Kentucky

KSR Staff Predictions: [3] Kentucky vs. [6] Illinois, NCAA Tournament 2nd Round

Published

1 year ago

March 23, 2025

KSR Staff Predictions: [3] Kentucky vs. [6] Illinois, NCAA Tournament 2nd Round

Mark Pope’s first Kentucky team advanced out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in the last four years on Friday. Tonight, they take on No. 6 seed Illinois in hopes of advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019.

It won’t be easy. The Fighting Illini are the betting favorite and will have the crowd advantage in Milwaukee. They also have star power, with freshmen Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley both projected to go in the first round of the NBA Draft. Tomislav Ivisic, Big Z’s twin brother, anchors the inside. Another familiar name, Orlando Antigua, is on the sideline, returning to Brad Underwood’s staff at Illinois when John Calipari left for Arkansas last spring.

With Lamont Butler still not at 100% and Amari Williams dealing with a back injury, Kentucky took care of business vs. Troy thanks in large part to the bench, which contributed 25 points. Can the Cats scrap together and exorcise some more March demons? The KSR crew is ready to weigh in.

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Tyler Thompson

I’m not feeling great about this game, but I think that’s mostly because of Kentucky’s scoring droughts vs. Troy and the fact that Illinois will likely have a massive crowd advantage (unless a Big Blue caravan is currently en route). Add in Lamont Butler being practically duct-taped together and a pair of projected first-round draft picks on the other side of the ball and it’s very easy to talk yourself into a loss, nerves aside.

But, time and time again this season, this Kentucky team has risen to the occasion when you least expect it. The Cats got the monkey off their back with a win over Troy on Friday. Hopefully, Amari Williams’ back is feeling better and Butler can contribute some offense (he was 0-5 vs. the Trojans). Ansley Almonor has been very quiet recently, scoring just four points over the last four games. He’s due for a March moment.

Illinois’ offense was humming vs. Xavier. The Fighting Illini are 15-3 in games in which they make 10 or more threes. They hit 12 on Friday at a 40% clip. That said, Illinois is last in the Big Ten in three-point percentage (30.1%), so the hope is they cool off. If Kentucky can win the battle beyond the arc and Amari Williams returns to form, I feel good about the Cats making it to Indy. If not, we may need another game-winner from Otega Oweh. Either way, this one’s gonna be close.

Score: Kentucky 86, Illinois 84

Zack Geoghegan

Kentucky can win this game without being 100 percent healthy, but I get the sense a hot shooting night for the ‘Cats will be part of what makes that possible. Since losing to Duke by 43 points a little over a month ago, Illinois has produced a top 10 offense in the country, but a defense that ranks 83rd. UK went 10-26 from deep against Troy. That might not be good enough today against an Illinois team that will do everything it can to get over 30 three-point attempts.

Freshman Will Riley does scare me a bit. The 6-foot-9 wing is a microwave scorer and future pro. Tomislav Ivisic can do everything his brother can, and then some. 6-foot-6 point guard Kasparas Jakucionis is a projected top 10 pick, for crying out loud. The Illini will have more than enough offensive juice to make the Sweet 16.

This game could easily be a race to 90 points. Illinois does not force opponents into turnovers and has been especially shaky on defense the last few weeks. Prior to beating Xavier 86-73, the Illini allowed at least 80 points in three straight games. Lamont Butler has to score more than zero points though. Amari Williams has to finish around the rim. Mark Pope has to get the bench production he did against Troy. I think we’re in for one of the better games we’ll see all postseason long.

Score: Kentucky 89, Illinois 88

Drew Franklin

I’m afraid we’re going to see a rare sight in Fiserv Forum later today: Kentucky fans outnumbered in the stands by the other team. Illinois fans have packed Milwaukee since Thursday’s open practices, and more have turned up throughout the weekend from the neighboring state. Orange will get in, and they’ll be loud.

Still, Kentucky can win the game with bench contributions like it got in the first-round win over Troy. The starting five will need to play well, but Collin Chandler, Brandon Garrison, Ansley Almonor, Trent Noah, and Travis Perry will also have to contribute to take down the Fighting Illini, a team that lost three straight games by an average of 26 points last month.

Illinois can be inconsistent, and Kentucky will need Sunday to be one of those days when the shots aren’t falling. If Illinois shoots like it did in the first round (40% from 3), it will likely be an exit for the Cats. But Illinois shot only 30% in conference play. If that Illinois shows up and the pick-and-pop doesn’t work, Kentucky is on to the next round. I think we’re in for a close game dictated by the team that knocks down 3s, and Koby Brea and the Wildcats are up for the challenge. Make at least five, Koby.

Score: Kentucky 84, Illinois 80

Jacob Polacheck

No Jaxson Robinson? No Kerr Kriisa? No problem. Kentucky’s depth has shown to be a problem for opposing teams down the stretch and I don’t expect that to change on Sunday.

Illinois has a solid team but is inconsistent at times. I’m predicting that the Cats can pull off with Lamont Butler and Amari Williams set to play (albeit not at 100%). Koby Brea will need to show why he was considered the best three-point shooter in the country heading into the season, while Otega Oweh will need to keep doing what he’s been doing.

It could be a rough night for the Illini if Kentucky can get off to a fast start. Don’t let Will Riley get hot, don’t let Illinois knock down a bunch of threes, and then wear them down with depth. If that happen, the Cats should cruise.

Score: Kentucky 81, Illinois 79

Adam Luckett

The Round of 32 has arrived with Kentucky getting Game 3 in 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday window on CBS. You can feel the big-game nerves of the Big Blue Nation across the Commonwealth. The Cats are the only higher-seed to be a dog in this round. There are some reasons to feel good.

Illinois struggles to hit perimeter shots (No. 296 nationally in three-point field goal percentage) and do not force takeaways on defense (No. 360 in turnover rate). Kentucky should have a big advantage in both areas. No. 6 seeds have also struggled to win in this spot when they are a favorite over a No. 3 seed.

But the concerns outweigh the positives for me.

Kentucky is fresh off its worst consecutive scoring performances of the season against Alabama and Troy. This offense could be in trouble if Otega Oweh is not scoring. The Illini project to win the three-point volume battle by a sizable number and that could negate some of Kentucky’s strengths in this matchup. The Illini have also been better in shootouts. Kentucky’s two-point field goal percentage defense (No. 281 nationally) is highly concerning

This is just a tough matchup on-paper. Both teams play pace-and-pace but Illinois extends more possessions with offensive rebounds, has better shot creation than Kentucky, and has two bonafide draft picks at point and on the wing. The lllini have more answers.

The Kentucky offense comes up short in a big spot.

Score: Illinois 83, Kentucky 77

Nick Roush

Ahead of the NCAA Tournament, pundits circled this potential second round matchup as one to watch. Both teams bring a ton of offensive firepower, albeit on an inconsistent basis.

Illinois can bottom out in the blink of an eye. I was optimistic that it would happen against Xavier. It did not. They’ve hit 11+ threes in four of their last five. They’re getting hot after Duke embarrassed them at the end of a three-game losing streak.

Kentucky needs to hold the Fighting Illini to seven threes or fewer. The Cats are trending in the wrong direction offensively. Lamont Butler is limited, eliminating a scorer around the rim, and Amari Williams proved on Friday that his woeful trip to Nashville wasn’t a one-off.

There are zero outcomes in this game that would surprise me and that’s scary. Unfortunately, it feels like Illinois is getting all of the right mojo as Kentucky runs out of steam.

Score: Illinois 88, Kentucky 75

Jack Pilgrim

Kentucky meets its hot and cold match in the Big Ten, Illinois having some ridiculous highs to go with some ridiculous lows. They’ve beaten Arkansas, Wisconsin, Mizzou, Oregon in Eugene, Indiana in Bloomington, UCLA, Michigan in Ann Arbor and Purdue. They’ve also lost by double digits at home to USC and by nine at Rutgers while also getting run off the floor by Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament. When they’re hitting threes, the Fighting Illini are a force to be reckoned with. If not, they’re fairly pedestrian. Sound familiar?

As Roush pointed out, they’ve hit 11+ threes in four of five, but we’ve also seen them go 6-27 against Maryland and 2-26 against Duke in recent weeks. Again, they rank No. 315 nationally in 3PT% for a reason. They’re also one of the worst teams in college basketball at forcing turnovers (5.9% steal rate, 12.5% turnover rate), so Kentucky should be able to get into its offense and create good looks to win the 3-point make battle, even if Illinois wins the volume battle.

It’s a back and forth day that keeps BBN on edge until late, but Ansley Almonor steps up and hits a few big shots to send the Wildcats to their first Sweet 16 since 2019.

Score: Kentucky 84, Illinois 78

[3] Kentucky vs. [6] Illinois: How to Watch, Listen

Date, Time: Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ET
Television: CBS (Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi)
Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
Online Radio: The Varsity App
Satellite Radio: Sirius 210 or 203
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

You can also follow the game via our new LIVE BLOG on the website, which will begin an hour before tip-off, or join the conversation on KSBoard.

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Kentucky

Asia Boone will return to Kentucky for senior year

Published

4 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Asia Boone will return to Kentucky for senior year

Kentucky women’s basketball guard Asia Boone will be returning to Kentucky for her senior season, she announced.

Boone, who was a two-time All-Conference USA player at Liberty before arriving at Kentucky, averaged 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season. She was originally the team’s sixth man and at times, served as the backup point guard to Tonie Morgan, but she earned a starting role later in the season as she started in 19 of Kentucky’s 36 games.

The 5-foot-8 guard is the second confirmed returner for the 2026-27 squad, joining All-SEC First Team center Clara Strack, who will also be a senior this upcoming season.
She was one of two players this season who broke Rhyne Howard’s program record for threes made in a single season. Amelia Hassett finished the year with 99 threes made, setting the new program record, but Boone was just behind her with 96 made threes on 263 attempts (36.5%).
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Boone’s highest-scoring game of the season was against Morgan State, when she had 21 points on 8-10 (5-7 3PT). She had 18 points in Kentucky’s win at LSU on New Year’s Day and topped that with a 19-point effort against Texas A&M on Feb. 12.
Want more Kentucky WBB Coverage? Join KSR+

KSR has been delivering UK Sports news in the most ridiculous manner for almost two decades. Now, you can get even more coverage of the Cats with KSR+. In the middle of a busy for the Kentucky women’s basketball program, now is the perfect time to join our online community. Subscribe now for premium articles, in-depth scouting reports, inside intel, bonus recruiting coverage, and access to KSBoard, our message board featuring thousands of Kentucky fans around the globe. Come join the club right now for 50% off an annual subscription.

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Kentucky

Where Kentucky turns following Donnie Freeman’s commitment to St. John’s

Published

16 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Where Kentucky turns following Donnie Freeman’s commitment to St. John’s

Kentucky quickly made its move on Syracuse star transfer Donnie Freeman in the portal, making immediate contact and hopping on a Zoom call before getting a visit scheduled for the following week. The Wildcats emerged as the likely landing spot, fighting off Alabama and UConn for his services — only for St. John’s and Tennessee to throw their hats into the ring and make their own late pushes going into the weekend.

There was serious optimism in Lexington that Mark Pope had batted down those Hail Mary throws by the Red Storm and Volunteers with a potential public commitment coming Sunday, only for the afternoon to turn into evening without a peep. Then came the late-night chatter that Rick Pitino had tossed another deep ball toward the end zone, an offer Freeman couldn’t refuse to ultimately land his services as the No. 19 overall player and No. 5 power forward in the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Rankings. Kentucky had its chance to keep the bidding war alive and potentially flip the momentum back, but the fat lady has officially sung.

That’s a tricky predicament for Pope and the Wildcats, who already passed on Colorado transfer and Florida State pledge Sebastian Rancik to continue their pursuit of Freeman. That came after Magoon Gwath (DePaul) and DeSean Goode (Miami (FL)), two other confirmed targets, committed elsewhere, along with the departures of Mo Dioubate (LSU) and Andrija Jelavic (Ohio State) from Pope’s second roster in Lexington.

So, uh, who is left for the Wildcats? Let’s separate the potential candidates into four categories.

“Gotta make Brad Stevens say no”

Two absolute gems remain at the position and could make all of the Pope Whiff doomers stop in their tracks: Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic and Santa Clara’s Allen Graves. You know both names because Kentucky played each of them in the NCAA Tournament, the former knocking the Wildcats out in the Round of 32 and the latter nearly doing so with a dagger in the final seconds of regulation — only to be topped by Otega Oweh’s half-court miracle at the buzzer.

They’re ranked No. 1 and No. 3 at the position, respectively, and are obvious home-run hits if UK can make contact. The issue? Despite entering the portal, they prefer to keep their names in the draft and will likely do so with first-round guarantees. A return to college isn’t impossible for either — Graves sits at No. 32 in ESPN’s latest draft rankings while Momcilovic comes in at No. 43 — but you won’t even get a meeting without $5M as a starting point, with the bidding likely finishing at or near the $6M mark. Are you ready to back up the Brinks truck? That’s the only option if you want the prized forwards.

Now, if you’re looking for better value, Saint Mary’s Paulius Murauskas and Iowa’s Alvaro Folgueiras are both technically available, sitting at No. 2 and 11 at the position, respectively. Kentucky has had exploratory conversations with both players — the latter was seen as a serious target this time last offseason, as well — and the talent is there. Murauskas averaged 18.4 PPG and 7.6 RPG on 48/33/84 splits with the Gaels this season and earned All-WCC honors in each of the last two years. That would do the trick. Folgueiras averaged 8.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 2.2 APG for the Hawkeyes, but is most famous for hitting the game-winning three to beat Florida in the NCAA Tournament. Maybe not a can’t-miss superstar, but pretty darn solid for a pivot.

But, heavy emphasis on technically available — because they both have On3 RPM picks in favor of other schools. Murauskas is projected to follow his former St. Mary’s coach, Randy Bennett, to Arizona State, while Folgueiras is expected to land at *sigh* Louisville. They haven’t made public commitments, but the clock is ticking and Pope would have to make up a lot of ground in a hurry.

Both are highly unlikely to wear the blue and white.

Realistic, but not a needle-mover

If you’re looking for somebody solid to join the fold, James Madison’s Justin McBride is the perfect candidate. Standing 6-7, 240 pounds following previous stops at Oklahoma State and Nevada, the versatile forward earned Third Team All-Sun Belt honors, averaging 15.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 1.5 APG on 49/40/78 splits as a junior in Harrisonburg. Before that, he averaged 7.8 PPG and 4.2 RPG as a sophomore with the Wolfpack and 2.5 PPG and 1.5 RPG as a freshman with the Cowboys.

Finding his fourth home in four years, McBride is scheduled to visit Lexington this week, he tells Jacob Polacheck of KSR+. That comes after a Zoom meeting with the staff last week.

He’s productive with experience as a journeyman, finally tapping into his potential as a former top-125 recruit out of high school after seeing his role increase as a junior. There is a lot to like there, but the idea was for the Plano, TX native to serve as a complementary plug-and-play backup, staggering minutes with the go-to starter. You absolutely take him, but with the idea that you still need much more.

Potential wildcards

No. 1 recruit Tyran Stokes is trending heavily toward Kansas — and he’s also more of a jumbo wing capable of playing 1-4 more than a true power forward — but the conversation starts there in terms of obvious names to upgrade talent on a roster desperate for upgrades. Whatever it takes if you’re Pope, no matter how unlikely.

The Wildcats have also been involved with No. 15 overall prospect Miikka Muurinen, who is undeniably talented, but there are maturity questions. North Carolina and Arkansas are among those to poke around, but there is a risk factor to keep in mind before automatically connecting those dots.

Pope went overseas to find Jelavic, so maybe that’s the path? It’s possible, but easier said than done when looking for obvious star talent. That was supposed to be the 6-11 forward, coming in with multiple years of eligibility and committing to Kentucky after a single conversation — exactly what you’d want when going down that road. The Wildcats weren’t able to see that process through and there is no guarantee the next international find won’t have similar year-one hiccups.

You also can’t rule out that another wave of portal announcements won’t come over the next 24 hours before things close tomorrow at midnight. Auburn’s Sebastian Williams-Adams is an intriguing option that popped up Monday, making himself available following a successful rookie season on the Plains. He started in 21 of 36 games for the Tigers, averaging 6.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 27.2 minutes per contest as a former four-star prospect out of high school.

You’re hoping and praying at that point that something presents itself that fits and elevates Kentucky’s ceiling in 2026-27. Odds are good — and someone will want to take the big pile of cash in Lexington — but no guarantees beyond the options already in front of us.

One thing we know for sure? Kentucky’s starting power forward will not be Donnie Freeman, and the search continues for Mark Pope.

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Kentucky

Kentucky will get a visit from a forward with three-point upside

Published

1 day ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky will get a visit from a forward with three-point upside

Over the weekend, it was reported that the Kentucky Wildcats and coach Mark Pope had interest in former James Madison forward Justin McBride. Now, per Jacob Polacheck of Kentucky Sports Radio, McBride will take a visit to Lexington.

The report states that McBride will visit with Kentucky on Wednesday, Apr. 22. He had previously stated that he wanted to visit, but had to clear up some transcript issues first. It appears that things are worked out there now.

McBride is a 6’8″, 230 lb forward who has versatility. He averaged 15.3 points and 5.6 rebounds last season, but also made 40% of his three-point attempts, making him the kind of stretch big Pope likes to use. He could start, or be a valuable player off the bench.

Pope needs some recruiting wins, and he needs some depth for next year’s team. Right now, there are still more questions than answers, and Big Blue Nation is getting restless. We will update this story after his visit and more news becomes available.

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