylen Clark/Tyger Campbell that has been playing together for three seasons and average 46 points themselves.

It is important to note that the Bruins have played against an average-ranked defense of 145th, losing two of their three games against top 50 opponents. With Kentucky ranked 8th in KenPom defensive efficiency, the Wildcats will be the toughest defense UCLA has played thus far.

Four of UCLA’s five double-digit scorers are backcourt players, which should play into a strength for Sahvir Wheeler, Cason Wallace, and even Chris Livingston and Jacob Toppin at times. However, given that CJ Fredrick and Antonio Reeves are two of Kentucky’s best sources of offense, they will be needed to step up on the defensive end as well.

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Limit Turnovers And Be Efficient

UCLA’s defense struggled to start the season, but over the last five games, things have gotten back on track, and they have given up just an average of 60 points to their opponents. A large part of that is their focus on forcing turnovers.

Forcing an average of 17.6 turnovers per game, the Bruins are 15th in the country in the category. At times this season, UCLA has used this ability to generate a large part of their offense. Against Denver, they forced 24 turnovers and scored 30 points off of them.

Kentucky has done a good job of taking care of the ball this season, so there is not too much cause for concern there, however, they will need to make smart decisions. On offense as a whole, the Wildcats need to put a complete game together.

Utilize Depth Advantage

One of UCLA’s biggest weaknesses this season has been their lack of depth. Mick Cronin plays eight guys consistently in his rotation, but only receives significant contributions from six players.

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In what is anticipated to be a close game, lineups may be even more tightened, with Kentucky having the advantage. We have heard Sahvir Wheeler and many others talk about pushing until the other team “let’s go of the rope” and that is what they will need to do against UCLA.

Kentucky Basketball vs. UCLA Bruins

Time/Date: 5:15 pm ET (but more likely 5:30 or later) on Saturday, December 17th, 2022.
Location: Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY
TV Channel: CBS
Live Online Stream: 
Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the UK radio network call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
Replay: SEC Network (check local listings).
Rosters: UK | UCLA
Team Sheets: UK | UCLA
Stats To Know: UK | UCLA

Odds: The betting line has yet to be released from DraftKings Sportsbook, but ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Kentucky an 55.1% chance of winning, with KenPom similarly at 53%. However, Bart Torvik gives UCLA the advantage at 62%.

Predictions: Bart Torvik picked the Bruins to win 72-70, while KenPom is going with a 72-71 victory, Kentucky!

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Also published on A Sea of Blue.

Men's Basketball

Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno Earn Conference Preseason Honors

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Photo via Chet White | UK Athletics

On Monday, Oct. 12, Kentucky’s Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno both earned All-SEC preseason honors, with the Iowa State transfer selected to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team and the returning sophomore selected to the Preseason All-SEC Third Team.

Momcilovic is entering his senior season with the Wildcats, looking to follow up his junior campaign after reigning as the undisputed best shooter in college basketball. He averaged 16.9 points per game last year, with his shooting splits reading 50.6/48.7/87.8.

Leading the Cyclones to a No. 2 seed and being selected to All-Big 12 Second Team, it’s safe to say that this isn’t the first time that Momcilovic has been left off of the top list, making the Kentucky superstar hungry to prove the haters wrong on a much larger stage.

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Moreno is returning for his sophomore season after earning All-SEC Freshman Team honors last year, looking to show the Big Blue Nation everything he learned throughout the draft process and that he has changed this summer.

The Kentucky native was thrown into the fire, earning 30 unexpected starts for the Wildcats. He developed as the season went on, ending the 2025-26 campaign averaging 7.8 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.

With both Momcilovic and Moreno as staple players on this year’s roster, the SEC has slated Mark Pope’s team to finish seventh in the conference this season, finishing behind Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Vanderbilt.

The full lists of the All-SEC Teams can be found below:

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First Team

  • Rueben Chinyelu (Florida)
  • Juke Harris (Tennessee)
  • Thomas Haugh (Florida)
  • Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State)
  • Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt)

Second Team

  • Amari Allen (Alabama)
  • Alex Condon (Florida)
  • Milan Momcilovic (Kentucky)
  • Jordan Smith Jr. (Arkansas)
  • Matas Vokietaitis (Texas)

Third Team

  • PJ Haggerty (Texas A&M)
  • Malachi Moreno (Kentucky)
  • Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn)
  • David Punch (Texas)
  • Billy Richmond III (Arkansas)

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Men's Basketball

Otega Oweh Shows Flashes in First NBA Preseason Appearances

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Photo via Getty Images

Former Kentucky standout Otega Oweh took another step in his basketball career on Tuesday night, making his NBA preseason debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder and taking on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Oweh came off of the bench and played 28 minutes, finishing with six points, six rebounds, two steals, one block and an assist. The former Wildcat struggled offensively, shooting only 3-of-9 from the field and missing all four of his free throw attempts.

Despite the shooting struggles, Oweh showed flashes of his defensive ability and physicality that made him a fan favorite during his two seasons in Lexington.

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The Pelicans escaped with a 116-110 win, leaving the Thunder with a 0-1 record. The next night wouldn’t draw a different result, with Oweh’s team losing by two and only playing the beloved superstar a total of 16 minutes.

Due to foul trouble, this would be the only minutes he would receive, ending the game with two points on three shots.

Oweh was selected with the 41st overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Thunder after averaging 18.6 points per game during his senior season at Kentucky, joining former Wildcats Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Although his preseason debut wasn’t the offensive performance he might have hoped for, Oweh will have more than enough opportunities to prove himself as he looks to earn a role in a professional rotation.

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Competes at Annual Pro Day Inside of Rupp Arena

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Photo via Marissa Gilchrist | UK Athletics

Kentucky held its annual Pro Day on Tuesday, Oct. 6, where NBA scouts were able to watch the team go through individual drills and a live game-like scrimmage. There are plenty of takeaways that stood out during the two hour practice. Let’s dive into it:

1.) Franck Kepnang Shows Off in the Paint

The first thing that stood out was transfer big man Franck Kepnang, with the seven-foot big from Washington dominating in the paint. Starting with the individual drills, he showed his size and ability to get downhill off of a pick-and-roll.

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The bigs went through a finishing through contact drill, and the new Wildcat seemed unfazed by the pads being pounded against him. With Moreno and Kepnang running the paint together, it will make it very difficult for opposing teams to stop both of them.

2.) Ousmane N’Diaye Has High-Scoring Performance

Overseas big Ousmane N’Diaye was another standout in front of the NBA scouts. In the first six-minute “quarter”, N’Diaye led all scorers with eight points.

He showed off his ability to score at all three levels, hitting multiple threes and also demonstrating his ability to score in the paint. N’Diaye wasn’t playing the five spot, which really allowed his team to stretch the floor and help with spacing.

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With Moreno, Kepnang, N’Diaye and Reece Potter all standing at seven-feet tall, Mark Pope has the opportunity to run a four-big lineup all while each player hones a different skillset. Having this much size will pay dividends come time for conference play.

3. The Forwards Do a Little Bit of Everything

A few other players who performed well were Milan Momcilovic and Braydon Hawthorne. Momcilovic played very unselfish during the inter-squad scrimmage, looking to first get his teammates involved and not forcing his game whatsoever.

He did hit a nice step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer in the second “quarter”, highlighting his 10-point performance. Hawthorne had some great looks from beyond the arc and did a phenomenal job getting his teammates open, driving and distributing the rock.

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He finished with six points and one assist.

Overall, the whole team appeared molded together and played as a unit rather than just isolation ball, which is a great sign in early October. There is no shortage of individual talent on this roster, and that was evident on Tuesday, with leaders and experience at every position.

The wait is almost over BBN. Kentucky will take the court in its first exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 16, when Little Rock comes into town. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET and will air live on SEC Network+.

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