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Men's Basketball

TV Info and Things to Know: Kentucky vs Michigan State

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UK Athletics

Through two regular season games, the Kentucky Wildcats have looked impressive, but they will have their first real test on Tuesday as they take on the Michigan State Spartans in the Champions Classic.

This season the Spartans don’t have the usual ranking by their name, but don’t be fooled as they are the first team ranked outside the Top 25.

Currently, with a 1-1 record, Michigan State just faced off against No. 2 Gonzaga and should have won. The Spartans played an excellent defensive game, forcing 18 turnovers and holding the Bulldogs to just 42 percent from the field and 22 percent from three. Yet, they were ultimately done in by foul trouble and a cold-shooting second half (5-for-20).

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Following the game, Spartans guard A.J. Hoggard said, “I learned that we can play with anybody in the country.”

We will find out if that is true on Tuesday. Let’s look at some things to watch for.

Will Kentucky be at full strength?

One of the biggest storylines for Kentucky this season, is that they have yet to be at full strength.

After missing the season opener, Sahvir Wheeler made his debut and did so in an impressive fashion. Coming off the bench, the senior guard finished with a double-double scoring 11 points and adding 11 assists and 2 steals.

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Damion Collins is also expected to be available. However, that still leaves the reigning National Player of the Year, Oscar Tshiebwe. Will he be ready for Michigan State on Tuesday?

“I don’t know yet,” Calipari said following the Duquesne game.

“He’s ahead of schedule, but you know, you’ve got to be able to stop and turn… So we’ll have to see.”

Tshiebwe is officially listed as day-to-day per the injury report and has begun to participate in non-contact drills in practice, so it is possible that Tshiebwe could make his much-anticipated return in Tuesday’s Champions Classic.

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Can Kentucky use their depth?

Even without Tshiebwe, Kentucky has 10 players that can impact a game. Whereas, for Michigan State depth is a weakness.

Against Gonzaga, the Spartans played just 5 players for more than 20 minutes. However, due to foul trouble, Izzo was forced to play nine players. Of those who played, there were just 4 players that scored more than five points.

In comparison, Kentucky is still without two key players (Collins, Tshiebwe), but has still played nine players in real game time, with eight of them more than 20 minutes. The exception, Adou Thiero, who played 14 minutes against Howard.

Of those nine players, seven of them are averaging more than 5 points, including five who are averaging double-digits. As a whole, Kentucky is averaging 35 points from the bench.

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Don’t expect Calipari to continue playing nine or ten guys, but the Wildcats have players that can step up if called upon.

How does the offense play against a top defense?

The Kentucky offense has been very impressive thus far, averaging 86 points per contest, while shooting over 50 percent from the field and from three. Yes, from three – in large thanks to CJ Fredrick and Antonio Reeves.

As a team, Kentucky is shooting just over 51 percent from three, which ranks 9th in the country and is the highest of any power five schools. This also isn’t due to a lack of attempts, as they have shot 43 (hitting 22 of them), which is ranked top 20 in the country.

The surprising part of this has been that Kentucky has displayed an explosive offense 3rd in efficiency (KenPom) without much of an offensive paint threat. Which will change when Tshiebwe returns.

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Michigan State, who has the 26th most efficient defense does pose a greater challenge than the two teams that Kentucky has played thus far, who both are 200 or worst.

With that said, don’t expect Kentucky to have the same level of efficiency, but it will be interesting to what the offense looks like against a top defense.

Kentucky Wildcats Basketball vs. Michigan State Spartans

Time/Date: 7 pm ET, November 15th
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
TV Channel: ESPN
Announcers: Play-by play: Mike Morgan; Analyst: Mark Wise.
Online Stream: WatchESPNESPN+, SEC Network+, or the ESPN app.
Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens will have the UK radio network call on WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1, and the UK Sports Network.
Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
Rosters: UK | MSU
Stats To Know: UK | MSU
Team SheetsUK | MSU
Live Stats

  • Odds: The betting line has yet to be released, but ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Wildcats a 76.6% chance of winning, and Bart Torvik has it at 60%.
  • PredictionsBart Torvik went with a 73-70 margin for the Cats to pull out the victory.

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

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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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