Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball coach Pat Kelsey shared a photo on Twitter/X with former UofL football and Buffalo Bills standout Eric Wood, a fellow Elder High School graduate, at the Kentucky Derby.

“Altiora. IYKYK,” was the text Kelsey posted with the photo. “Altiora,” Elder’s motto, means “the higher things.”

Kelsey, who played at Xavier and was an associate head coach for the Musketeers under Chris Mack, was named the Cardinals’ head coach in March. Kelsey graduated from Elder in 1993, after helping the Panthers to the 1993 Div. I state championship.

Wood, a 2004 Elder grad, was a center for the Bills from 2009 to 2017. He’s a color commentator for the Bills’ Radio Network.

An earlier photo from Kelsey:

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The 2024 Kentucky Derby has come and gone, marking an end to the pageantry that graces Churchill Downs every year.

As usual, the Derby — which saw Mystik Dan cross the finish line first this year — drew a who’s who of celebrities, athletes and influencers who came to take in the Louisville, Kentucky event.

REQUIRED READING: How much did Mystik Dan win today? 2024 Kentucky Derby winner’s share, purse breakdown, more

Among them in 2024: Martha Stewart, who held the privilege of performing the “Riders Up” call. However, the retail businesswoman, writer and TV personality very nearly committed a faux pas prior to the race, almost calling the state of Kentucky “Connecticut.”

What ultimately proved to be a minor slip of the tongue was, of course, immediately noted by fans. And, as is often the case in such scenarios, they were more than happy to take Stewart to task — especially on social media.

Here’s a sampling of the best reactions to her “Riders Up” call:

Martha Stewart ‘Riders Up’ call | social media reactions

The mass exodus of much of the Kentucky basketball roster to the transfer portal defined the school’s offseason following the departure of John Calipari and the hire of Mark Pope. However, Pope is slowly rebuilding the talent pool for the Wildcats and landed a pair of Power-6 transfers in back-to-back days. Last weekend, wing Otega Oweh joined the 2023-24 Kentucky basketball roster from Oklahoma, and then forward Andrew Carr followed suit from Wake Forest. Both players were double-digit scorers for their respective teams last season, and each knocked down at least 37% of 3-point attempts.

Pope still has some work to do regarding Kentucky basketball recruits since the cupboard is bare. Four-star Travis Perry remains the only Class of 2024 prospect who has signed a letter of intent with UK, but he’s a big get as the No. 1 prospect in the state of Kentucky per 247Sports. If you love the Wildcats, or just want the latest roster updates and college basketball transfer portal news, be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at CatsPause, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Kentucky.

The team of insiders at CatsPause.com are providing up-to-the-minute scoop on the latest intel surrounding the Kentucky basketball coaching transition and roster changes. CatsPause has built a solid reputation over its 20+ years covering the Wildcats, and has deep-rooted sources inside and around the Kentucky athletic department. And right now, CatsPause is offering 50% off the first year of an annual subscriptions*, so now is the time to sign up.

The team at CatsPause has full coverage of who is coming and who is going on the Kentucky basketball roster. Head to CatsPause now to see all the insider info.

Kentucky basketball roster departures 

The 2024-25 Kentucky basketball roster is quickly starting to take shape, as Pope landed another key player earlier this week. San Diego State transfer Lamont Butler, the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year last season, committed to Kentucky as one of the top players from the college basketball transfer portal. He averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 27.6 minutes per game and has played in 11 career NCAA Tournament games.

Kentucky’s defense is already looking like a strength, as three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year Amari Williams also committed earlier this month. He averaged 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks per game for Drexel last season. Pope also has a pair of recruits committed in Travis Perry and Collin Chandler and is hosting multiple visitors in the coming days. Join CatsPause to see the latest on all of Kentucky’s roster changes. 

Kentucky basketball news, roster

The month of April ended on a high for Kentucky Wildcats basketball, as the program landed former five-star recruit Brandon Garrison. The center was the No. 45 overall prospect in the Class of 2023, started nearly every game of his lone season at Oklahoma State, and averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds while ranking fifth in the Big 12 with 1.5 blocks. However, Garrison’s transfer was only the appetizer to how the month of May started for UK basketball.

On May 1, coach Pope snagged former Dayton standout Koby Brea from the college basketball transfer portal after he was a two-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner in the A-10. Brea is arguably the best shooter in college basketball and became the fourth player in Division I history to make 100 3-pointers on at least 50% of his attempts last season. Brea had double-digit scoring outings in both of his NCAA Tournament games last year and should be a perfect fit in Pope’s offense as his BYU team finished second in the country in 3-point attempts per game last season. Join CatsPause to get the latest on all of Kentucky’s roster additions. 

How to get insider Kentucky basketball roster updates

Pope could also be bringing at least one big-time BYU player with him, so be sure to join CatsPause to see who that is and get the rest of the insider roster news. 

Who are the top names Kentucky basketball is pursuing under coach Mark Pope, and what former BYU player could land in Lexington? Go to CatsPause to see their insider information, all from a team of reporters with years of experience covering the Wildcats, and find out. And reminder, CatsPause is offering 50% off the first year of an annual VIP membership*, so subscribe now before it’s too late.

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