Men's Basketball

TV Info and Things to Know: Kentucky vs Michigan State

Published

1 year ago

November 14, 2022

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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: WatchESPN, ESPN+, 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 Sheets: UK | 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%.

Predictions: Bart Torvik went with a 73-70 margin for the Cats to pull out the victory.

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

Related Topics:Adou Thiero Antonio Reeves CJ Fredrick Damion Collins John Calipari Michigan State Oscar Tshiebwe Sahvir Wheeler

BB Recruiting

Kentucky to Host Multiple Top Transfers This Weekend

Published

27 mins ago

April 25, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats are hosting multiple top transfers this weekend for visits, looking to add to their roster.

With the deadline for players to enter the portal coming up on May 1st, Kentucky nearly has all their options on the table. Now two weeks since taking the job, Mark Pope has expressed interest in nearly two dozen names and has been keying in on some top names in the portal.

As of writing this article, top 25 transfer Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), is currently on a visit to Lexington, with three more players set to visit this weekend. There’s a good chance that some of those visits turn into commitments.

Let’s take a look at those names.

Deivon Smith – Guard, Utah

Physicals: 6’0, 173 lbs
Stats: 13.3 PPG, 7.1 APG, 6.3 RPG, 46.% FG, 40.8% 3P
Ranking: 10th (Evan Miya), 38rd (247Sports)

Kentucky has had just three players record a triple-double in program history. Deivon Smith recorded five triple-doubles this past season alone, the second-most all-time for a single season in NCAA history.

While undersized, he is one of the best all-around guards in the country, as his numbers show. It’s still early, but Kentucky getting the first visit is significant. St. John’s and Texas Tech have also been mentioned here.

Andrej Stojaković – Guard, Stanford

Physicals: 6’7, 190 lbs
Stats: 7.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 40.9% FG, 32.7% 3P
Ranking: 183rd (Evan Miya), 51st (247Sports)

Stojakovic is the son of former NBA All-Star, Peja Stojakovic. A familiar name for Kentucky fans from his high school recruitment. Stojakovic is a terrific shooter, and a top-25 recruit in the 2023 class.

On Thursday, Stojakovic cut his list to just three schools: California, UNC, and Kentucky. As a West Coast product, California was a school that showed interest when he was in high school, and so did Mark Pope when he was at BYU. Pope has made Stojakovic a priority, he could seal the deal this weekend.

Aidan Mahaney – Guard, Saint Mary’s

Physicals: 6-3, 180 lbs
Stats: 13.9 PPG, 2.6 APG, 38.6% FG, 35.5% 3P
Ranking: 96th (Evan Miya), 14th (247Sports)

One of the best guards in the portal. As a lead guard for Saint Mary’s, he displayed a good sense of playing under control, setting himself up and others. That said, his numbers were rather inefficient as the primary scoring option for the Gaels and shooting more than half of his shots from three. There are concerns about his playing against bigger guards.

Mahaney visited UConn Thursday and it looks to be a race between Creighton, Virginia, UConn, and Kentucky.

Andrew Carr – Forward, Wake Forest

Physicals: 6-11, 230 lbs
Stats: 13.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 52.6% FG, 37.1% 3P
Ranking: 33rd (Evan Miya), Not Listed (247Sports)

A near 7-footer who is efficient and can stretch the floor, shooting over 37 percent from three, is a player that Mark Pope would love to add to his roster. That describes Andrew Carr who has played two years at each Delaware and Wake Forest and is looking to go elsewhere for his last season of eligibility.

Carr is coming off a visit to Texas Tech and will visit Villanova after he visits Lexington this weekend.

Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Hiring Top Assistant Coach Alvin Brooks III from Baylor

Published

1 day ago

April 24, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky may not have been able to pull Scott Drew away from Baylor, but they were able to pull Alvin Brooks III, one of the best assistant coaches in the country. First reported by CBS Sports on Wednesday morning, Brooks has accepted an associate head coach position at Kentucky, the same role in which he had at Baylor.

NEWS: Top Baylor assistant Alvin Brooks III is leaving the Bears to join Mark Pope's staff at Kentucky, sources tell @CBSSports. He spent the past eight years under Scott Drew and will be associate HC @ UK. Brooks is highly respected in the profession. It's a major coup for Pope.— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 24, 2024

Brooks comes to Kentucky with a great reputation as a recruiter, helping Baylor bring in some elite talent over the last couple of seasons, most notably, McDonald’s All-Americans VJ Edgecombe (2024), Ja’Kobe Walter (2023), and Keyonte George (2022).

Just 44 years old, Brooks has two decades of coaching experience. Before his time at Baylor he also had stops at Kansas State (2012-16), Sam Houston State (2010-12), Bradley (2007-10), Midland (2006-07), and Arkansas-Fort Smith (2004-06).

Brooks spoke with Kentucky Insider earlier this month about Kentucky’s hire of Mark Pope, as someone who competed against him at BYU. He spoke highly of the hire, specifically of his Xs and Os, and saw “no negatives”.

Interestingly, he will not be the first Alvin Brooks to be a part of the Kentucky Basketball program as his father was the Director of Operations from 2007-09 under Billy Gillispie. Brooks joins an assembled staff of Cody Fueger, Jason Hart, and Mark Fox, leaving just one assistant spot remaining which likely won’t come soon.

That said, the concern with Pope was his recruiting ability. With Hart and now Brooks, he has addressed that concern and has added two of the best recruiters in the country.

BB Recruiting

Transfer Amari Williams Commits to Kentucky

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2024

Tristan Pharis

Drexel transfer Amari Williams has committed to play for the Kentucky Wildcats. Becomes first transfer commitment under Mark Pope.

Graphic via ClutchPoints

Amari Williams has made his decision. He has committed to the Wildcats, first reported by Joe Tipton of On3.

Williams’ decision comes after visiting Lexington this past weekend. On all accounts and given his commitment, all things went well, even taking a visit to Keeneland with new head coach Mark Pope.

Originally from Nottingham, England, Williams has played the last four years at Drexel. He has career averages of 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks.

From his sophomore season forward, Williams has been named to the All-Coastal Athletic Association Team three times and has won three straight CAA Defensive Player of the Year Awards.

The 6-foot-10, 265-pound forward is a physical big. On the offensive end, he scores most of his points at the rim, many of which come in transition or off offensive rebounds, but he is also comfortable extending to the elbow. He is a better passer than one would expect as well, with an 18% assist rate.

As his Defensive Player of the Year awards suggest, Williams makes his biggest impact on the defensive side of the ball. With a 7-foot-5 wingspan, he blocks plenty of shots (8.5% block rate) and alters many more. His physical size and length help him rebound the ball well.

Both were areas Kentucky lacked in last season.

If you’re an analytical guy, Williams has been a top-20 player in player efficiency ratings the previous two seasons, with a 28.5 PER each season.

For reference, Kentucky’s most efficient players last season, Reed Sheppard and Antonio Reeves, both had a PER of 23.6.

Evan Miya, one of the best analytics gurus in college hoops, has Williams ranked 14th overall in DBPR for next season, which measures the defensive value a player brings to his team when he is on the court. So Kentucky just landed one of the best defensive transfers in America.

With his commitment, Williams becomes Kentucky’s first transfer under Mark Pope and just the second commitment overall, joining Collin Chandler, a 4-star recruit of the 2022 class returning from a mission trip this summer.

It’s worth noting that he played alongside fellow Kentucky target and Utah State transfer Great Osobor in England. Could the two join forces in Lexington as Kentucky’s frontcourt?

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