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TV Info and Three Things to Watch: Kentucky vs. Gonzaga

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UK Athletics

After beating South Carolina State on Thursday, 106-63, the Kentucky Wildcats look to start a winning streak and pick up their first-ranked win of the season against the No. 2-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Both Kentucky and Gonzaga are 2-1, with losses to ranked teams. However, the Bulldogs did beat the same Michigan State team that Kentucky lost to on Tuesday.

Sunday night’s game will be the first game of the new six-year series, and the Wildcats will look to go up 2-0 in the all-time series record, with Kentucky beating the Bulldogs in their first matchup in 2002.

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Entering the game with each team having struggles of their own, it will be an interesting battle. Let’s take a deeper look at things to look for on Sunday night.

Oscar Tshiebwe vs Drew Timme

Two of the best big men in the country will go head-to-head on Sunday, Oscar Tshiebwe and Drew Timme.

Tshiebwe missed the first two games of the season recovering from minor knee surgery, but already looks to be close to his old form. In his season debut against Michigan State, Tshibwe put up 22 points and 18 rebounds. However, he played just 14 minutes against South Carolina State in order to rest for Sunday’s matchup.

As for Timme, he has been equally as impressive and looks to have even gotten better, averaging a career-high 20.7 points (34th in the NCAA) on 60.5 percent shooting from the field.

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However, the two have played before back in 2020 when Tshiebwe was still with West Virginia. In that game, Gonzaga won in a close one 87-82, as Timme recorded 17 points and 3 rebounds, compared to Tshiebwe’s 14 points and 9 rebounds.

John Calipari has seen a similar matchup before, “It was Marcus Camby and Tim Duncan… You would have thought no one else was in the game and there were no coaches. It was one-on-one.”

Which player will get the upper hand?

Can Kentucky take advantage of Gonzaga’s guard play?

While Drew Timme will do Drew Timme things, Gonzaga does not have the guard they have had in recent seasons.

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Despite four of their five leading scorers being guards, the Bulldogs do not have a true point guard. In fact, there are only three players for Gonzaga averaging more than 2 assists per game, and two of them are forwards.

With that said, Julian Strawther is the Bulldog’s clear second option, but things get cloudy behind him between Nolan Hickman, Hunter Salis, and Malachi Smith.

Despite still looking for their balance, Sahvir Wheeler and Cason Wallace have proven to be the better guards thus far. If they can produce and play good defense as they have, Kentucky will be in good shape.

Can Kentucky force turnovers and generate offense?

One of Gonzaga’s biggest weaknesses thus far has been their lack of ball security, as they turn the ball over as much as anyone in the country. In fact, they average 17.3 turnovers per game, ranking 324th in the country.

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Just in their last two games alone against Michigan State and Texas, Gonzaga has recorded 18 and 20 turnovers, giving up an average of twenty points off turnovers. The main source for these turnovers, especially against Texas, has been defensive pressure.

With their length and size, Kentucky should be able to force Gonzaga into some turnovers, especially if they bring pressure as they have at times this season.

This would be very beneficial if the Wildcats were to struggle in the half-court offense, as their defense would provide them with some transition scoring opportunities and open up the floor.

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs

Time/Date: 7:30 pm ET November 20th
Location: Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington
TV Channel: ESPN
Announcers: Jon Sciambi and Jimmy Dykes are on the call.
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 | GU
Stats To Know: UK | GU
Team SheetsUK | GU
Live Stats

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Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook has Gonzaga -3ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Wildcats just a 22.3% chance of winning, and Bart Torvik has it at 24%. KenPom has it at a more friendly 44%.

PredictionsBart Torvik has Kentucky losing with a final score of 83-75, while KenPom went with a 79-78 margin for the Zags. TeamRankings is going Gonzaga 79-76.

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

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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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