Tag: kentucky wildcats basketball

Nate Oats responds to the Kentucky head coaching job rumors

Alabama Crimson Tide basketball coach Nate Oats takes to social media to respond to rumors that he would be a candidate to replace John Calipari at Kentucky.

Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats was the center of rumors regarding the Kentucky Wildcats head coaching vacancy. With long-time coach John Calipari leaving for the Arkansas Razorbacks, there’s a need for a new head coach in Lexington, Kentucky.

Oats has spent five seasons in Tuscaloosa and has improved the program on the court, on the recruiting trail and in March each season. Just a few days ago, he led the Crimson Tide to its first-ever Final Four appearance.

Fans were conflicted online, with Alabama fans concerned that he’d jump at the opportunity, some Kentucky fans calling for Oats to be the primary candidate, and others considering him a legitimate option for the job.

Nate Oats is not leaving. In a post shared to social media, Oats addresses the Crimson Tide faithful,

“I am fully committed to this team and to this university. We have already accomplished some great things here, and there is nothing I want more than for The University of Alabama to win its first national championship in men’s basketball. Despite any rumors to the contrary, rest assured that I will continue that pursuit as your head coach.”

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama basketball news as it becomes available.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Dan Wolken lists Mick Cronin as Kentucky candidate

Mick Cronin is again linked as a candidate.

The Kentucky Wildcats have a head coach opening with John Calipari’s shocking decision to go to Arkansas. The coaching carousel has taken another wild turn, and suddenly UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin is once again an option for a high-profile job.

Cronin was already linked as a Louisville candidate before they hired Pat Kelsey. Now Dan Wolken of USA Today mentioned Cronin as a candidate, albeit an unlikely one. Here’s what Wolken wrote about the UCLA coach potentially going to Kentucky:

Despite his ties to the area as a former coach at nearby Murray State and Cincinnati, the timing probably isn’t great. Cronin is coming off a rebuilding year at UCLA and would be a tough sell to the Kentucky fan base, despite a long track record of success including a Final Four appearance in 2021.

There are plenty of names that have popped up, and Wolken isn’t the only one to mention Cronin as a candidate, either. Other names Wolken linked are Baylor’s Scott Drew, Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, among others.

Paul Finebaum believes Nate Oats to Kentucky is a real possibility

Could Alabama basketball head coach Nate Oats be on the move to Kentucky? Paul Finebaum believes it’s a possibility.

Just days after leading the Alabama Crimson Tide basketball program to its first-ever Final Four appearance, there are rumors that he could be on his way out of Tuscaloosa. With John Calipari leaving the Kentucky Wildcats for the Arkansas Razorbacks job, there is an intriguing job opening in Lexington.

This coaching carousel is still in the early stages and began when the first domino fell of Eric Musselman left Arkansas for the head coaching position for the USC Trojans.

Alabama and Oats recently reached an agreement on a long-term contract extension that features a buyout of over $18 million, but that steep price may not be an issue for Kentucky.

ESPN SEC commentator Paul Finebaum recently stated that the Wildcats saved a lot of money by not firing Calipari, and that they may be willing to dig into their pockets to bring in a coach that can change the program for the better.

The athletics department would not have to look very far, as Oats is in the SEC and is undoubtedly one of the hottest names in college basketball at the moment.

“The one you have to keep your eye on, we just saw SEC to SEC, Keep your eye on Nate Oats. He just took Alabama – yes, Alabama – to the Final Four for the first time in history. The only issue, he just got a new contract from Greg Byrne, the athletic director, and Greg Byrne put in a $20 million buyout.”

With the news of Calipari’s departure still fresh, there has yet to be any official word on the possibility of Oats being contacted by the Kentucky athletic department. For now, it’s all speculation, but it’s hard to believe that Oats wouldn’t be on a short list of possible targets for the Wildcats.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Nate Oats and the possibility of losing him to Kentucky as more news and reports become available.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Kentucky G Adou Thiero enters transfer portal

Could Texas recruit Kentucky transfer Adou Thiero?

Kentucky guard Adou Thiero has entered the transfer portal. The talented guard could be worth consideration for Texas head coach Rodney Terry.

Thiero isn’t necessarily a game changer, but would be a good addition for a team that needs more than it got last year in the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-8 guard added 7.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 2023. The height alone should warrant a look at the sophomore guard’s film.

Texas’ loss to Tennessee made apparent one key flaw for the Longhorns’ roster. The team’s lack of height prevented it from scoring at the basket against Tennessee rim protectors. They could see more of that in the SEC if they fail to get taller across the board. The SEC is a tall league.

Whether or not Texas adds Thiero, it will need role players who can step up and score when its primary scorers go cold. Thiero’s rebounding ability is an added bonus.

Texas has an opportunity to get a head start in the transfer portal over teams still playing in the NCAA tournament. We will monitor the Longhorns’ portal pursuit over the next couple months.

‘I didn’t kick my leg out purposefully’: Tyrece Radford comments on contentious offensive foul call

With less than a minute left in overtime during Texas A&M’s 97-92 upset victory versus Kentucky on Saturday at Reed Arena, a contentious offensive foul call nearly changed the outcome of the game.

With less than a minute left in overtime during Texas A&M‘s 97-92 upset victory versus No. 6 Kentucky on Saturday at Reed Arena, a contentious offensive foul call nearly changed the outcome of the game.

Graduate student guard Tyrece Radford nailed a 3-pointer to give the Aggies a 97-89 lead over the Wildcats with 48.2 seconds remaining. However, the referees called Radford for an offensive foul, which negated the made basket and enraged many in Aggieland.

After the game, Radford gave his perspective on the controversial call.

“I was on the ground and looked at the ref who called it. I didn’t kick my leg out purposefully. I just needed to move on to the next play. I thought it was the and-1 at first,” Radford recalled. “Coming into the game, they were telling me to hoop and be myself. We tell each other to keep shooting. One thing that carries over is our defense. We continue to play and continue to hoop.”

Radford finished the game with a season-high 28 points on 11-of-22 field goal attempts. His teammate, junior G Wade Taylor IV, racked up a game-high 31 points.

After the win, head coach Buzz Williams shared his thoughts on his backcourt dynamic duo.

“Whether they make or miss a bunch of shots, I love them,” Williams said. “I’m never going to betray my relationship with those players or with their families. I want them to make shots. Today we made shots and that gave us a chance. I’ve never won against Kentucky. I’m hopeful that we can continue on this path we’ve built. Our players and staff are all overachievers. We have a bus full of people who have worked incredibly hard to have this chance.”

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

WATCH: Texas A&M guard Manny Obaseki’s rim-rattling dunk featured on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays

Standing at a towering 7-feet tall, Kentucky sophomore forward Ugonna Onyenso isn’t often challenged in the paint but Texas A&M junior guard Manny Obaseki simply did not care.

Standing at a towering 7-feet tall, Kentucky sophomore forward Ugonna Onyenso isn’t often challenged in the paint but Texas A&M junior guard Manny Obaseki simply did not care.

Leading 23-18 with just under 12 minutes to play in the first half Saturday at Reed Arena against the Wildcats, Obaseki crossed over, drove into the paint and went up for a rim-rattling dunk. The only problem was, that Onyenso was in his way.

That ultimately didn’t matter as Obaseki skied over the sophomore and slammed the dunk on his head. As the great play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Harlan once said, Obaseki threw down the dunk “with no regard for human life!”

As noted by the Texas A&M men’s basketball account on X, it wasn’t a matter of if but where the junior high flyer’s throwdown would be featured in ESPN‘s Top 10 plays. On Saturday night, Obaseki earned the No. 6 spot in SportsCenter’s daily segment.

The Aggies pulled off the upset 97-92 in overtime to earn their first SEC victory of the season. With plays like Obaseki displayed this weekend, many more wins are on the way to College Station soon.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

WATCH: Football head coach Mike Elko introduced during Texas A&M’s upset win against No. 6 Kentucky

Some would call it a lucky coincidence that the new Texas A&M football head coach was in the building this past weekend at Reed Arena to watch the Aggies men’s basketball team upset No. 6 Kentucky. Others would simply call it the Elko Effect.

Some would call it a lucky coincidence that the new Texas A&M football head coach was in the building this past weekend at Reed Arena to watch the Aggies men’s basketball team upset No. 6 Kentucky. Others would simply call it the Elko Effect.

During the first half of Saturday afternoon’s 97-92 overtime victory versus the Wildcats on ESPN, Mike Elko was introduced to the crowd of Aggies fans and he received a loud ovation.

Texas A&M came into the game against Kentucky on a bit of a slump, losing its first two games in SEC play. However, the energy that Elko brought into the arena must’ve been a difference-maker as the Aggies led 46-45 at halftime.

The days of Jimbo Fisher in Bryan-College Station are long gone as the Elko era is well underway. Going into Saturday’s game, men’s basketball head coach Buzz Williams said the Wildcats are “a hallucinogen” when it comes to their play in transition.

Elko’s presence appears to have been the remedy for the Wildcats and perhaps Williams will be extending an invite to his colleague more often in the future following the big win this weekend.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

‘We tell each other to keep shooting. One thing that carries over is our defense’ Tyrece Radford, Wade Taylor IV speak after Texas A&M’s 97-92 win over No. 6 Kentucky

Hear what Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford had to say after the Aggies’ thrilling 97-92 win over No. 6 Kentucky.

Texas A&M Basketball came into Saturday’s game against the No. 6-ranked Kentucky Wildcats as focused as they have been as a cohesive unit all season long, taking full advantage of a packed Reed Arena after dropping their first two SEC games in 2024.

Led by guard duo Wade Taylor IV (31 points) and Tyrece Radford’s (28 points) tremendous bounce-back performances, the proven leaders combined for 59 points and nine of the Aggies’ 12 makes from beyond the arc, helping to defeat the blue-blood visitors 97-92 in one of the more exciting matchups this season.

In desperate need of a win in conference play, A&M also earned what should be its fourth Quad 1 victory on the year, so despite the poor play since the start of the year, the Aggies have continued to pad their NCAA Tournament resume, but there is a lot of work yet to be done.

Focusing on Radford and Taylor, whose incredible resurgence after combining for just 22 points in last Tuesday’s road loss to Auburn, providing that the lackadaisical start to SEC play was just a short phase that has now taken its course. After the game, Wade Taylor IV noted the importance of taking on every SEC game going forward with the same energy and, hopefully, the same offensive efficiency.

“We should look at every game as an opportunity. This was the right step in the direction tonight. Tonight we showed how resilient we are.”

Here is everything Tyrece Radford and Wade Taylor IV had to say after Texas A&M’s thrilling win over No. 6 Kentucky on Saturday afternoon.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

‘I’ve never won against Kentucky. I’m hopeful that we can continue on this path we’ve built’ Buzz Williams speaks after Texas A&M’s 97-92 win over No. 6 Kentucky

Hear what Texas A&M Basketball head coach Buzz Williams had to say after the Aggies thrilling 97-92 win over No. 6 Kentucky on Saturday.

Texas A&M Basketball came into Saturday’s game against the No. 6-ranked Kentucky Wildcats as focused as they have been as a cohesive unit all season long, taking full advantage of a packed Reed Arena after dropping their first two SEC games in 2024.

Led by guard duo Wade Taylor IV (31 points) and Tyrece Radford’s (28 points) tremendous bounce-back performances, the proven leaders combined for 59 points and nine of the Aggies’ 12 makes from beyond the arc, helping to defeat the blue-blood visitors 97-92 in one of the more exciting matchups this season.

In desperate need of a win in conference play, A&M also earned what should be its fourth Quad 1 victory on the year, so despite the poor play since the start of the year, the Aggies have continued to pad their NCAA Tournament resume, but there is a lot of work yet to be done.

After the game, head coach Buzz Williams deserves a ton of credit for getting his team back to playing with an identity and finally shooting much better from the field (40.2%); Williams continued to focus on his love and admiration for the young men on the roster, precisely the incredible effort from Taylor and Radford.

“Whether they make or miss a bunch of shots, I love them (Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford). I’m never going to betray my relationship with those players or with their families. I want them to make shots. Today we made shots and that gave us a chance.”

Defensively, the Aggies dominated on the boards, securing a 54-46 rebound advantage, including 25 offensive rebounds, which was the key to ensuring the win in the final minutes.

Speaking with the media after the game, Williams will now shift his focus on taking on Arkansas next Tuesday night in Fayetteville. Here is everything he had to say after Saturday’s massive victory.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Twitter reaction to Keshad Johnson picking Arizona over Kentucky and USC

Keshad Johnson not picking USC? Not a big deal. Keshad Johnson going to Arizona and becoming a USC foe? That’s a big deal.

Keshad Johnson chose Arizona as his transfer destination on Saturday.

We wrote this about the big development in the Pac-12 college basketball transfer portal:

“Let’s be very clear here: USC was not going to get Keshad Johnson once D.J. Rodman came into the program. Johnson would not have been able to get extended playing time with Rodman right there. Andy Enfield landed Rodman and got the floor-stretching forward he needed. He did really well.

“The problem for USC is simply that Johnson landed on the Trojans’ foremost competitor for the 2024 Pac-12 title. That is the bad news here.”

Let’s get a glimpse of the national reaction to this important transfer portal development: