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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

Amari Williams Picked 46th by the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA Draft

Amari Williams is the second Kentucky player selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, as Boston takes the big man with their second round pick.

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Amari Williams is drafted by the Boston Celtics.
Wesley Hale | Imagn Images

Fan-favorite big man (and official Weetabix sponsor) Amari Williams has officially made it to the big leagues, taken by the Boston Celtics with the 46th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, via a trade with the Orlando Magic.

The selection makes Williams the second Wildcat to be scooped up from this year’s pool, following Koby Brea being picked by the Phoenix Suns just five picks earlier at the 41st spot. From Mark Pope’s first Kentucky team, two transfer athletes (thus far) in their last year of eligibility have achieved next-level dreams by way of the blue and white.

Williams, who averaged 11 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game during his lone season in Lexington, will look to aid Boston in filling their recently vacant five-spot, left by the recently traded Kristaps Porzingis.

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As Wildcat fans surely know, not only can Williams battle with the best of them in the paint, but he can run the floor as efficiently as just about any guard, too. His versatility and sizable frame ensure a high ceiling in the NBA and, despite not every draft board seeing him selected, the league champions two years removed made the call when it mattered.

Hailing overseas from Nottingham, England, and spending his first four years of college basketball at the University of Drexel, Williams’ success is a testament not only to Kentucky Basketball’s immaculate tradition, but to his own incredible work ethic and intangible ability.

Cats fans will be sure to follow and support their point-center to the next level, as they always do. Go be great, Amari – all of BBN has your back.

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Men's Basketball

Koby Brea Selected to the Phoenix Suns With the No. 41 Overall Pick in the 2025 NBA Draft

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Tristan Pharis | KY Insider

Koby Brea arrived at Kentucky last season as one of the nation’s deadliest shooters, lived up to the billing, and reaped his rewards on Thursday night at the NBA Draft. The former Kentucky star is heading to the Phoenix Suns with the No. 41 overall pick

As a 6-foot-7 wing, Brea entered the 2025 NBA Draft as one of the most experienced prospects after spending four years at Dayton and a fifth at Kentucky during Mark Pope’s successful first season as head coach, where he became one of the best three-point shooters in all of college basketball.

Last season at Kentucky, the Bronx native averaged 11.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43.5% from beyond the arc on nearly six attempts per game in 36 games, 16 of which were starts, showcasing his scoring ability in transition, off the catch, and via handoffs and screens.

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Not only did Brea achieve his own dreams of playing at the next level, but becomes a piece of history for Pope, becoming the first player drafted out of Kentucky during the Pope era.

Brea joins a rebuilding franchise with a notorious background for drafting Kentucky guards. Eric Bledsoe rings the bell, Tyler Ulis of course, and the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, Devin Booker obviously leads the pack.

Go be great Fuego!

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Men's Basketball

How a Call with Mark Pope Led Denzel Aberdeen to Kentucky

After winning a national title at Florida, Denzel Aberdeen committed to Kentucky without ever visiting campus—thanks to a revealing three-hour call with head coach Mark Pope.

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Chet White | UK Athletics

As a junior, Denzel Aberdeen was a key part of Florida’s national title run. But a certain phone conversation convinced him to leave his home state and head north to Lexington in hopes of experiencing that feeling once again.

He had never set foot in Lexington before deciding to become a Kentucky Wildcat — and he didn’t need to. All it took was one phone call — three hours long, on Easter Sunday — with head coach Mark Pope to convince him that he belonged in blue and white.

“Our phone call lasted about three hours, to be honest,” Aberdeen said, meeting with the media in Lexington for the first time earlier this week. “A lot of it was just getting to know me and getting to know the school, the university, getting to know him (Pope), how their style was, a lot of film. Once I saw that, I was like this looks like a great guy to play for.”

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The two went on to discuss Aberdeen’s role at Kentucky in more depth, including how Pope envisions him fitting into Kentucky’s new system — a system that, according to Aberdeen, is very similar, if not better than the one he just left.

“We had a lot of great players at Florida, especially the tall bigs. Bigs that love to run there, and we have just as much here; our bigs love to run, they play defense, and they play at a fast pace. So I think the things that we’ve got here are just as good, or even better,” Aberdeen said.

Averaging 7.7 points and nearly 20 minutes per game off the bench for the Gators last year, it’s clear to see what Aberdeen brings to the team: experience, versatility, calmness in the backcourt, and championship pedigree. Pope’s phone conversation with Aberdeen wasn’t just impactful on the court — it also speaks volumes to what he is doing off the court in pursuit of the goal he laid out in his introductory press conference: to hang banners.

This phone call wasn’t just about Denzel Aberdeen. It was a glimpse into Pope’s player-first, transparent coaching approach, which could define his era at Kentucky — and potentially make this season a special one, with Aberdeen playing another key role in a deep NCAA Tournament run.

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“I know the goal is to win No. 9,” he said. “I know the fans want that, we want that, all the staff and coaches want that. That pushes us. We know what we gotta do when we come here and put on that Kentucky jersey. Just playing for the University of Kentucky is a big thing. Being here is a blessing, and I can’t look back.”

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