Tag: Kentucky basketball

How Kentucky fared in Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections

Kentucky basketball is up to a three seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi released his latest Bracketology prediction on Monday, featuring a surge upward from the Kentucky Wildcats.

Kentucky has moved up to a third seed, with Lunardi projecting the team as a  three seed. They’re set to play in the Midwest region, where they would face fourteen seed Vermont in the opening round.

The move can be directly attributed to the Wildcats’ 77-72 upset win over the Duke Blue Devils last week, with Kentucky showing off exactly the kind of winning basketball it takes to win major tournament games.

Related: Best photos of Kentucky’s win over Lipscomb

This is a sentiment Lunardi clearly agreed with, as he moved Mark Pope’s squad up in seeding.

“I might not always agree, but there’s a reason the NCAA men’s basketball selection committee insists November results mean just as much as late-season games. Let’s go back a week to the final media timeout of the Champions Classic. Kentucky had come from double digits down to tie Duke. The underdog Wildcats managed to win those last four minutes, not only notching the first major victory of the Mark Pope era but creating the kind of bracket disruption not normally seen this early in the season,” Lunardi said. “Former top-liner Duke drops all the way to a 3-seed in the shuffle, while Kentucky leaps three lines to join the Blue Devils.”

Lunardi’s next Bracketology will release next Tuesday, with the 4-0 Wildcats set to at least hold the line until that ensuing edition.

The best photos from Kentucky’s win over Lipscomb on Tuesday

Here are the best images from Kentucky’s win over Lipscomb on Tuesday.

Kentucky basketball has begun the Mark Pope era by winning their first four games. The latest victory was on Tuesday, against the Lipscomb Bisons by a score of 97 – 68.

The Wildcats are off to a hot start, including a win over the Duke Blue Devils that jumped them up the 11th in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. Their win over Lipscomb didn’t have as much drama as that one, though.

Related: Kentucky women’s basketball up three spots in coaches poll

Jaxson Robinson bounced back from a down game versus Duke to lead Kentucky with 20 points. Lamont Jackson had perhaps his best game so far, with 16 points and several nice defensive plays. Otega Oweh also filled up the stat sheet with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, and an assist.

The end result was another big offensive output for the Cats, and a blowout victory. Pope’s Wildcats are 4 – 0, and have impressed opponents and analysts alike.

As always, there were a number of great pictures taken from the game. Here are the best of those images:

Jaxson Robinson leads Kentucky to a blowout win over Lipscomb

Kentucky basketball defeated Lipscomb on Tuesday behind a 20 point night from Jaxson Robinson.

A week after getting an upset win over the Duke Blue Devils, Kentucky basketball faced a team they were expected to beat in Lipscomb. They would dominate most of the night and win it by a score of 97 – 68.

Against Duke, guard Jaxson Robinson struggled offensively, scoring just a single point. He didn’t have that problem on Tuesday night. He made 6-of-10 shots, including 3-of-6 from three-point range and led the Wildcats with 20 points.

Related: Kentucky jumps up in the newest Coaches Poll

Point guard Lamont Butler also had a big night for Kentucky. He was 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and scored 16 points. Otega Oweh and Koby Brea also had double figures with 14 and 12 respectively.

Defensively, Kentucky held Lipscomb to just 38% shooting and they made just 5-of-29 three-point attempts. The Wildcats, however, made 48% of their shots from deep.

Next up for Kentucky is Jackson State. That game will be played at Rupp Arena on November 22nd at 7:00 PM ET.

Kentucky makes a big jump in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Kentucky basketball jumps to number eleven in the new USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

The Mark Pope era of Kentucky basketball is off to a great start. After winning their first two games, the Wildcats got an impressive victory over the Duke Blue Devils on the back of a SEC Player of the Week performance by Andrew Carr.

As a result, Kentucky jumped up seven spots in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. They are now ranked 11th overall, and are the fourth highest ranked SEC team.

Related: Best photos from Kentucky’s win over Duke

The Alabama Crimson Tide lost their first game, and fell to number seven. Meanwhile the Auburn Tigers are now ranked third overall. The Tennessee Volunteers are also ranked in the top ten, coming in at number nine. Three other SEC teams are ranked, for a total of seven in the top 25.

For Kentucky, it has been a fast rise up the rankings after being barely a top 25 team in the preseason. Up next for the Cats is Lipscomb. It’s a game Kentucky should win, but they’ll need to avoid an emotional letdown after the big victory over Duke.

Here is the full top 25 in the new Coaches Poll:

 

Rank Team Record Points
1 Kansas 4-0 665 (21)
2 UConn 3-0 632 (3)
3 Auburn 3-0 608 (2)
4 Gonzaga 3-0 599 (1)
5 Iowa State 2-0 516
6 Purdue 4-0 513
7 Houston 2-1 470
7 Alabama 3-1 470
9 Tennessee 4-0 462
10 Duke 3-1 421
11 Kentucky 3-0 381
12 North Carolina 2-1 377
13 Creighton 4-0 348
14 Marquette 4-0 319
15 Baylor 3-1 313
16 Cincinnati 3-0 229
17 Arizona 2-1 228
18 Indiana 3-0 208
19 Florida 4-0 168
20 Illinois 3-0 133
21 St. John’s 4-0 119
22 Texas Tech 3-0 95
23 Texas A&M 3-1 94
24 Arkansas 2-1 82
25 Wisconsin 4-0 75

Andrew Carr named SEC Player Of The Week after their Duke win

Kentucky basketball forward Andrew Carr was named SEC Player of the Week.

Following a stellar effort last week, Kentucky basketball forward Andrew Carr has been rewarded.

Carr was named SEC Player of the week following a strong performance in Kentucky’s 77-72 win over Duke on November 13.

The Wildcat forward scored a season high 17 points in the win — which was Kentucky’s only matchup of the week. He also chipped in six rebounds, three assists, and a block against the Blue Devils.

Carr also proved to be crucial defensively, guarding Duke phenom Cooper Flagg towards the end of the matchup.

Related: Five things learned in the win over Duke

Tied at 72 with 26 seconds left in the game, Carr forced Flagg — who was driving inside — to his left. Wildcat guard Otega Oweh stole the ball, forcing a Duke foul and free throws that eventually won the game.

With the accolade, Carr becomes the first SEC Player of the week of the Mark Pope era. It’s his second career player of the week honor, as he also earned one at Wake Forrest in January of 2023.

The Wake Forrest transfer has been crucial in Pope’s first year — averaging 13 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2 assists per game. The forward has also been incredibly efficient through the Wildcats’ first three games, shooting 68.4% from the field and 60% flat from three.

Carr spent his first two years at Delaware, where he became a regular starter in his second season. In 2022, the forward transferred to Wake Forrest — playing two years with the Demon Deacons before heading to Pope’s first-year Kentucky program.

Kentucky basketball is up to number eight in ESPN’s rankings

Kentucky basketball rises up into the top 10 in ESPN’s top 25 rankings after beating Duke.

Kentucky basketball defeated the Duke Blue Devils on Tuesday night, and it’s safe to say it was an unforgettable one. The Wildcats completed a second half comeback, locking Duke’s offense up and holding them to just 26 points, while making key shots of their own to get the upset win.

The victory was great for fans, but everyone else took notice as well. It feels certain that all of the new top 25 polls will see a big rise from the Wildcats, and that started with ESPN on Thursday.

Related: Five things learned from Kentucky’s win over Duke

Analyst Jeff Borzello ranked the teams, and Kentucky saw a drastic rise after Tuesday’s win. Previously, they were ranked 23rd, but jumped all the way up to number eight this week. Here’s what he had to say about the Cats:

At halftime during the Champions Classic, it was fair to question whether Kentucky could consistently get points in a half-court setting against a strong opponent. Duke was keeping the Wildcats out of transition, and after an early barrage of 3s, the team’s attack had dried up. Then Mark Pope made some smart tweaks offensively, using Amari Williams and Brandon Garrison as playmakers in the middle of the floor, and Andrew Carr created matchup problems. The Wildcats answered a lot of questions with their second-half showing.

As more rankings come out, fans should see similar jumps from Kentucky after a defining win in early in the Mark Pope era.

A big Kentucky recruiting target cancels his visit with an SEC rival

Kentucky recruiting target Caleb Wilson canceled a visit with Arkansas on Thursday.

When Kentucky basketball recently earned a commitment from guard Acaden Lewis, many thought the forward Caleb Wilson would follow. A decision hasn’t been made yet, but the Wildcats may have gotten a bit of good news on that front.

Wilson was scheduled to take a visit with John Calipari and Arkansas this weekend. However, on Thursday, 247sports analyst Travis Branham posted that the visit would no longer take place, and won’t be rescheduled.

Related: Five things learned in the win over Duke

Some will certainly take that as a positive for Kentucky. It could be a sign that he’s close to choosing the Wildcats. However, it’s important to note that it could be related to something completely different. It’s also noteworthy that Wilson was in attendance for Kentucky’s big win over the Duke Blue Devils on Tuesday.

Wilson is a 6’9″ forward out of Georgia. He is currently ranked as the number eight overall player by 247sports, and is rated five stars. He has offers from teams like the Auburn Tigers, Tennessee Volunteers, and North Carolina Tarheels as well.

The best photos from Kentucky’s huge win over Duke Tuesday night

Here are the best pictures from the Kentucky basketball win over Duke.

The Mark Pope era has barely begun, but Kentucky basketball already has a signature victory after upsetting the Duke Blue Devils. The Wildcats defense led a second half comeback and they walked out with a 77 – 72 win.

Forward Andrew Carr was key in getting the win. He led the team in scoring with 17 points and made some big buckets in the second half. Otega Oweh also made a number of big plays down the stretch, including a steal and a massive rebound at the end of the game. He also scored 15 points.

Related: Dazia Lawrence leads Kentucky women to a win

Duke led the game by nine at halftime behind Freshman Cooper Flagg. The Blue Devils star was terrific all game long, but they also forced him into mistakes at the end of the game.

Amari Williams created a turnover on the baseline with a terrific defensive play, and Otega Oweh snatched the ball from him in the final minute as well.

The win was a statement from Pope and the Wildcats. They may not have the flashy players that they’ve had in past seasons. However, they’re experienced, and they will not give up.

Tuesday’s win was an exciting one, with lots of great moments. Here are some of the best pictures of the action:

Kentucky upset Duke after a furious second half comeback

Kentucky basketball defeats Duke behind a big second half defensive effort and comeback.

Kentucky basketball and Big Blue Nation are celebrating late Tuesday night after the Wildcats pulled off the huge upset over the Duke Blue Devils by a score of 77 – 72.

Mark Pope and the Wildcats had to come from behind after a tough first half. At halftime, Duke led by nine points, largely thanks to Freshman Cooper Flagg. In the second half, however, Kentucky’s defense came to play, and they held the Blue Devils to just 26 points.

Related: Kentucky women’s basketball advances to 3 – 0 with win

Andrew Carr led the Wildcats in scoring with 17 points. He also had multiple huge plays down the stretch. Otega Oweh was also instrumental in the finish of the game, including stealing the ball from Flagg in the final minute. He finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds.

In the end, Kentucky’s veteran leadership won out. They forced Flagg into two turnovers in the final moments of the game to close it out. It was a huge night for the Wildcats and their fans. Congratulations to Coach Pope and the Wildcats for pulling off a big upset.

Meet Mark Pope, the Kentucky men’s basketball coach who replaced John Calipari

Mark Pope won a championship while playing for Kentucky.

College basketball fans will see someone new on the sidelines coaching the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team this season.

After a decade and a half with Kentucky, former Wildcats head coach John Calipari is no longer leading the program. Now the head coach at Arkansas, the longtime face of the team brought a few of his former players to a new school in the SEC.

In his absence, former BYU head coach Mark Pope is now running the show for Kentucky.

OTHER NEW COACHES: The men’s NCAA basketball coaching carousel’s biggest moves, including John Calipari to Arkansas

Pope is originally from Washington and played college basketball for the Washington Huskies, where he was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 1992.

He eventually transferred to Kentucky, where he played from 1994 until 1996. As a forward, he was team captain for the Wildcats when they won the NCAA men’s basketball championship in 1996.

Selected in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft, he played professionally both overseas and in the NBA. After his playing career concluded, he began coaching.

Pope served as an assistant coach at Georgia, Wake Forest, and BYU before becoming head coach at Utah Valley in 2015. Pope took over as head coach for the Cougars in 2019 and was able to take the team to the March Madness tournament last season.

Now the head coach of his alma mater, fans will have high hopes for Pope’s first season. While several players left the team for the NBA or the transfer portal, he will bring former BYU top scorer Jaxson Robinson with him to the Wilcats.

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