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The Morning After: Four Things To Know after Kentucky vs. Duquesne

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UK Athletics

In game two of what Cats fans hope will be a long season ahead, Kentucky hosted the Duquesne Dukes at Rupp Arena on Friday Night.

The Wildcats were still without Damion Collins and Oscar Tshiebwe on Friday night, but Sahvir Wheeler did make a return to the court, making his impact felt.

To start, the Wildcats were a little sluggish as they didn’t hit double-digits until the 13-minute mark of the first half. However, Sahvir Wheeler check in off the bench and dished three straight assists, and hit a layup to ignite the Wildcat offense. This gave Kentucky some momentum and allowed them to create separation and enter halftime with a 38-22 lead.

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Coming out of the half, Duquesne went on a quick 7-0 run that cut the lead to single digits. While Kentucky made some runs of their own, they had just an 11-point lead with just 11 minutes to go. Finally, Fredrick-Reeves-Toppin went on a 12-2 run themselves and Kentucky never looked back.

To summarize, the Wildcats were dominant in almost every asset, coming out of Rupp Arena with a 77-52 win, covering their 19-point spread.

Let’s talk about it.

Sahvir Wheeler shows his impact in return

For what was Sahvir Wheeler’s season opener, he looked to have already found his groove. Prior to the game, it was reported that Wheeler would only see 10-15 minutes of action, but ended up playing 27 minutes, and did plenty of good.

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Coming off the bench, the senior guard already had 4 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds through his first five minutes of action. Wheeler finished with a double-double scoring 11 points and adding 11 assists and 2 steals.

Looking more in-depth, Wheeler went 1-2 from the three-point line and limited his turnovers, only having 2 for his 27 minutes of play.

While some fans are calling for Cason Wallace to be the starting point guard, Wheeler proved his value once again. The Bob Cousy award finalist and SEC assist leader was +32 on the night, with Antonio Reeves in second at +20.

Bench impact

The biggest story of the Kentucky offense against Duquesne was the bench production.

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The starting five consisted of the same live last game, Wallace-Fredrick-Reeves-Livingston-Toppin. Off the bench, Onyenso-Reeves-Wheeler combined for 38 points, nearly half of Kentucky’s 77 points.

While Wheeler will most likely be starting for the remainder of the season, Reeves and Onyenso will be two of the biggest contributors off the bench and the best was seen from both on Friday night.

The duo affected the game on both ends. On offense, they combined for a total of 27 points on an efficient 56 percent from the field, as well as two of the highest offensive ratings. On the other end, the pair combined for four blocks and also had two of the highest defensive ratings.

The bench contribution should improve even more with the return of Collins, and when Livingston is moved back.

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Onyenso continues to impress

Ugonna Onyenso should be a high school senior this year, but instead, he reclassified and is making an impact for the Kentucky Wildcats.

In the absence of Oscar Tshiebwe, the freshman has stepped up in both regular season games in a big way. Through the exhibitions and the first two regular season games, Onyenso has proven that he is an elite rim protector and can rebound well, but it is clear his offense is a bit behind.

On Friday night, Onyenso had an impressive 10 rebounds and three blocks, but also scored 9 points. Wheeler set the freshman big up with a few baskets, but Onyenso also showed the ability to create opportunities for himself.

In the freshman’s first two games he is averaging just under 20 minutes per game, but is making use of his time on the floor, floating with a double-double; averaging 7.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks.

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When a player is playing with that level of efficiency, it is going to be hard to keep him off the floor.

Guard-play

The guard play for the Cats had another impressive outing.

All four guards – Fredrick, Reeves, Wallace, and Wheeler – scored at least 8 points for the Wildcats, and shot a combined 55 percent from the field. Yet they performed even better from the perimeter.

As a team, the Cats shot 11-19 (58%) from 3-point range. Of course, CJ Fredrick and Antonio Reeves accounted for eight of the threes, but Wallace and Wheeler both hit one apiece as well.

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It is early, but Fredrick and Reeves are both shooting over fifty percent from three on thirty combined attempts. The duo looks to be among the purest shooters in the Cal era, and could put themselves in the program record books.

What may be the most impressive stat, Kentucky had 22 assists on 28 made field goals, giving them a 79 percent assist percentage. For reference, East Carolina had the highest assist percentage in the country last season at 67.2 percent.

Right now, it seems that in nearly any rotation Calipari draws up, the guards seem to play well with one another and it will interesting to see how that develops over the course of the season.


Through two games, the Cats have performed very well despite not being at full strength. However, it is expected for Collins and Tshiebwe to make their season debut against Michigan State on Tuesday night.

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With that said, Kentucky seems to be playing well and prepared regardless of lineup.

Men's Basketball

Brandon Garrison Takes On A Leadership Role Heading Into Next Season

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Brandon Garrison and Kentucky head coach Mark Pope
Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

Brandon Garrison had his ups and downs during the 2024-25 season, at times making plays above his experience level on the court, and other times, causing unfortunate turnovers and making Big Blue Nation yell “pass the ball” when he attempted to show off his handles.

However, since the offseason has began, we’ve seen the backup big man from last year’s squad take major jumps in not only his skill set, but in his mentality and leadership as well.

“BG” announced that he was coming back to Kentucky on April 12 for the 2025-26 season, and since then, has been the talk of the town to be the starting center for Mark Pope’s second-year team.

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Last season, Garrison played behind Amari Williams, coming off of the bench and averaging 5.9 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game in just 17.3 minutes a night. 

Having played a year already in Pope’s system, Garrison may get a nod for the starting role over one of the transfer pickups, especially since Pope and the coaching staff have been publicly vocal about his development. With young players such as Jayden Quaintance and Malachi Moreno coming in behind Garrison, you can guarantee he will play a major role in their development.

In an offseason press conference, Pope said that Garrison has already taken on more of a mentorship role heading into next season.

“He’ll be the first to tell you that Amari Williams was a life-changing mentor for him,” Pope said. “He’s excited to help some other guys come along.”

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Pope added on that Garrison went out of his way to have breakfast and talk to four of the incoming transfers, on their official visits, about Kentucky and the way the staff does things.

“Brandon Garrison showed me some signs in the last month, and certainly this summer, where he is just, like he is growing up, man,” Pope said in an interview with KSR on May 22. “It’s so cool to see, it’s the best thing to see as a coach. He’s talking about what he wants to be. It’s no longer kind of what he is and who he is and how he acts, but it’s what he wants to become.”

As the season inches closer, we’ll learn more about Garrison’s impact on the court and if he’ll be the day one starter, but regardless, off the court, you can bet he has some wisdom to pass down.

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Men's Basketball

Former Wildcats Headline Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals Matchup

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Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Kevin Jairaj | IMAGN

The NBA Finals tip off with familiar faces on both sides in the first-ever series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.

For the first time since 2012, when the Thunder were led by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City is in the NBA Finals. The franchise has the opportunity to earn its first title in Oklahoma City since the team’s rebrand and relocation in 2008.

As for the Pacers, it’s the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. Indiana is seeking its first championship in team history. 

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City’s superstar and crowning 2024-25 league MVP has continued his season-long dominance into the postseason. Averaging 31.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Gilgeous-Alexander impressed as the Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1, as he led all but one game of the series in scoring. 

After an underwhelming performance in Game 3, Gilgeous-Alexander responded with a near triple-double performance, posting 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Oklahoma City defeated the Timberwolves narrowly, 128-126.

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The Thunder blew out Minnesota in Games 4 and 5 thanks to back-to-back massive performances by Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 34 and 40 points, respectively. Clinching his first bid to the NBA Finals. 

At midcourt after their Game 5 victory, OKC hoisted the Western Conference Trophy in front of their home crowd. Gilgeous-Alexander walked off with the Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson Trophy for his Western Conference Finals heroics.

Cason Wallace

Second-year pro Wallace is the Thunder’s ultimate plug-and-play contributor. Although Wallace isn’t a stat-stuffing machine like Gilgeous-Alexander, his defensive prowess stands out.

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In five games, the Kentucky product averaged 25.8 minutes per game off the bench. Wallace was often assigned to guard Wolves superstar Anthony Edwards. 

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged five points, 3.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and nearly a block and steal per game. 

Known for his hustle, Wallace excels at imposing himself on defense despite commonly matching up with larger opponents. His ability to disrupt the Timberwolves’ offense created offensive opportunities, which coincided with his pass-first mentality on offense.

Wallace could be found stealing from 7-foot-1 Frenchman Rudy Gobert in the post and nailing 3-pointers on the other end.

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In Game 5, Wallace scored only five points but had two rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Helping OKC seal a commanding 124-94 victory to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.

Isaiah Jackson

The tallest former Wildcat out of the bunch, Jackson stands at 6-foot-9 as a physical off-the-bench presence for Indiana.

Unfortunately, the big man won’t be available to play in the NBA Finals. In the fifth game of the season, Jackson suffered a season-ending Achilles tear on Nov. 1 in a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. 

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This season Jackson made six appearances for the Pacers, including a start against the Boston Celtics early in the season. Posting seven points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

Despite the injury, the four-year Pacer would still receive a ring if Indiana wins for his short-lived contribution this season.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips-off on Thursday, June 5, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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