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RECAP: Three Takeaways from Kentucky’s Narrow Win Over Arkansas

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Ugonna Onyenso

On Saturday, Kentucky rebounded after a very disappointing blowout loss against South Carolina on the road. The ‘Cats had completely lost their spark offensively, and it was a worst-case scenario for John Calipari and company. It seemed like that would be on repeat against Arkansas, as Kentucky only managed to score 63 points.

That being said, Kentucky avoided the major upset, and here’s how.

Antonio Reeves dominates in Fayetteville (again)

Last season, Antonio Reeves had his “Kentucky moment” by scoring 37 points against Arkansas on the road. On Saturday, he was yet again the best player on the floor. In a team-high 37 minutes of play, Reeves scored 24 points, shooting 4-8 from beyond the arc.

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Additionally, Reeves had four points and two steals in the win. Like the rest of the team, Reeves struggled to get going early. However, as the game went along, the fifth-year senior began to get hot as he lit it up shooting the ball.

Reeves has now scored 20+ points in 10 games this season, and he is averaging 20.3 points per game in conference play. He has quickly proven himself to be one of the best scorers in the SEC, if not the best. Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht is Reeves’ only real competition.

Reed Sheppard comes through in the clutch

When Kentucky needed him the most, Reed Sheppard came through in the clutch and ultimately put the stamp on this Kentucky win. The Laurel County native also gave us some moments that were eerily similar to that of his father, like this awesome transition flush.

Sheppard would finish with 14 points on 5-12 (2-3 3PT) shooting, tying his season-high for total points in an SEC game. He also finished with 14 points in Kentucky’s win over Florida in the SEC opener. Along with that, Sheppard recorded five rebounds, five steals, and four assists as well.

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Just an awesome all-around performance.

The ‘Cats proved they can win in a low-scoring dog fight

It’s no secret that Kentucky has one of the best offenses in the country. Scoring 88.5 points per game, the ‘Cats are used to chasing the century mark night in and night out. The South Carolina game was really the first time that Kentucky struggled offensively, and part of that carried over into Saturday night.

The ‘Cats started the game shooting 1-12 and down by double-digits, and it seemed like Eric Musselman was going to win five out of six games against Kentucky. From there, it was up to Kentucky to scratch and claw their way back into the game. Then, that’s what they did. Of course, the ‘Cats would secure their 15th W of the season.

In March, there is bound to be a game where Kentucky struggles to score again. In the NCAA Tournament, you face the best of the best, including the best defenses college basketball has to offer. Plus, shots may just straight up not fall for Kentucky. However, Saturday’s win proved that Kentucky can win in ugly fashion. This will be a scary team for the rest of the field come Madness time.

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Men's Basketball

CBS Sports: Kentucky Has “ended pursuits” in Transfer Portal Following Aberdeen Commitment

In the wake of yet another addition to Kentucky’s incoming roster, CBS Sports reports that Coach Pope and staff may have closed the portal.

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Mark Pope and staff may have everything they need from the transfer portal.
Chet White | UK Athletics

Following another flurry of transfer portal additions in his second year at the helm, it appears that Mark Pope and staff are satisfied with their sophomore haul. The portal in Lexington may be officially closed for the 2025-26′ season.

Right after Kentucky received the surprising commitment of Denzel Aberdeen, Matt Norlander, an analyst for CBS Sports, posted the following on X (Twitter):

“Barring any portal defections, Kentucky has ended its pursuits of all other portal targets, sources told CBS Sports. Getting Aberdeen today [April 21] meant they’ve moved off Andrej Stojakovic, Rylan Griffen, etc. Otega Oweh going through pre-draft process-but I expect him back in Lex”.

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With the addition of Aberdeen, the Wildcats’ roster ballooned to near-max capacity for next season. Seeing two of the team’s walk-on players, Grant Darbyshire and Walker Horn, enter the transfer portal seemed to all but confirm this suspicion, too.

Losing One of Our Own

That is, until last night. With less than two hours remaining for players to do so, Travis Perry shocked much of the Big Blue Nation by throwing his name into the hat. This came just weeks after a string of comments from the Kentucky-native point guard seemed to confirm his return for a sophomore season.

Though all the same, given Kentucky’s bulk of back-court additions this offseason, his departure makes sense for the sake of playing time alone. The Lyon King will be sorely missed.

So while the Kentucky staff may still be very much content with their current roster, with hundreds of players remaining in the portal and an unexpected spot on the roster coming open, another grab is far from out of the question.

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Who Coach Pope and company would go after is entirely unclear, as that potential player would likely have to accept a minimized role off the bench for a stretch of his time in Lexington. If anything, the logical replacement would be a direct fill-in at the PG2/PG3 spot in Perry’s absence.

Either way, the ‘Cats are set to come into next season as one of the most exciting teams in college basketball with a ceiling far out of view. Mark Pope continues to prove his prowess in the transfer market, too, easing the worries of Wildcats fans and closing the door on many supposed “insiders” who’ve spent the last month suggesting otherwise.

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Men's Basketball

REPORT: Travis Perry Enters Transfer Portal

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Kentucky basketball Travis Perry talks about growing more comfortable on the court.
Jordan Prather | IMAGN

The transfer portal has been kind to Kentucky in the Mark Pope era. Last season, the staff was able to build a Sweet Sixteen roster almost exclusively from the portal, and this offseason have put together a top-five portal class.

While the portal giveth, it also taketh. Just hours before the deadline to enter, Kentucky native and fan favorite Travis Perry has entered the transfer portal, per multiple reports.

Coming to Kentucky as the state’s all-time high-school scoring record holder, fans were excited to see how his career would unfold in Lexington.

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Not expecting to play much freshman, he was called upon due to injuries and played some key minutes for the Wildcats into the postseason. He averaged 2.7 PPG and .6 APG on 32% shooting from three.

Looking at the depth chart, it was difficult to see where Perry would get much playing time next season, leading to his decision to enter the portal.

Perry has yet to release an official statement, but all the best to him in his future.

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Men's Basketball

Top Transfer Guard Denzel Aberdeen Commits to Kentucky

Former Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky, likely closing the transfer portal for next year’s roster.

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Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky.
UF Athletics

Another day, another “boom.” Denzel Aberdeen has officially committed to Kentucky for the 2025-26’ season.

A soon-to-be senior guard fresh off his championship win with Florida, Aberdeen spent his first three years of eligibility in Gainesville. Now, following an apparent conflict in the Gators’ rotation, he’s swapped teams in the southeast.

At 6 ‘5”, 190, Aberdeen spent much of this past season beating defenders off the dribble and making them pay at the rim. His speed and size made him a nightmare off the bench for opposing teams, and for the short stretch of play that he started during the year, Florida didn’t miss a beat. 

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In 19 minutes, Aberdeen averaged 8 points, two rebounds and one assist per game. His consistent contribution to the Gators’ title run made him one of the most coveted transfers in the cycle this season, and given his big blue commitment just days after entering the portal, Mark Pope clearly wasted no time in Kentucky’s pursuit.

Aberdeen slots in as yet another addition to what was already one of the strongest portal classes going into next season. His SEC experience and combo-guard intangibles make Aberdeen one of the most exciting portal players to come through Lexington in a long while, reinforcing Kentucky’s back court to what may be the final degree.

Whether or not Mark Pope is officially done for next season, nobody is sure, but this commitment only further cements the fact that he knows exactly what he’s doing. Just like the  fanbase behind him, Coach Pope seems to never sleep.

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