Kentucky
Kentucky to play in Milwaukee for only the second time ever
Even the most pessimistic fan has to credit a first-year head coach like Mark Pope for securing a 3-seed in the NCAA tournament.
And in Pope’s case, he inherited zero players and was forced to assemble an entire roster in just a few weeks.
Despite it being a roller coaster of a season, the Kentucky Wildcats fought their way through the toughest conference in modern basketball history to position themselves well for a March run.
Now, it’ll be Kentucky taking on the 14th-seeded Trojans of Troy on Friday night at 7:10 ET. The game will be played in Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum.
To my surprise, the first-round match-up will mark only the second time ever that UK has traveled to play a game in Milwaukee.
The first time?
According to our friend Corey Price from the UK Sports Network, it was way back on February 3rd, 1940, when the Cats beat Marquette by a score of 51-45.
.@KentuckyMBB has only played 1 game in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in program history:
– February 3rd, 1940: defeated Marquette 51-45
— Corey Price (@coreyp08) March 16, 2025
So, it’s fair to say that the Big Blue Nation may not be very familiar with Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Being that it’s within driving distance and a favorable Friday evening game time, I expect that the streets will be paved in blue all weekend.
After a quick Google search, here’s what I landed on as far as top tourist activities in the downtown Milwaukee area:
• Milwaukee Art Museum: Explore a diverse art collection, including German expressionism and modern design, in a unique architectural setting.
• Milwaukee Public Museum: Discover natural and human history through interactive exhibits.
• Historic Third Ward: Wander through this creative hub, known for its performing arts venues, studio spaces, indie boutiques, and patio dining.
• Milwaukee Public Market: Enjoy a vibrant market experience with gourmet food, fresh seafood, and meats.
• RiverWalk: Enjoy a stroll along the Milwaukee River, with options for kayaking, paddleboarding, and boat tours.
• Old World Third Street: Explore a variety of restaurants and bars along the Milwaukee River.
• Lakefront Brewery: Take a brewery tour and enjoy a scenic riverfront patio.
If you are planning to make the trip to Milwaukee — be safe and cheer loud!
Kentucky
Kentucky is poised to land either Donnie Freeman or Sebastian Rancik this weekend, per report
Jones posted on Twitter that “Kentucky will have (absent a major change) either Freeman or Rancik by tomorrow,” while also noting the Wildcats still need to add another shooter and another big to round out the roster.
One of the top targets is Donnie Freeman, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound sophomore forward transferring from Syracuse. Freeman arrived in Lexington on Tuesday night and began his visit on Wednesday before leaving without a commitment. While there was concern he could land at UConn, that visit has since been canceled, leaving Kentucky and St. John’s as the top teams.
Freeman averaged 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game last season, while adding nearly a block and a steal per contest. He shot 47.4% from the field but 30.2% from 3-point range across 23 games.
The other option is Sebastian Rancik, a 6-foot-11, 220-pound sophomore forward transferring from Colorado. Rancik visited Kentucky starting Wednesday through Thursday and brings a versatile skill set, averaging 12.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game while shooting 33.1% from 3.
Either Freeman or Rancik would provide a significant boost at the power forward position for head coach Mark Pope. Kentucky has already added guards Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins in the portal.
Kentucky
Kentucky football spring game offers early look at Will Stein’s Cats
Kentucky football coach Will Stein reflects on new position
Will Stein was officially introduced to fans and media as the head coach for the Kentucky Wildcats, replacing Mark Stoops.
LEXINGTON — Kentucky football had its first spring game under new coach Will Stein at Kroger Field on Saturday.
The offense, in blue jerseys, had its moments. So too the defense, donning white uniforms.
Ultimately, the blue squad earned a 23-18 victory in a game called just after noon because of inclement weather.
Stein admitted he “got emotional” as he charged onto the field prior to kickoff.
“I know it wasn’t a real game, but when I ran on the field, I definitely — man, I felt it,” he said. “It was like a wave running over me. And very, very, just cool.”
While it doesn’t count in the standings, Stein walked away pleased.
“I think we got a lot of really good work,” he said. “That’s the goal of spring is to improve with fundamentals and technique, learn how to practice, learn what winning edges that we need throughout spring to go into summer and fall and prepare the team for play. And we came out of the scrimmage clean. There (were) no injuries, which to me, that’s the biggest win of the day. I could (not) care less about the score.
“If we come out clean, that’s good. The Wildcats won.”
New starting QB Kenny Minchey looked about as expected, with sharp passes evened out by moments of inconsistency. Martels Carter Jr., a defensive back who is lining up at running back this spring, scored a touchdown and had several nice runs.
And the defense forced multiple three-and-outs and also picked off one Minchey pass on a two-point conversion.
This story will be updated.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
Kentucky
Kentucky has reportedly moved on from top-10 transfer Paulius Murauskas

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