Continuity has lacked for No. 15 Kentucky by way of the primary two weeks of the common season.
Accidents struck all through the preseason, inflicting vital items to the puzzle to overlook time, together with Nationwide Participant of the 12 months Oscar Tshiebwe and preseason First Crew All-SEC level guard Sahvir Wheeler.
Gelling as a unit is vital for any staff all through the course of a season, however that turns into more durable for a staff like Kentucky who will get behind from the leap resulting from not having all of its gamers out there from the get-go.
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Tshiebwe sat out for 4 weeks after present process an arthroscopic knee process in late October. Wheeler missed the ultimate preseason tune-up in addition to the common season opener in opposition to Howard after struggling a knee damage in an exhibition in opposition to Missouri Western State.
Each gamers have returned, however the speedy outcomes have not lived as much as expectations. Within the Champions Basic, Michigan State out-played and out-coached the Cats en path to a double-overtime win, a sport that UK had many alternatives to win. Simply two days in the past in Spokane, the Gonzaga Bulldogs steamrolled Kentucky in a sport that felt one-sided from the get-go.
Taking pictures guards CJ Fredrick and Antonio Reeves spoke in regards to the loss to the Zags, enhancing as a staff and shifting ahead when talking to reporters on Tuesday.
“It was powerful to return and watch, as a result of we didn’t play our greatest model of basketball, and we had an opportunity to chop it to 2, lower it to at least one if I made that high of the important thing three,” Fredrick stated of the Gonzaga defeat. “It is stuff like that that sort of eats at you, you play so dangerous and you’ve got probabilities to get again in that sport. However there have been loads of issues as a staff, we obtained to be extra sharp on executing offensively, lock in additional on the personnel on protection and connecting on that.”
An absence of effort was the primary level of emphasis following the 88-72 loss to the Bulldogs, as Kentucky was beat to the punch all evening on the ground, shedding the rebound battle and failing to win these key possessions that would’ve garnered some momentum within the second half.
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“Effort stage. Aggressive spirit. Enjoying as a bunch, all of us realized that in movie,” Reeves stated. “We see it, the errors we made as a staff, we’re gonna take consideration with that in observe.”
Head coach John Calipari has confused continuity and enjoying with one-another shall be key to the expansion of his staff over the season, whereas additionally pointing to the shortage of it leading to some bland performances in opposition to higher competitors.
Whereas Tshiebwe and Wheeler have had no difficulty filling the stat sheet since returning to the court docket this season, the offense has failed to seek out that sort of groove wanted to place away groups like Michigan State or to hold in with Gonzaga.
Following the loss on Sunday, Tshiebwe even famous that the staff wasn’t operating a few of the performs that Calipari and the teaching workers have been calling for, showcasing the true lack of offensive stability and development the roster presently has in November.
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To alter that, the Wildcats have determined to up the inter-squad scrimmaging in observe, getting the texture for one another as teammates whereas experiencing extra potential “in-game” eventualities, one thing the squad did extra upon first getting collectively within the early preseason.
“Earlier than the season began, we have been going at one another actually arduous. Guys made the joke after the primary sport ‘wow, the sport’s simply tremendous straightforward in comparison with our practices,’” Fredrick stated. “As a collective group, we needed to get again to — particularly with not all of us enjoying collectively as a complete staff — simply getting again to five-on-five and making the video games a little bit simpler for us, getting again to these practices the place we have been capable of a minimum of get on the market and make some errors, find out about one another a little bit extra.”
Regardless of having failed the primary two main assessments of the 12 months, there are lots left on the desk. Kentucky will journey to London to tackle the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 4, the third of six non-conference Energy 5 video games the Cats will play this season.
Earlier than then, UK will tackle North Florida tomorrow evening inside Rupp Enviornment, adopted by the in-state Bellarmine Knights on Nov. 29. Enjoying simply two video games in an 11-day span earlier than heading throughout the pond will do wonders for fixing these early-season continuity errors, because the group can have greater than sufficient time to proceed rising in observe.
“That is gonna be a superb time to only lock in with one another, play with completely different teams, be taught one another a little bit bit extra and simply actually lock in and join as a staff,” Reeves stated. “Simply to construct our confidence and chemistry out on the ground, as a result of we simply have to play extra collectively, that is what I really feel like personally and a few of the teammates really feel.”
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Tip-off between Kentucky and North Florida is ready for 4 p.m. EST and can air on the SEC Community +.
Watch Fredrick and Reeves’ media scrums right here.
Sport Recap of the loss to the Zags could be discovered right here.
Takeaways from the Gonzaga loss could be discovered right here.
Watch: Calipari speaks post-game after the defeat.
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Sport Notes on the loss could be discovered right here.
Need the most recent on nationwide soccer and basketball recruiting, together with Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the most recent information, blogs, and updates in regards to the nation’s greatest prospects.
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Now that the ink has dried and his signing with Kentucky has been made official, Jasper Johnson was finally able to be formally introduced to the Rupp Arena crowd during the Wildcats’ 87-68 win over Western Kentucky on Tuesday night.
Johnson, a class of 2025 five-star point guard born and raised in Lexington, sat courtside with his family to check out his future team in action against the Hilltoppers. During the second half, former Kentucky player Ravi Moss brought out the future Wildcat to midcourt where he was met with a chorus of cheers from the packed crowd of Big Blue Nationites.
After initially committing to Kentucky back in September, Johnson signed the necessary papers to play his college basketball at UK earlier this month. He’s been inside Rupp Arena plenty of times before over the years (and even played here with Woodford County as a sophomore), but never while wearing street clothes as the center of attention in front of over 20,000 screaming fans.
The smile says all you need to know.
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Johnson is one of three signees from Mark Pope‘s first recruiting class as Kentucky’s head coach, joining four-star center Malachi Moreno and four-star point guard Acaden Lewis. The 6-foot-4 guard is ranked No. 14 overall in the nation by the On3 Industry Ranking. He’s currently finishing up his high school career at Overtime Elite as a member of Rod Wave Elite (RWE).
Alongside Tay Kinney, a talented class of 2026 guard who is also from Kentucky and is being recruited by Pope, the two Bluegrass natives form arguably the deadliest backcourt duo in all of OTE. Through five games played this season, Johnson is averaging 19.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per outing while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from deep.
This time next year, we’ll hopefully see him do the same thing in Kentucky blue and white.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Clara Strack scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Teonni Key had 16 points and 13 rebounds and No. 14 Kentucky defeated Arizona State 77-61 on Tuesday in the Music City Classic to remain unbeaten.
Kentucky nearly had four players with double-doubles as Georgia Amoore added 20 points and nine rebounds and Amelia Hassett had eight points and nine rebounds for the Wildcats (6-0), who shot 42% and scored 13 points off 14 Arizona State turnovers.
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Jalyn Brown scored 16 points and Nevaeh Parkinson added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Sun Devils (3-3). Arizona State shot just 30%.
The Sun Devils cut a 19-point deficit to 11 after three quarters but a 6-0 burst with baskets by Key, Amoore and Strack built the lead back to 15 midway through the fourth.
Kentucky led 42-23 at halftime after outscoring the Sun Devils 27-9 in the second quarter, scoring the first 13 points of the period with Struck putting in the final seven in the run. A couple ASU free throws later, the Wildcats went on an 11-2 run capped by a Hassett 3 and the lead was 20. Strack scored 14 points and Key 10 in the half.
The teams continue play in the Music City Classic on Wednesday with Kentucky playing No. 19 Illinois and Arizona State facing South Dakota.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rivalry week has finally arrived. The Louisville and Kentucky football program are set to do battle once again, facing off in Lexington for the annual Battle for the Governor’s Cup.
Here are the depth charts for both the Cardinals and Wildcats:
Changes from Louisville’s Depth Chart vs. Pitt:
Quarterback
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9 Tyler Shough (6-5, 230, Gr.) 10 Pierce Clarkson (6-1, 190, R-Fr.) OR 15 Harrison Bailey (6-5, 230, R-Sr.) OR 12 Brady Allen (6-6, 220, R-So)
Running Back
25 Isaac Brown (5-9, 190, Fr.) 21 Donald Chaney Jr. (5-10, 210, R-Jr.) 26 Duke Watson (6-0, 180, Fr.) 22 Keyjuan Brown (5-10, 210, R-Fr.)
Wide Receiver
0 Chris Bell (6-2, 220, Jr.) 81 Cataurus Hicks (5-10, 180, R-Fr.)