Connect with us

Kentucky

Kentucky vs. Duke viewing info, what to watch for, and predictions

Published

on

Kentucky vs. Duke viewing info, what to watch for, and predictions


The Kentucky Wildcats finished the first week of the regular season 2-0.

But on Tuesday, they will have their first big test of the season, traveling to Atlanta to take on the Duke Blue Devils in the 2024 Champion’s Classic.

Duke comes in with a roster reminiscent of past Kentucky teams, full of elite freshmen. Meanwhile, Kentucky comes in with the oldest team in program history. It will be a true battle between youth and experience.

The Wildcats are just 1-6 in their last seven Champions Classic games and just 1-5 against Duke over their last six meetings.

Advertisement

Will the Wildcats be able to change course? Let’s take a look at what to watch for when the Wildcats take on the Blue Devils.

Rebounding Battle

Duke has the tallest team in the country, with an average height of 6’7.5”. That certainly helps them in their battle of the boards, where they are averaging 45 rebounds and 14 offensive rebounds through two games.

Meanwhile, Mark Pope has not been pleased with Kentucky’s effort on the boards to start the season. In their latest game against Bucknell, rebounding was a clear point of emphasis as the Cats grabbed 57 rebounds, including 22 offensive boards.

Kentucky doesn’t give up too much height, but they do give up some athleticism. With a lot of long rebounds from threes, all five Cats on the floor need to box out.

Turnover Battle

Duke has the height and length to be a pest on defense. Through two games, the Blue Devils have combined for 18 steals on defense, which allows them to create easy offense.

Advertisement

After turning the ball over 15(!) times against Bucknell, eight of which were between Amari Williams and Andrew Carr, they’ll have to be aware of the pressure inside and keep the ball moving.

Conditioning

Mark Pope has talked about improving his team’s conditioning. He wants them to be in shape reminiscent of Rick Pitino’s 90s teams, which Pope was a part of. They will be able to see where they stand physically and potentially use it to their advantage.

Currently, Kentucky ranks 26th in adjusted tempo, while Duke ranks 181st. However, both team’s average possession lasts less than 15 seconds. This means a fast-paced game should be expected.

Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg has cramped in each of the Blue Devils’ first two games. If Kentucky can push the pace, it will give them a better chance at winning.

The Stage

This is Kentucky’s most experienced team in program history. However, on Tuesday, many of them will be playing on the biggest stage of their career.

Advertisement

We have seen Kentucky freshmen struggle in this event in the past. Now, with a team of veterans, can they contribute when the lights shine the brightest?

This is exactly what they signed up for when they chose to come to Kentucky. Let’s see if they’re ready for the big stage against a legitimate national championship threat.

Opposing Players to Watch

G/F Cooper Flagg 6-9, 205 lbs

  • 15.5 PPG
  • 9 RPG
  • 4 APG
  • 2.5 SPG

G/F Kon Knueppel 6-7, 217 lbs

G Tyrese Proctor 6-6, 183 lbs

  • 12.0 PPG
  • 5 RPG
  • 1.5 APG
  • 50% 3P

Time: 9:00 PM ET on November 12th

Location: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia

Advertisement

TV Channel: ESPN

Announcers: Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas, Jess Sims

Online Stream: ESPN+, and the ESPN app.

Radio: Tom Leach and Jack Givens have the radio call on the UK Sports Radio Network.

Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).

Advertisement

Rosters: UK | DUKE

Stats to Know: UK | DUKE

KenPom: UK | DUKE

Team Sheet: UK | DUKE

Advertisement

Odds: FanDuel Sportsbook does not yet have the lines for this game. Please check back Monday afternoon for official odds. But for the first time this season, the Wildcats are set to be underdogs. Bart Torvik (31%), EvanMiya (30.7%), ESPN (29.1%), and KenPom (26%) all give Kentucky less than a 35% chance of achieving victory.

Predictions: The early projections have Kentucky losing a close one, including KenPom (83-76), EvanMiya (84-77), Bart Torvik (81-76), and Haslametrics (82-78).

Advertisement

Be sure to send us your Kentucky vs. Duke score predictions in the comments section!



Source link

Kentucky

Drug trafficking investigation lands Paducah man in jail

Published

on

Drug trafficking investigation lands Paducah man in jail



By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jun. 17, 2026 | 10:25 PM
| PADUCAH

A drug trafficking investigation landed a Paducah man behind bars.

The weeks-long investigation by Paducah Police led them to 54-year-old Byrone K. Burns. Burnes was believed to be involved in moving illegal drugs through the area.

An undercover purchase was arranged, and detectives reportedly came away with more than ten grams of methamphetamine. Burns was arrested at his job just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Advertisement

Following his arrest, detectives searched two locations in Paducah connected to Burns. They reportedly seized more than two pounds of marijuana, a hydrocodone pill, several thousand dollars in cash, and items consistent with trafficking.

Burns, who is said to have an extensive criminal history related to drugs and weapons, was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine and marijuana, and possession of hydrocodone. He was booked into the McCracken County Regional Jail.  



Source link

Continue Reading

Kentucky

Kentucky fans can enjoy games at new Walk-On’s, KSR sports bar site

Published

on

Kentucky fans can enjoy games at new Walk-On’s, KSR sports bar site


play

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, once labeled by ESPN as the No. 1 sports bar in America, is coming to Lexington, Kentucky.

The new dining establishment will be located at 1030 S. Broadway, in the former Tilted Kilt space, and will use the next-door site of KSBar & Grille, which closed in June, as a game-day location with a Kentucky Sports Radio presence.

Advertisement

The first Walk-On’s location in Kentucky — although its Clarksville, Indiana, location is just minutes from downtown Louisville — will feature at least 50 TVs for fans to watch UK games and other sporting events.

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux will open ahead of the 2026 football season. The new restaurant will be led by business partners Jamie Daniel and KSR founder Matt Jones.

“As a Kentucky native and die-hard Kentucky fan, opening a Walk-On’s here was a long time coming,” Daniel said in a news release. “By partnering with Matt and the KSR community, we’re serving a fan base that lives and breathes Kentucky sports. We believe this creates a destination unlike anything else in the market.”

KSBar opened in Lexington in 2018 and has been a staple for Kentucky sports fans. Jones wants to keep the space alive by opening it for game days and other special events while allowing fans to order from the Walk-On’s scratch-made menu.

Advertisement

“KSBar has always been about bringing Kentucky fans together,” Jones said in the release. “This partnership allows us to preserve that spirit while giving fans access to a bigger experience, a larger menu and the resources of one of the most successful sports bar brands in the country. We’ll still be here on game days, broadcasting KSR live and celebrating Kentucky sports, but now with Walk-On’s helping take the experience to the next level.”

Walk-On’s was founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2003 by former LSU basketball walk-ons Brandon Landry and Jack Warner. Since then, the restaurant has opened over 80 locations across the United States with partners like Dak Prescott, Dabo Swinney and co-owner Drew Brees.

Reach sports trending writer Alaina Morris at amorris@gannett.com and follow her on X at @alainammorris. 



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Kentucky

How Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky basketball alums fared in NBA season

Published

on

How Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky basketball alums fared in NBA season


play

Kentucky basketball is notorious for producing NBA talent. The Wildcats currently have the most active players in the league, with 30 players in 20 different franchises playing a variety of roles.

Karl-Anthony Towns ended the 2025-26 season with an NBA championship, starting at center and helping guide the New York Knicks to their first title in 53 years.

Advertisement

Towns averaged a double-double this season with 20.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. In the playoffs, the former Wildcat averaged 15.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per contest. Towns played a big role in the five-game NBA Finals against the Spurs, most notably tallying 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in the Knicks’ Game 2 win on the road.

The Knicks center wasn’t the only former Kentucky standout to have a big season. Here is a look at how some of Kentucky’s best did in the NBA in 2025-26:

De’Aaron Fox and Keldon Johnson helped the San Antonio Spurs win the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.

Advertisement

Fox was in his first full season with the Spurs after being drafted by Sacramento and spending time with the Kings from 2017-25. He averaged 18.6 points, 6.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds in the regular season. Fox averaged 15.6 points in the playoffs as he dealt with a lingering ankle injury that cause him to miss games against the Thunder. He was also criticized for a disappointing NBA Finals performance against the Knicks.

Johnson etched himself in the record books by winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. Coming off the bench, he averaged 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds during the regular season. Johnson had four games in double-figures in the Western Conference Finals, but didn’t score more than seven in any game against the Knicks when competing for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Before the 2025 NBA champion Thunder saw their bid for a repeat title shut down by the Spurs in Game 7, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enjoyed another dominant regular season and captured his second straight MVP award.

Advertisement

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points per game, second in the league behind only Luka Dončić. The former Wildcat also averaged 6.6 assists (14th-best in the NBA) and 4.3 rebounds.

Cason Wallace, meanwhile, recorded 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Wallace was also named to the 2026 All-Defensive Second Team after leading the league with 150 steals (1.9 per game).

Other stars across the NBA

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers: Maxey averaged 28.3 points per game, which was fifth-best across the NBA. He dished out 6.6 assists to go with 4.1 rebounds per contest. Maxey led the 76ers to a playoff series win over the Boston Celtics before they were swept by the Knicks in the second round. He was named an NBA All-Star during the regular season and ultimately landed on the All-NBA Third Team.

Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns: Booker put up 26.1 points, 6.0 assists and 3.9 rebounds on average this season. He helped lead the Suns back to the playoffs despite the offseason departure of Kevin Durant via trade. Booker was named an NBA All-Star for a fifth time in his career.

Advertisement

Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets: Murray averaged 25.4 points and 7.1 assists to help take the Nuggets back to the playoffs, where they fell in the first round to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Due to an outburst in scoring, the former Wildcat guard was named an NBA All-Star for the very first time in his career.

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat: Adebayo’s 2025-26 season will be best remembered for his 83 points in one game against the Washington Wizards on March 10. That’s the second-highest single-game total in NBA history, surpassing Kobe Bryant’s 81 in 2006 and sitting only behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 in 1962. Adebayo averaged 20.1 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which finished 10th in the Eastern Conference.

Julius Randle, Minnesota Timberwolves: Randle averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the Timberwolves, whose impressive postseason run ended with a Game 6 loss to the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals. He set a new career high with 41 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 11.

Around the league

Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers: Sharpe appeared in just 50 games, dealing with a stress fracture in his left fibula. He averaged 20.8 points per game when he was healthy.

Tyler Herro, Miami Heat: Herro dealt with a variety of injuries, including to his ribs and ankles. The Heat guard only appeared in 33 games, but he averaged 20.5 points when healthy.

Advertisement

Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets: Following an injury to teammate Fred VanVleet, Sheppard was given a much bigger role in his second season. He ended up averaging 13.5 points, 3.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds, highlighted by a career-high 31 points in a win over the Golden State Warriors.

Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks/Washington Wizards: Davis is another former Wildcat who was riddled with a finger injury this year. He appeared in just 20 games with the Mavericks, where he averaged 20.4 points before being traded to the Wizards.

Immanuel Quickly, Toronto Raptors: Quickly averaged 16.4 points in 70 games and helped the Raptors finish fifth in the East before losing to the Cavaliers in the playoffs.

PJ Washington, Dallas Mavericks: Washington averaged 14.2 points and 7.0 rebounds on a Mavericks team currently looking to rebuild. He played in 56 games.

Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings: Monk found himself on a Kings team that only won 22 games. He averaged 12.9 points and 3.0 assists in 62 contests.

Advertisement

Oscar Tshiebwe, Utah Jazz: Tshiebwe also found himself on a squad that collected 22 wins. The former Kentucky forward averaged 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in 27 games.

Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers/Los Angeles Clippers: Jackson played a role off the bench before and after being moved in a midseason trade to the Clippers. He averaged 6.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 55 games.

Rob Dillingham, Minnesota Timberwolves/Chicago Bulls: Dillingham was traded from Minnesota to Chicago in a February swap that sent Ayo Dosunmu to the Timberwolves. The second-year guard averaged 6.3 points and 2.2 assists in 65 games.

Justin Edwards, Philadelphia 76ers: Edwards emerged as a key bench player for the Sixers, averaging 6.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 64 games.

Jarred Vanderbilt, Los Angeles Lakers: Vanderbilt came off the bench and appeared in 65 games for the Lakers, averaging 4.4 points and 4.5 rebounds.

Advertisement

Nick Richards, Chicago Bulls: Richards played in just above half of the season, checking into 48 games. He averaged 5.8 points and 5.1 rebounds.

Amari Williams, Boston Celtics: Williams appeared in 22 games, averaging 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per outing.

TyTy Washington Jr., Los Angeles Clippers: Washington played in 16 games, in which he averaged 1.3 points and 1.1 assists.

Koby Brea, Phoenix Suns: Brea saw action in 12 games and averaged 3.8 points per contest.

Antonio Reeves, Charlotte Hornets: Reeves saw the floor in 10 games and averaged 2.7 points.

Advertisement

Olivier Sarr, Cleveland Cavaliers: Sarr played in only four contests, averaging 3.5 points and 2.8 rebounds, before he suffered a ruptured left Achilles’ tendon.

Jacob Toppin, Atlanta Hawks: Toppin checked into five games and averaged 1.6 points.

Reach sports trending writer Alaina Morris at amorris@gannett.com and follow her on X at @alainammorris. 



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending