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Kentucky shows glimpses of what it can be in loss to Kansas

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Kentucky shows glimpses of what it can be in loss to Kansas


LEXINGTON, Ky. — Rupp Area had rocked just like the glory days, packed to the banner-filled rafters and vibrating with anticipation by the nationwide anthem, thunderous all through a nationally televised battle of bluebloods, exploding with sound each time Kentucky surged on Saturday night time towards Kansas. Some 20,000 followers had channeled the renewed hope of a complete basketball-crazed state and created an epic faculty ambiance. They’d been rewarded with a high-level heavyweight battle. However now, having watched their Wildcats wilt over the ultimate 4 minutes and let a golden alternative slip away, they shuffled somberly towards the exits.

“Properly,” muttered one everlasting optimist amongst them, “I assume this simply means now we go win all of it.”

See, that’s what the Jayhawks did final season. They received beat at dwelling by Kentucky — thumped, really — regardless of an electrical Allen Fieldhouse surroundings, then they received the nationwide championship and handed the Cats for the all-time wins lead within the course of. It could be wishful considering to consider the reverse may occur this season, however one may no less than squint and see the perfect model of John Calipari’s staff coming into focus at occasions Saturday. The 77-68 loss to ninth-ranked Kansas confirmed each how far Kentucky has are available simply 18 days and the way a lot farther it should nonetheless go to change into a menace by March.

“They’re a top-10 staff, and we’re attempting to reestablish who we’re, and I hoped we may get this, however you understand what? The youngsters fought and tried,” Calipari stated. “We’ve received some stuff to work on. They had been crushed after that. I feel they went in with the thought (they’d win).”

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Some excellent news: As a result of the Wildcats (14-7) received 4 straight to regular themselves after which performed 36 good minutes towards the Jayhawks (17-4), this newest loss didn’t ship sky-is-falling vibes for a change.

“It was a big-boy battle. They got here from shedding three in a row. They got here able to die to win this recreation. Us too,” stated Oscar Tshiebwe after his 18 factors, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, a block and steal helped maintain Kentucky in it. “Kansas is a very good staff. For us to return in and battle the best way we fought, it simply provides me extra confidence.”

Consecutive losses to Alabama (by 26) and South Carolina (0-7 in its different SEC video games) left the Wildcats 10-6 total and 1-3 of their league, barely even on the NCAA Match bubble. Then they beat a top-five Tennessee staff in Knoxville, found a brand new, profitable lineup mixture and received rolling, which arrange probably the most anticipated dwelling recreation of the 12 months. Beat Kansas to make it 5 straight wins, and Kentucky would formally be again.

The magnitude of the second was not misplaced on the Cats. Propelled by a super-active duo of Jacob Toppin and Chris Livingston, who mixed for 14 of the staff’s first 20 factors, Kentucky led nearly all the first 10 minutes. A continual slow-starter, UK really sank 10 of its first 15 pictures Saturday, and the roof at Rupp appeared prefer it may blow off.

“Unbelievable crowd,” Calipari stated, “and also you wish to reward them as a coach and as a staff.”

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Now for the unhealthy information: Invoice Self has by no means misplaced 4 in a row at Kansas, and he wasn’t about to start out, so he got here to city with a helluva plan.

Step 1: throw our bodies at Tshiebwe, the nation’s finest rebounder, and “hit him first,” as KU star Jalen Wilson stated. Kentucky got here in ranked No. 1 nationally in offensive rebound share however had zero offensive boards by halftime and 0 second-chance factors for the sport.

Step 2: assault Tshiebwe the place he’s weakest — defending pick-and-rolls. Undersized middle KJ Adams Jr. had a area day there, scoring 17 factors on 8-of-10 taking pictures, a lot of these after catching Tshiebwe in no man’s land. When his staff pushed forward by seven at halftime, Self advised ESPN: “We simply wished to place them in as many ball screens as attainable.” After the sport, he estimated the Jayhawks scored 20 factors that method. This has change into a hard pattern for the Wildcats.

Step 3: suffocate Kentucky’s shooters, Antonio Reeves and CJ Fredrick, and be aggressively of their face each time they contact the ball. That additionally labored, because the pair missed all eight 3-pointers they tried.

And nonetheless …

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“All that being stated,” Calipari identified, “it was a one-point recreation, two-point recreation, three-point recreation, four-point recreation. I believed we had been going to win that recreation.”

The Cats’ A-plus lineup of Cason Wallace, Reeves, Fredrick, Toppin and Tshiebwe, central to the four-game profitable streak, didn’t play collectively till the second half, when Kansas pushed its result in 9. That group, leaning closely on the freshman Wallace — 14 factors, six boards, 5 assists, 5 steals — reduce the deficit to at least one with 11:33 to go. Then WIlson drilled a momentum-shifting 3-pointer. These daggers had been finally the distinction: Gradey Dick’s 3 with 4:49 to go after UK received inside two, one other Wilson 3 with 4:13 to go after UK received it to 3 and Kevin McCullar’s 3 with 3:09 to go after UK received it to 4. Three backbreaking 3s within the span of 100 seconds.

“In these video games, somebody’s received to step up and make a shot,” Calipari stated. “They made them.”

Not like different losses, there was not panic this time. Hope stays. However there are issues nonetheless to kind out. Who’re these clutch-shot makers? How do you deal with pick-and-roll protection shifting ahead? The place does the final vital piece of the roster, Livingston, match after scoring eight first-half factors after which taking part in only a minute within the second half Saturday? There are 10 regular-season video games left to seek out solutions.

“Contemplating we may’ve nonetheless received the sport, clearly it’s not the top of the world,” Toppin stated. “We perceive that. We’re nonetheless collectively.”

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(Photograph of Kansas’ Gradey Dick and Dajuan Harris and Kentucky’s Cason Wallace: James Crisp / Related Press)





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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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