Connect with us

Men's Basketball

The Morning After: Kentucky vs. Houston

Published

on

Take a deep breath and check your heart rate.

Tyler Herro and PJ Washington entered Kentucky folklore as the Wildcats survived and advanced with a 62-58 victory over the Houston Cougars.

While the win wasn’t pretty, a win is a win. However, there are plenty of things to look at and learn from as we look forward to Sunday’s game against Auburn.

Advertisement

Tyler Herro THE Hero

After Herro only scored 9 points on 2-11 shooting, it was a good sight to see Tyler “Bucket” Herro back in full swing as he scored 19 on 7-13 shooting. Including the three to give Kentucky the lead with 25.8 seconds left.

After missing a free throw earlier in the half, Mr. Clutch went on to sink two free throws to give Kentucky a comfortable four-point lead with 15 seconds to go.

Herro took Kentucky fans back to Aaron Harrison’s 2014 run with that shot and with that shot, he will always be remembered.

Advertisement

PJ Washington, We Don’t Win Without Him

Before the game, there was still speculation on whether PJ Washington would play or not. On Friday, he was back in full form, and that foot didn’t look to bother him one bit.

In two games without PJ, Kentucky definitely missed his offense. In his return, PJ played one of his most efficient games of the year. Coming off the bench and in 26 minutes, PJ recorded 16 points (6-8), 2 rebounds, and 1 assist.

After the game, Calipari noted that PJ didn’t participate in pregame shootaround due to pain and was unsure if he was going to play. PJ wanted to play, played through the pain, and got two of the most critical plays of the game with the and-one and the block leading to Herro three.

Advertisement

In Calipari’s postgame words, “we don’t win without him [PJ]”.

Great Defense

In three NCAA tournament games, the Wildcats have yet to give up more than sixty points or let a team shoot over 40% FG from the field.

After limiting Flethcer “Oofer” Magee to 0-12 on three point shooting last weekend, the focus shifted to Houston’s Corey Davis Jr. on Friday night.

Advertisement

Davis came into the game averaging 23.5 points and five made three-pointers in two NCAA Tournament games. Tyler Herro had another great defensive performance limiting Davis Jr. to just 14 points (5-16) and 1-7 from three.

On Sunday, the Cats will face off against the Auburn Tigers for the third time this season and will have to limit their guards, Jared Harper and Bryce Brown who have both played great since SEC play.

Rebounding Battle

Coming into the game, Houston was top-10 in every rebounding category and many had anticipated the Cougars to put up a fight on the boards, but that just wasn’t the case.

Advertisement

On Thursday, Houston’s Chris Harris, told Kyle Tucker of The Athletic:

“I believe that will be the game. Whoever wins the rebounding battle, that will be the game.”

In the end, it wasn’t too much of a battle and Harris’ comments rang true. Kentucky’s size was too much to handle for the Cougars as the Wildcats outrebounded Houston by 13 (36-23) and escaped with the win.

Offensive Struggles

Kentucky has played one and a half games of good offense in three tournament games and that needs to change in a hurry.

Advertisement

After putting up 37 points in the first half, Kentucky only scored 12 points in just under 17 minutes which allowed Houston to regain the lead down the stretch. Kentucky went on to score 13 points in the final three minutes to win the game.

Simply. that just can’t happen again if the Cats want to win a national title.

On Sunday, the Cats will take on the Auburn Tigers for the third time this season and are playing their best basketball of the season. Auburn is a great offensive team, as they are ranked 6th in offensive efficiency and has scored 78 or more points in all three of their NCAA Tournament games.

Auburn truly lives and dies by the three. As we have seen in Kentucky’s two games against Auburn this year, they can lose by thirty or win the game, there’s no in between. Kentucky has to be ready for their best shot.

Advertisement

Survive and advance. The Cats are one step closer to Minneapolis.

Men's Basketball

The 2025-26 Cats Consensus: It’s Time for Banner Number Nine

Every new and returning Wildcat shares the same dream: bringing a championship trophy to Lexington once more.

Published

on

Mark Pope in a crowd of fans at Big Blue Madness
Tyler Ruth | UK Athletics

“We are here to win banners.”

While just about everything Mark Pope said at his introductory press conference went viral in one way or another, that aforementioned declaration stood out amongst his crowd of quotes like no other to a fanbase more than a decade removed from a national championship.

To the big blue nation, Coach Pope’s words last spring were a much needed battle cry. Now, as he’s set to enter his second year at the helm, Pope has made sure the team he assembled for the 2025-26 season shares the same hunger.

Advertisement

It begins on a basic level, with players across the board throwing the number “9” around on social media in posts, replies, and commitments. Much like the Kentucky faithful, the newest roster to roll through Lexington isn’t afraid to make reference to the top task at hand.

For (likely) starting point guard Jaland Lowe, it’s an opportunity he “can’t miss.” “See y’all soon #BBN,” he said in a post on X, announcing his return to the collegiate level. Lowe chose a junior season at Kentucky over a chance to be chosen in the NBA Draft. Otega Oweh, the now-projected SEC player of the year, would follow suit shortly thereafter.

The Ultimate Goal

Andrija Jelavic, a primary member of the incoming unit, as well as the team’s lone international player, dubbed the title chase as “the ultimate goal” in his interview with KY Insider. “We all [the team] agree that the ultimate goal is the same and that is to bring a championship to Kentucky, to the state and the fans,” he said.

To Jelavic, it goes further than hunger. It’s a responsibility.

Advertisement

And that responsibility is what sets Kentucky apart from other programs. As awkward as the conversation around John Calipari can get, when push comes to shove, much of the dissatisfaction growing within the fanbase as his tenure came to a close was rooted in the coach’s apparent disinterest in winning another championship.

Year after year went by; top-ranked roster after top ranked roster. After a while, it seemed that Kentucky was more often mentioned in the first round of the NBA Draft than it was in the NCAA Tournament. The problem persisted, the tension festered and, ultimately, the two sides split… and it all goes back to that elusive ninth title.

Name on the Front of the Jersey

Mark Pope has said before that he wants to bring in guys who are playing for the name on the front of their jersey. It just so happens that there are enough of those like-minded athletes across the nation to build one of the consensus best teams in college basketball, all of whom are in full pursuit of a new blue banner in the rafters of Rupp.

With a mindset like that shared across the board and talent like the 2025-26 team has at hand, it’s only a matter of time before that dream becomes a reality once more. For the first time in more than a decade, the entire Big Blue Nation is on the same page – and that includes the guys who can actually make it happen.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

Koby Brea Talks With Andrija Jelavic About His Legendary Chapter Awaiting At Kentucky

Published

on

ABA League (Left) | Imagn (Right)


Andrija Jelavic, in a recent Q&A with Kentucky Insider, revealed that he exchanged messages with former Wildcat Koby Brea, who will be handing down his No. 4 jersey to Jelavic.

The big man was asked if he had spoken with any former Wildcats after comparing his play style to Karl-Anthony Towns, and what he knew about Kentucky growing up.

“I exchanged some messages with Koby Brea because I’m gonna be wearing his number four,” Jelavic said. “About Kentucky, I always knew that they are the biggest franchise in college basketball history, and just everything about them is legendary.”

Advertisement

Jelavic added on what exactly Brea said in those messages.

“He just told me to go be great and that he can’t wait to see me play,” Jelavic said. “Also, that he likes my number decision.”

Alone, the fact that Brea reached out speaks volume to the culture that is established at Kentucky. The lethal sharpshooter from Mark Pope’s first team at Kentucky played only one season in the blue and white, yet, seems interested in the future of the program despite chasing his own big league dreams.

To end our exclusive interview, Jelavic talked about the goals he has now as a Wildcat and how he wants to be a legendary piece to this year’s roster.

Advertisement

“Definitely to bring many wins and hopefully a championship to Kentucky, Jelavic said. “To be a player that Kentucky will always remember.”

Continue Reading

Men's Basketball

The Bluegrass Call: Otega Oweh Returns To Kentucky For The 2025-26 Season

The wait is over. Otega Oweh is returning to Kentucky.

Published

on

Otega Oweh and Mark Pope
Chet White | UK Athletics

Big Blue Nation has been waiting weeks for Otega Oweh’s decision, and the moment is finally here.

After participating in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine and testing his luck against the best young talent in the world, Oweh has officially decided to withdraw his name from the draft and return to Kentucky for his senior season.

Jonathan Givony was the first to report Oweh’s decision on May 28, sending Wildcat fans into a flurry of emotion that their leading scorer from last year’s team is officially back.

Advertisement

Before last season began, fans knew that Oweh was a highly regarded prospect with loads of potential, but until he proved it night in and night out, it remained uncertain who the star was going to be on the 2024-25 roster.

Many expected it to be Jaxson Robinson, who played under Mark Pope at BYU and held four years of experience under his belt at the collegiate level. Next in line was Lamont Butler, who also opted into his fifth-year option and brought Pope’s squad a level of confidence and dependability with the ball, having played deep into the season with San Diego State multiple times.

However, when the Wildcats were riddled with injuries, Oweh emerged as “the guy” in the blue and white. There’s countless moments you can reflect on from his junior session: locking up the nations’ best with Cooper Flagg, dropping 20 or more points on a nightly basis, embarrassing his former team, the Oklahoma Sooners, not only once but twice with his clutch performances, and ultimately walking off of the court as a leader, a mentor and a legend in every associated Kentucky fan’s eyes.

Oweh gave the season hope, taking on a role that was unexpected.

Advertisement

When the final buzzer of the season sounded, many of the Kentucky faithful wondered what was next for double-zero, and if he wanted to “run it back” with Pope and company.

On April 15, Oweh declared for the NBA Draft, calling Kentucky fans the “best fans in the world.” At the time, the decision seemed quite scary for those keeping tabs on Pope’s second-year roster, but the last line in Oweh’s announcement remained crucial: “…while maintaining my NCAA eligibility.”

Looking back, maybe awaiting the decision was probably stressful for the best fans in college basketball, seeing the “former” Wildcat bully defenders in the combine and have his way offensively. Oweh waited until the day of the withdrawal deadline, and even had another workout the same day. Reports came out that he was receiving great feedback from the NBA programs, and that sentence sounds scary.

When he originally entered the draft process, he was presumed to be just be trying his luck, which did a complete 180 when he stated that he’s wasn’t doing anything “one foot in, one foot out” and that he wanted to achieve his dreams.

Advertisement

Well, look at it now. The decision has been made and Oweh is going to put on the blue and white once again. He followed his heart, and soon his own form of the bluegrass call, “Oweh, Oweh, Oweh”, will be chanted throughout Rupp Arena after every captivating play and bring a fire to his soul.

The ninth championship in Kentucky basketball history is long overdue, but now, the odds are ever in their favor. Pope has his superstar back, and he’s prepared to lead his team its former glory.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending