Kentucky
Fast Starts Propelling Kentucky Baseball Offense
The Kentucky baseball workforce has received 24 of its 27 video games this season a minimum of partially resulting from an offensive components that matches this explicit group of gamers. The Cats put stress on their opponents early and sometimes, with an offensive philosophy that head coach Nick Mingione calls “chaos”. That features bunting, hit-and-runs, stealing bases and being typically aggressive on the basepaths.
Such was the case once more on Saturday when the Cats scored 4 runs within the first inning and three within the second on their approach to a 10-0 win over Missouri at Kentucky Proud Park. This coming only one night time after the Cats scored 5 runs within the first inning of a 12-2, run-rule win over the Tigers on Friday night time.
Mingione likes how the Cats have began each video games in opposition to the Tigers.
“That’s two video games in a row the place we began out quick,” Mingione stated. “It positively helps. If you search for and also you’ve received a lead, it’s somewhat bit simpler to pitch.”
The Cats despatched 9 males to the plate within the first inning, one thing that Mingione is aware of is uncommon.
“That doesn’t occur on daily basis,” Mingione stated. “I assumed our guys did an incredible job with their starter.”
The Cats have been beginning shortly typically throughout Southeastern Convention play. Mingione is aware of that has, a minimum of partially, led the Cats to a 7-1 league mark.
“Even all through the SEC season, it’s been good. I really like the best way our workforce has responded,” Mingione stated. “It occurred yesterday within the first and once more at the moment. Any time you can begin out quick, you’ll take it.”
Kentucky has now scored first in six of eight SEC video games this season. The Cats are 18-1 total in 2023 when scoring first in a recreation.
It’s not solely that the Cats are scoring, however they’re scoring in bunches. On Saturday, Kentucky scored 4 or extra runs in an inning for the 23rd time this season. Final 12 months, the Cats did that simply 28 instances over the course of 59 video games. Large innings, particularly early within the recreation, may be demoralizing for an opponent.
“Our guys, their means to get the massive inning has been large for us this collection,” Mingione stated. “I’m pleased with our guys.”
UK second baseman Emilien Pitre thinks that the Cats’ scoring early not solely builds momentum, but in addition helps the Kentucky pitchers.
“We’ve been in a position to rating so much early within the recreation and our pitchers are so good, they simply assault the blokes,” Pitre stated. “And once you’re up 4 or 5 to nothing within the first inning, you play free.”
Mingione is aware of that getting on high early can put stress on the opposition. The Cats have completed that to Missouri within the first two video games of this weekend’s SEC collection.
Kentucky
Mark Pope recaps Kentucky vs. Georgia, plus postgame notes
The Kentucky Wildcats took another tough loss on the road and now stand at 0-2 in true road games after falling to the Georgia Bulldogs, 82-69.
The Cats also struggled to score, managing only 69 points and seeing only three players in double figures after putting up 106 against a top-10 Florida team and having six players with 14 or more points. Kentucky also shot just 27% from 3-point range, making it hard to win in any venue for a team that relies so heavily on shooting from deep.
Georgia’s increased physicality added to Kentucky’s troubles, with foul trouble being a constant issue throughout the game for the Cats. They were outrebounded 43-34.
Despite being 3-0 against top-10 teams this season, Kentucky now has three unranked losses. They’ll have a chance to bounce back as they travel to No. 14 Mississippi State, aiming for their first road win of the season.
And here are the postgame notes via UK Athletics.
Team Records and Series Notes
- Kentucky is now 12-3, 1-1 in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia is 13-2 overall, 1-1 in league play.
- Kentucky leads the series 132-29, including 44-20 in Athens.
- Mark Pope is 199-111 as head coach, including 12-3 at Kentucky.
- Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats stay on the road Saturday at Mississippi State. Game time is 8:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. in Starkville) and it will be televised on the SEC Network.
Team Notes
- Kentucky made 15 of 19 free throws (78.9 percent), the fourth straight game the Wildcats have made at least 75 percent at the foul line.
Player Notes
- Lamont Butler led the Wildcats with 20 points, his eighth double-figure game of the season and second game with at least 20.
- He also had a season-high four steals, his third straight game with at least three thefts.
- Playing a season-high 27 minutes, Brandon Garrison had a season-high 13 points and collected five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
- Otega Oweh had 12 points and has scored in double figures in every game this season. He also led UK in rebounds with seven, the first time this season he has paced the Wildcats in the boardwork.
In the First Half
- Kentucky’s starters were Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson, Otega Oweh, Andrew Carr and Amari Williams. UK has a 10-3 record with this lineup.
- Koby Brea and Travis Perry were the first substitutions at 16:18.
- Kentucky was ahead 23-19 but Georgia closed the half with a 28-11 run and took a 47-34 lead into the locker room. UK is 2-3 this season when trailing at halftime.
In the Second Half
- Kentucky began the second half with the starters.
- The Wildcats chipped away, cutting the margin to 55-50, coaxing a Georgia timeout at 12:02.
- Kentucky got no closer as Georgia held steady for the win.
Kentucky
Winter storm watch in effect for several KY counties. How much snow will we get Friday?
A winter storm watch is in effect south of Louisville as National Weather Service forecasters anticipate more snow for Kentucky Friday, with higher amounts expected in the southern half of the state.
The watch, active until late Friday night, extends as far north as Hardin County and stretches into parts of southeastern and southwestern Kentucky. The weather service stated early Wednesday morning it expects to see 4-5 inches of snowfall Friday for counties in the watch area, with locally higher amounts possible.
In the Louisville metro area, 2-3 inches of new snowfall is possible. Current estimates show a 90% chance for at least inch of snow in Louisville Friday and a 10% chance for at least 4 inches. Evan Webb, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said 4 inches of snow looks like the “worst case scenario” for the city.
At least 4 inches of snow in the forecast is typically needed for the weather service to issue a winter storm watch or warning, Webb said, adding it appears to be “relatively likely” a winter storm warning will eventually be in effect for the area currently under the watch.
“If the trends in the data change, we could expand the winter storm watch a little further north if we need to,” Webb said.
Wednesday night and Thursday morning will be very cold in Louisville and there is a chance wind chills could plummet below zero, Webb said. However, cloud cover could serve as an “insulating blanket,” keeping the air temperature a little higher than it would be if it was a clear night.
If wind chills were to fall to -5 degrees or below, the NWS would issue a cold weather advisory.
“Prepare for round two, unfortunately,” Webb said. “It looks like the snow amounts will be quite a bit less than what we saw with the last storm. Certainly with some additional snow accumulations, it’s always good to be prepared.”
Wednesday
Chance of flurries. Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 25. Calm winds from the west around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 4. West winds of 5 mph become calm.
Thursday
Sunny and cold, with a high near 28.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 14 and calm winds.
Friday
A 90% chance of snow showers, mainly after 1 p.m. A high near 29 with south winds of around 5 mph Friday afternoon. New snowfall amounts of between 1-2 inches is possible.
Friday Night
A 70% chance of snow showers, mainly before 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 23.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31.
Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low near 15.
Sunday
Partly sunny, with a high near 35.
Sunday Night
A 20% chance of snow showers after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low near 27.
Reporter Marina Johnson contributed.
Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@gannett.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter
Kentucky
Andrew Carr says Kentucky needs to get nastier
Life comes at you fast in the SEC.
One game, you look like a Final Four team. The next game, you look like a team that’s going to go 15 rounds in a second-round game.
Tuesday night, the Kentucky Wildcats went down to Georgia and got stomped, 82-69. This Bulldogs team is good, and they very well could wind up in the NCAA Tournament, but Kentucky was outplayed physically and lacked the toughness to overcome a 13-point halftime deficit.
After the game, senior forward Andrew Carr said Kentucky needs to be more physical, even downright nasty.
Andrew Carr: “We gotta get more tough, more physical, more nasty when we’re playing.”
Says tonight, they were trying to be physical without fouling.
— Wyatt Huff (@Wildcat_wave) January 8, 2025
Georgia out-rebounded Kentucky 41-34, including 13-1 on the offensive glass. Yikes.
Kentucky was held to 37.5% shooting from the field, including 6-25 from three-point range. The Wildcats tried multiple times in the second half to mount a comeback, but they just could not get over the hump Georgia presented.
This is the SEC this year. For every game, you had better be ready to go 15 rounds and physically go toe-to-toe. Otherwise, nights like tonight at Georgia are going to happen more often than you’d like them to.
Kentucky is back in action Saturday night at No. 14 Mississippi State. Tipoff is at 8:30 PM ET on the SEC Network.
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