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Kentucky Leaves Kansas Loss Optimistic for Final Stretch of Regular Season

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Kentucky Leaves Kansas Loss Optimistic for Final Stretch of Regular Season


LEXINGTON, Ky. — As losses started to pile on high of Kentucky, every defeat felt extra damning than the subsequent. One other season that started with hopes of hanging banners shortly puckered, because the Wildcats suffered via a gut-wrenching string of video games that started to depart the gold customary on the perimeter of the NCAA Match area. 

Disappointment overflowed after South Carolina drained the vitality out of Rupp Enviornment on Jan. 10. The decaying Cats appeared as hole shells, merely mimicking the acts of a basketball staff — one which, on the time, managed solely a woeful 10-6 document.

That was, till a visit right down to Knoxville as subsequent on the docket. The then fifth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers awaited the writhing Wildcats like pallbearers, prepared to hold Kentucky to it is future burial web site — the NIT. 

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Down two gamers, the Cats have been overcome by a storm of rejuvenation and grit. Together with the assistance of some well timed missed layups from the orange undertakers, UK inched its option to a victory of cosmic proportions, kickstarting a four-game successful streak that noticed a once-decrepit staff sear its sights on the sunshine that all of a sudden appeared on the high of the outlet that it had dug itself through the first half of the common season. 

Onerous-fought wins over Georgia and Texas A&M paved the best way for a cushty street smushing of Vanderbilt, setting the stage for the Wildcats to reassert themselves within the nationwide highlight towards a ballyhooed foe, welcoming the Kansas Jayhawks to Lexington for the ultimate go-round of the Huge 12/SEC Problem. 

Due to the current burst of enthusiasm on and off the court docket, Kentucky gave the impression to be the heavyweight champ its typically proclaimed to be over time. Kansas, nevertheless, entered an ear-piercing Rupp Enviornment seeking to keep away from a four-game shedding streak, looking for the required muscle it carried simply a few weeks in the past. 

The 2 winningest packages within the historical past of the game went blow for blow. Kentucky landed the tougher punches first, clinging to a tiny lead via the primary two media timeouts — a welcomed change for a staff that is needed to come from behind as a result of sluggish begins all season lengthy. 

Kansas had grow to be all-too conversant in the style of defeat, nevertheless. All three of its consecutive losses got here towards ranked opponents in Huge 12 play, so the challengers have been well-regarded and worthy, no less than more-so than the Wildcats, who turned out to be carrying fools-brawn on its shoulders. 

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The Jayhawks punched again, slowly studying Kentucky’s actions within the ring, slipping the occasional strike, shortly firing again with an efficient mixture. Because the rounds drew on, the black and blue eyes of KU did not painting that of a beaten-down staff, it as an alternative portrayed a seasoned and well-zested group of veteran gamers that knew tips on how to win a detailed struggle. 

Kentucky continued to fireside its jabs like a piston, however Kansas was all the time fast to return with a straight of its personal. Unfamiliar to the sensation, the Cats’ punches slowly misplaced their steam, creating a gap for the Jayhawks to place its fellow blue-blood on the canvas. 

KU’s Gradey Dick, Jalen Wilson and Kevin McCullar Jr every buried a 3-pointer, serving as a flurry of uppercuts, with each connecting extra flush than the final. Kentucky had its possibilities to cement its place again within the mixture of the school basketball panorama, but it surely as an alternative noticed stars because it watched Huge Blue Nation file out of the constructing, nonetheless hankering for that season-turning victory. 

Kentucky coach John Calipari advised reporters after the 77-68 loss that his staff was “crushed.” 

“They got here in, and we fought. I imply, they’re a Prime-10 staff and we’re attempting to re-establish who we’re and I hoped we might get this however you already know what, children fought and tried,” he stated.

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“They deserved to win the sport as a result of they made three threes down the stretch. You have to make these type of performs, they usually made them.”

Whereas one other golden alternative obtained away from UK, it wasn’t as a result of an absence of effort this time. Many — if not all — of the issues that had confronted the Cats all through the season have been associated to an absence of toughness and struggle. Saturday night time was completely different. 

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The outdated Kentucky would’ve lied down and accepted defeat after Kansas answered the primary few makes an attempt at making a run within the second half. That model of Kentucky would’ve folded below the stress. 

This model of Kentucky had some of the solutions, however not sufficient. Simply 4 offensive rebounds and two made 3-pointers supplied an inevitable downfall towards a unit as powerful as KU’s. 

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The outcome, although, leaves a sense that’s removed from that “sky is falling!” mentality that had clouded this system. The tip purpose is turning into clearer to see, even when it you continue to might need to squint to see it. 

“Contemplating we might have nonetheless received the sport, clearly it is not the top of the world,” ahead Jacob Toppin stated. “We perceive that we’re nonetheless collectively. We’re simply going to, like I stated earlier than, watch movie and get higher.”

“No, I do not suppose it adjustments in any respect,” capturing guard Antonio Reeves stated of the staff’s mentality transferring ahead. “It is simply us getting again to the fundamentals, actually. Determining what we have to do on the ground subsequent time. You realize, it is a marathon. it is actually simply not one recreation. It is a number of video games. So, you already know, we simply obtained to determine it out.”

No discuss of all-time low. No heading again to the drafting board. Oscar Tshiebwe remained his regular glass half-full self, not the disenchanted model who criticized his teammates after the aforementioned South Carolina loss. 

“Kansas is a very good staff,” he stated. “For us to return in and struggle the best way we fought, it simply provides me extra confidence. We simply gotta go struggle, get higher and preserve going.” 

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Calipari and the UK program have by no means been within the enterprise of ethical victories. They might’ve by no means made it this far in the event that they have been. However generally you simply need to tip your cap, take the positives from the sport, put on the defeat on the chin and kit up in your subsequent problem. 

“We by no means stopped enjoying. We fought the entire time, and we obtained a whole lot of video games left. This can be a marathon. We have video games and we have simply obtained to maintain getting higher,” Calipari defined postgame. 

Kentucky is not that legendary prize fighter simply but, however Saturday night time’s loss showcased that it can grow to be a tricky out, if it irons out the kinks over the ultimate 5 weeks of the common season.

Extra on Kentucky’s loss to Kansas HERE.

The whole lot John Calipari stated after the defeat could be discovered HERE.

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WATCH: Tshiebwe, Reeves and Toppin discuss KU defeat.

Need the newest on nationwide soccer and basketball recruiting, together with Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the newest information, blogs, and updates in regards to the nation’s finest prospects.

Sports activities Illustrated additionally gives perception, info and as much as the minute particulars for gamblers. Test it out right here.



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Kentucky

ESPN picks the winner between Kentucky and Georgia State

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ESPN picks the winner between Kentucky and Georgia State


The Kentucky Wildcats are getting ready to take on Georgia State in Rupp Arena as Mark Pope’s squad will look to move to 7-0 on the season. In the Wildcat’s first game of the week, they took down WKU, but for the first team, all season looked vulnerable.

The Wildcats were able to win this game 87-68, but there were some things Coach Pope’s team could have done better. Defensively the Wildcats were solid in the win, but the threes weren’t falling in this ball game.

A game like this was good for Kentucky because they have looked unstoppable against every team this season aside from Duke, so a little bit of struggle is a good thing. The threes won’t always fall, so the Wildcats need to learn to win a game when this is happening.

Now the Wildcats will take on Georgia State who is 4-3 on the season. The Panthers played Mississippi State earlier in the season, and the Bulldogs blew them out 101-61 in Starkville.

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ESPN doesn’t seem to think the Wildcats will struggle in this ball game as they give Kentucky a 98.2% chance to win.

The goal in this game for the Wildcats should be to keep working on the rebounding and taking care of the ball but also the shots need to fall.

The matchup between the Kentucky Wildcats and Georgia State will be on Friday the 29th at 7:00 pm et. Kentucky fans can watch this game on the SEC Network. Coach Pope and his team shouldn’t have any issue blowing out the Panthers on Friday.



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No. 12 Kentucky Captures SEC Title Outright with 3-1 Win over No. 24 Missouri

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No. 12 Kentucky Captures SEC Title Outright with 3-1 Win over No. 24 Missouri


Thanks to a dominant offensive performance from every position across the net, No. 12 Kentucky picked up a 3-1 victory over No. 24 Missouri Wednesday night in Columbia (25-19, 25-14, 23-25, 25-20) to capture the SEC Title outright for the second-consecutive season.

As they’ve done for much of the season, the Cats once again turned to their superstar sophomore to deliver under the brightest lights as DeLeye recorded a match-high 19 kills on an impressive .359 clip. She also picked up five service aces in the winning effort and rattled off a 5-0 service run to bring the Cats back within a point and kickstart a comeback after trailing by as many as six in the fourth and final set.

DeLeye wasn’t doing it by herself against the Tigers, however, as Megan Wilson (13) and Brooke Bultema (11) also eclipsed double figures in the match. Rounding out the scoring was Jordyn Dailey, who finished with nine kills on a .750 hitting percentage and Erin Lamb, who finished with eight terminations.

Kentucky was paced by senior setter Emma Grome who dished out a match-high 54 assists as the Cats hit .377 as a team.

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On the back line Eleanor Beavin led the way with 15 digs and a pair of service aces. Molly Tuozzo added 14 digs to go along with four assists and a service ace, Grome finished with eight digs, Wilson had six, and DeLeye had five.

Dailey led the defensive effort at the net with four rejections. Grome added three, Wilson had a pair, and Bultema and DeLeye each totaled one.

With the victory, Kentucky concludes the regular season with a 20-7 overall record and a 14-2 mark in the SEC and are currently riding an 11-match winning streak. With no matches left to play, the Cats claimed the SEC Title outright and the NCAA Tournament’s automatic qualifier over Texas, who currently sits in second place with three losses and a match still left to play. With the regular season concluded, Kentucky now awaits their NCAA Tournament berth as the 2024 NCAA Volleyball Selection Show airs Sunday evening at 6:00 pm ET. The top-16 seeded teams named by the committee will host the First and Second Rounds next weekend on campus.



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Kentucky football lands another top 500 recruit for 2025

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Kentucky football lands another top 500 recruit for 2025


Kentucky football lost a 2025 wide receiver when recruit Ja’kayden Ferguson re-opened his recruitment in mid-November. Now, they have gained a commitment from top 500 receiver Dejerrian Miller to take the open spot.

Miller is a 6’3″, 195 lb receiver out of Missouri. He is rated four stars, and is ranked as the number 379 overall player in the 2025 class in the 247sports composite rankings. He is the 53rd ranked receiver in the class.

Eight options to replace coach Mark Stoops

Coach Mark Stoops and his staff have put together a solid recruiting class for 2025 so far. It’s currently ranked 25th in the country, though it is the 13th best class of the 16 teams of the SEC.

Miller joins Quintin Simmons Jr., Preston Bowman, and Montavin Quisenberry as wide receivers who are committed to Kentucky for 2025. Miller’s size should be an advantage for him as he looks to find playing time. It’s good get for the Wildcats and Stoops, who continues to bring in quality players at the receiver position.

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