Kentucky
KSR Today: Kentucky issues statement on the Plains
James Fletcher On Why Kentucky, John Calipari Are Still In ‘Wait And See’ Territory | 02.15.24
Is Kentucky basketball back? It certainly felt like it on Saturday evening at Neville Arena. We even got to have some fun with a certain Dallas Cowboys gif following the game after Kentucky went into Auburn and controlled the contest for 40 minutes against Bruce Pearl’s squad.
The Quad 1A victory was arguably Kentucky’s best win of the year and has also re-opened a path to a double-bye at the SEC Tournament. Kentucky’s defense has seemingly turned the corner over the last 80 minutes of basketball, and two-game run has setup another big week for the Wildcats.
KSR Today is here to get this beautiful Victory Sunday started.
Kentucky’s defense is the story
Against a top-40 Ole Miss offense on Tuesday, Kentucky held the Rebels to 63 points and less than 0.9 points per possession. Chris Beard’s team shot just 22.7 percent from three (5/22) and had 12 turnovers. For the first time seemingly all season, Kentucky found a way to slow down a good offensive team.
The Wildcats responded to that performance by delivering its best defensive game this season.
A top-25 Auburn offense shot 39.4 percent from two (13/33), 18.2 percent from three (4/22), and had 11 turnovers. The Tigers managed only 59 points in one of their worst offensive outputs of the year. SEC Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome was limited to 14 points on 13 field goal attempts. The game was a total team effort from Kentucky.
Ugonna Onyenso and Adou Thiero combined for 15 defensive rebounds, Reed Sheppard logged five steals, and Onyenso chipped in two blocks. Kentucky forced Auburn into some tough shots and the result was the best performance of the year.
Over the last week, we’ve seen Kentucky improve just over 40 spots in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency rankings. The Wildcats are up to No. 81 overall and continued improvement on that end of the floor will make this a scary team in March.
KSR recaps Kentucky’s win over Auburn
Need some morning reading after the big SEC road win? KSR has everything you need to know from the best performance on the season. With the latest defensive improvement, March expectations in the Bluegrass are beginning to grow again.
Smash those links.
More postgame coverage on KSR’s YouTube Channel
Want to know what John Calipari, Antonio Reeves, and Ugonna Onyenso said after Kentucky’s win over Auburn? We’ve got you covered. KSR’s Steven Peake and Jack Pilgrim also jumped in front of the camera at Neville Arena to record another Rapid Reaction with a special guest.
Smash that play button. Subscribe. Hit that like button as we talk about some Kentucky hoops.
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The SEC race heats up
There were two significant developments in SEC basketball over the weekend. LSU beat South Carolina and Kentucky knocked off Auburn. Those outright upsets have created a mess in the middle of standings while Alabama and Tennessee continue to roll.
- Alabama (10-2)
- Tennessee (9-3)
- Auburn (9-4)
- South Carolina (9-4)
- Kentucky (8-4)
- Florida (8-4)
- Ole Miss (6-6)
- Mississippi State (6-6)
- Texas A&M (6-6)
- LSU (5-7)
- Georgia (4-8)
- Arkansas (3-9)
- Vanderbilt (2-10)
- Missouri (0-12)
The top four teams at the SEC Tournament receive double byes. Kentucky is now a half game back of South Carolina for that final spot. It’s worth noting that tiebreakers could not be on the Big Blue’s side. Due to an 0-1 record against the Gamecocks and a season split with Florida, things could bounce a bad way for Kentucky in a three-way tie scenario.
The race for seeding is wide open with three weeks left in the regular season.
More college basketball on Sunday
The hoops weekend is not over yet. We have the NBA All-Star game on Sunday night after Damian Lillard won the three-point contest, Mac McClung brought home another slam dunk title and Jaylen Brown gave a very nice tribute to former Kentucky guard Terrence Clark on Saturday night in Indianapolis.
Before the all-star action starts tonight, there is a full college basketball slate on Sunday with a huge bubble game in the Big East.
- Florida Atlantic at South Florida | Noon ET | ESPN
- Purdue at Ohio State | 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS
- Northwestern at Indiana | 3:00 p.m. ET | Fox Sports 1
- Memphis at SMU | 4:00 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Seton Hall at St. John’s | 5:00 p.m. ET | Fox Sports 1
- Rutgers at Minnesota | 6:30 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network
- Utah at UCLA | 7:00 p.m. ET | Fox Sports 1
Let’s have a Sunday.
Kentucky
Kentucky Lottery Cash Ball, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for June 25, 2026
13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot
Hoping to win the Powerball jackpot? Here are 13 things more likely to happen than becoming an instant millionaire.
The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Thursday, June 25, 2026 winning numbers for each game.
Cash Ball
02-08-24-32, Cash Ball: 09
Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Evening: 6-3-0
Midday: 9-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-7-6-0
Midday: 5-2-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
03-13-14-34-45, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
Kentucky
Takeaways from Kentucky’s home and away SEC schedule for next season
On Thursday, Kentucky’s home and away SEC opponents for the 2026-27 season were revealed and on top of learning the three opponents who they will play twice, there are some very intriguing matchups. In conference play, Kentucky will face six teams who are among the top 25 in many preseason rankings.
In SEC play, Kentucky will play Tennessee, Vandy and Ole Miss all both home and away. The home matchups include Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy. As for the road tilts, the Wildcats will face Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Vandy. Let’s take a look at some interesting developments from the schedule release.
John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena (again)
In Calipari’s first year with Arkansas, he got the best of Kentucky when he came into Rupp Arena and left with a 10-point victory, a game where you could really feel the tension all game long in the building from Kentucky fans, which translated onto the court with the players. Last season, it was Kentucky who shocked everyone when they stole one on the road against a top 20 Arkansas team after a rough up-and-down season up to that point. Now, the two will face off again as Kentucky will look to get the win in Rupp and make sure Calipari doesn’t get two in a row in the building. It’ll be another highly-anticipated showdown.
Kentucky hits the road at Texas
This is shaping up to be a major challenge for Kentucky next season and may even end up being one of the biggest games of the season. Texas is seen by many as a clear top 10 team, with some even having them within the top five and when you combine that with the fact that the game is on the road, the Wildcats will have their hands full. The Wildcats fell to the longhorns in the 2024-25 season, and it’ll be a much stiffer challenge this time.
Which game could be a trap?
We don’t have the game-by-game dates yet, so it’s hard to say with a lot of confidence, but opponent-wise, Georgia could really give Kentucky fits. In Pope’s first year, his team struggled handling the physicality of the Bulldogs and now, they’ve retained one of their best guards for another year and have added physicality through the portal. Mike White’s teams love to make opponents uncomfortable and they could do that once again down in Athens. Another sneaky team to watch is Oklahoma, who will have very good guard play. Kentucky will face both teams on the road.
Overall, it’s a pretty fair SEC schedule for a Kentucky team who has the capability of a return to being atop the conference once again. Mark Pope has such a system-fit squad and he can do some damage in the SEC.
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Kentucky
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky? See laws ahead of Fourth of July
Fourth of July festivities to celebrate in Louisville
See the Fourth of July festivities planned in Louisville for America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Fourth of July is almost here, and Kentuckians are getting ready to light up the sky.
Before you plan your fireworks celebrations, it’s important to know what is and isn’t allowed under Kentucky law. Here’s what to know about fireworks laws and safety tips in the Bluegrass State ahead of Independence Day.
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky?
Yes. As long as you live in a place where local ordinances don’t prohibit it, according to the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.
Are fireworks legal in Louisville?
In Louisville or Jefferson County, larger display fireworks are not legal due to a local law. Some consumer products that don’t leave the ground, such as sparklers, are allowed.
If the cautionary label on the firework has the words “explosive,” “emits flaming pellets,” “flaming balls,” “firecracker,” “report” or “rocket,” it is automatically a no-go, according to the Louisville-Jefferson County Code of Ordinances.
But, smaller ones like sparklers, cylindrical or cone fountains, wheels and ground spinners are legal. Still, don’t let the size fool you − they can burn up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Learn more: Check out these 4th of July events taking place across Kentucky
How to use fireworks safely
The state fire marshal suggests following the following advice when using fireworks:
- Use fireworks outdoors.
- Obey local laws.
- Keep a bucket of water or a working water hose nearby.
- Use fireworks as intended and avoid altering them or combining them.
- Never relight “dud” fireworks. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
- Spectators should keep a safe distance from the person lighting the firework (the individual lighting it should wear safety glasses).
- Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated adult operator.”
- Do not use homemade fireworks or illegal explosives.
- Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Former Courier Journal reporter Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
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