Kentucky

KSR Staff Predictions: [3] Kentucky vs. [14] Troy, NCAA Tournament First Round

Published

4 days ago

March 21, 2025

KSR Staff Predictions: [3] Kentucky vs. [14] Troy, NCAA Tournament First Round

The first NCAA Tournament game of the Mark Pope era is finally here. No. 3 seed Kentucky faces No. 14 seed Troy on Friday night at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee (7:10 p.m. ET, CBS).

The Cats are coming off a loss to Alabama in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals while the Trojans won the Sun Belt Conference Tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in program history. Troy is led by senior guard Tayton Conerway, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, who averages a team-high 14.3 points and 4.8 assists per game. Sophomore forward Thomas Dowd is the Trojans’ leading rebounding with 6.8 boards per game.

Can Pope’s Cats exorcise some March demons by getting out of the first round? The KSR crew is ready to weigh in, after a message from today’s sponsor.

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Tyler Thompson

The first weekend of the NCAA Tournament has not been kind to Kentucky recently, especially the first round. If you woke up with nerves about another early exit, I’m sure you’re not alone. How could you not after the past few years?

That’s why it was so good for me to be in the arena to see Kentucky go through the paces yesterday. Mark Pope’s Cats seemed loose and focused ahead of their first NCAA Tournament game. None of them were part of the Kentucky teams that lost early (as Andrew Carr pointed out, without those early exits, none of them would be here either). Several have NCAA Tournament experience of their own, most notably Lamont Butler, who has played 11 games in the Big Dance and will be back on the floor after his most recent shoulder injury. After coming from mostly smaller schools, these Cats are used to being the underdogs and are eager to extend this special season.

I’ve already written two paragraphs and I’m just now getting to Troy, which kind of shows you where my head is at in this matchup. The Trojans are a good offensive-rebounding team and switch defenses a lot, ranking No. 7 nationally in steal percentage. They are not good shooters, ranking No. 339 in the country in three-point percentage (30.3%). That latter stat makes me think they won’t be able to keep up with the Cats if Kentucky’s shots are falling. I think they will be, and without the fanbase’s anxiety, the Cats will take care of business to advance to the second round, allowing us all to breathe a big sigh of relief.

Score: Kentucky 83, Troy 70

Nick Roush

I am the victim of Kentucky basketball privilege. For years, we entered the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament without a care in the world. John Calipari was taking Kentucky to the Sweet 16. It was inevitable. There weren’t any nerves until the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

Now look at us. We are scarred from post-pandemic postseason basketball. Two early upsets have made Kentucky a punchline. Fortunately, two losses to double-digit seeds can just be a blip on the radar. A third in five years would make it a trend. Mark Pope must avoid this trend.

Troy has a knack for giving the ball away, which helps because Kentucky isn’t great at taking it away. As we learned from the last two upsets, the most valuable tool for a Cinderella is a player that can go nuclear from three. Tayton Conerway is a good basketball player, but that’s not this team’s M.O. We may have to sweat a little more than we’d like to in the first half, but ultimately these early upsets do not become a trend in Milwaukee.

Score: Kentucky 88, Troy 75

Adam Luckett

You can feel the anxiety in the Big Blue Nation as the Cats find themselves in a No. 3 vs. No. 14 matchup for the second year in a row in a region where there seems to be a clear path to multiple wins.

Can Kentucky avoid another embarrassing first weekend upset in Milwaukee?

The answer is yes because this Troy team struggles to score (No. 221 nationally in effective field goal percentage, No. 339 in three-point field goal percentage). Head coach Scott Cross will need his team to get to 80-plus points to win this game. That can only happen with Kentucky turnovers and a surprisingly hot shooting performance.

Even 80-85 points might not be enough if Kentucky takes care of the basketball. Troy’s pressure defense and switching should lead to matchup advantages for UK. That will turn into open perimeter shots. If this becomes a good shooting variance game for the favorite, it could quickly become blowout city at Fiserv Forum.

The return of Lamont Butler is key in handling the Troy pressure. Pope’s offense creates open looks and has a good shooting performance. The Cats will play for their first Sweet 16 berth since 2019 on Sunday.

Score: Kentucky 87, Troy 69

Zack Geoghegan

Kentucky has the size and talent advantage in this one. Troy’s No. 93 ranking in KenPom rivals past opponents this season such as LSU (90th) and Lipscomb (82nd) — two teams the Wildcats beat by an average of 30 points. With a healthier Lamont Butler in the fold, UK should have little issue handling Troy’s ball pressure.

The Trojans do plenty of things well. They’re an elite offensive rebounding team and are excellent at racking up stocks (steals + blocks). But that’s come against Sun Belt competition. Troy’s tallest rotation player is 6-foot-9. The Trojans are a terrible three-point shooting team, but take a ton of them. They’re also prone to turnovers and don’t get to the free-throw line all that often. Outside of senior guard Tayton Conerway (a high-usage player), Troy doesn’t have anyone on the scouting report who should truly worry Mark Pope.

This should be a perfect tune-up opportunity for the ‘Cats. I understand why some will come into this game with endless nerves considering how the last few seasons played out, but this is an entirely new team and staff. Pope finally gets his first NCAA Tournament win as Kentucky cruises to the Round of 32.

Score: Kentucky 90, Troy 73

Jacob Polacheck

Well, here we are again. Kentucky is back for another No. 3 vs. No. 14 seed matchup in the NCAA Tournament. However, this time Mark Pope is at the helm.

With Lamont Butler back, I predict Pope will get his first-ever NCAA Tournament win on Friday night. Troy is a good offensive-rebounding team, but they’re undersized and have never had a matchup like Amari Williams. Troy has struggled with turnovers this year, and while Kentucky isn’t exactly known for forcing turnovers themselves, it’s an area that the Cats can exploit.

If Kentucky can slow both Tayton Conerway and Myles Rigsby, UK should be in a good position to win. The Cats just have too much firepower with the team now relatively healthy (outside of the season-ending injuries).

Troy head coach Scott Cross was nice enough to do an interview with KSR+ for Here Comes the Boom earlier this week. Sorry, but it’s not going to be enough. I’m picking the Cats by 20.

Score: Kentucky 91, Troy 71

Drew Franklin

My guard is up after recent early exits for the Wildcats, but like Troy’s head coach said in his preview of the game, last year and yesterday do not impact Kentucky versus Troy in 2025. Though I’m more cautious than I would’ve been before past tournaments, I still have strong confidence in Kentucky moving on without having to sweat out the first-round game. Troy lacks the 3-point shooting to keep up with Kentucky on the scoreboard, plus a glaring mismatch inside with Amari Williams, Brandon Garrison, Andrew Carr, etc.

I think Kentucky wins big, covering the 11.5-point spread and getting Mark Pope his first career NCAA Tournament win. Koby Brea will be the high scorer and Williams will keep Troy from dominating the glass like the Trojans did in the Sun Belt Conference.

Score: Kentucky 88, Troy 69

Jack Pilgrim

We shouldn’t feel this way, right? BBN has this irrational fear of all NCAA Tournament games, but especially the first one — two first-round exits in three years with zero second weekends since 2019 will do that to you. It’s time to turn the page on the old and embrace the new, bringing back the feeling of No. 3 seeds doing what they’re supposed to do against No. 14 seeds.

Yes, Troy is a top-70 defense ranked No. 30 in defensive EFG%, No. 18 in two-point defense, No. 38 in block rate and No. 7 in steal rate. The Trojans are also No. 6 nationally on the offensive glass. Good things! Deserving of a Sun Belt championship! But Kentucky is Kentucky for a reason, this group racking up eight top-15 wins and 11 Quad 1 victories entering March Madness. The Wildcats are back to full strength — this version of full strength in the post-Jaxson Robinson and Kerr Kriisa era — and that group is good enough to not just beat Troy, but beat Troy comfortably. You’re a double-digit favorite for a reason. Do something with it!

Lamont Butler is the team’s most valuable player and will have his ‘LaMarch’ moment at some point, but it’s the massive size advantage in Amari Williams and Andrew Carr that make the difference tonight in Milwaukee. They’re both way too big and skilled to not dominate in the frontcourt tonight.

Kentucky keeps the fun rolling in a statement win for Mark Pope — his first in the NCAA Tournament to get that monkey off his back.

Score: Kentucky 90, Troy 71

[3] Kentucky vs. [14] Troy: How to Watch, Listen

Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Television: CBS (Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi)
Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
Online Radio: The Varsity App
Satellite Radio: Sirius 210 or 203
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

You can also follow the game via our new LIVE BLOG on the website, which will begin an hour before tip-off, or join the conversation on KSBoard.

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Kentucky

Kentucky Enacts ‘Bitcoin Rights’ Legislation Amid Broader Crypto Developments

Published

9 hours ago

March 25, 2025

Press Room

Kentucky Enacts ‘Bitcoin Rights’ Legislation Amid Broader Crypto Developments

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has officially signed the “Bitcoin Rights” bill into law, a move that solidifies protections for cryptocurrency users within the state. House Bill 701, which was introduced by Rep. Adam Bowling on Feb. 19, aims to ensure the right to self-custody of digital assets and to run a crypto node without fear of local discrimination.

The legislation, which garnered unanimous support in both the Kentucky House and Senate, prohibits any local zoning changes that could negatively affect crypto mining operations. Additionally, it outlines guidelines for operating a crypto node, exempts crypto mining from money transmitter licensing requirements, and clarifies that mining and staking are not considered securities offerings.

Simultaneously, Oklahoma’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act has advanced in the state legislature, passing the House of Representatives with a vote of 77 to 15. Introduced by Rep. Cody Maynard on Jan. 15, this bill is now pending approval from the Senate. If enacted, it would establish a reserve for Bitcoin, allowing the state to allocate up to 10% of its excess reserves into digital assets.

In Arizona, two strategic digital asset reserve bills have cleared the House Rules Committee and are set for a full vote, positioning the state as a leader in Bitcoin reserve legislation. Missouri is also evaluating a similar Bitcoin reserve bill through its Special Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs.

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Kentucky

Themes in Kentucky's two wins against Tennessee

Published

21 hours ago

March 24, 2025

Press Room

Themes in Kentucky's two wins against Tennessee

Kentucky faces Tennessee for a third time this season in Indianapolis on Friday night, in a Sweet 16 game that could be the biggest game in the history of a long and storied series.

The Wildcats defeated Tennessee 78-73 in Knoxville back in late January and then took down the Vols 75-64 in Rupp Arena the next month.

Here are some of the themes from those wins.

– Kentucky shot exactly 50% in both wins. They were 25/50 FG and 26/52 respectively in those wins. Kentucky didn’t attempt a huge number of shots.

– Ansley Almonor was a big factor in both games. He was 4/7 FG with 12 points in Knoxville and 4/5 with 13 points in the Lexington win.

– Oweh was okay both times. He was 4/11 from the field and averaged 13.5 points. Basically, Kentucky got as much offense from Almonor as from Oweh, and the former was more efficient.

– Trent Noah chipped in both games. He had five points in the first game and 11 points as the top bench scorer in the second game. He only missed one field goal in those two games combined.

– Tennessee didn’t turn it over much. The Vols turned it over nine times in one game and five times another. Lamont Butler wasn’t available for the game in Knoxville, when UT only turned it over five times.

– The Vols dominated second chance points and won the boards overall. Tennessee beat Kentucky in second chance points 35-11. They were +3 and +7 respectively on the boards in those two games.

– UT senior guard Jordan Gainey and didn’t shoot well. He’s only a 39.8% field goal shooter but was 4/12 and 2/9 from the floor in those two games. He took a lot of shots and wasn’t on. Chaz Lanier also didn’t shoot well (5/14 FG and 3/13 FG).

– Tennessee shot poorly from three-point range. The Vols were 11/45 from three-point range in the Knoxville game. That was a huge number of three-point shots and the Vols were only 24%. They didn’t shoot nearly as many in Lexington but were only 3/18.

– Kentucky led by 35 minutes in both games. The Wildcats set a tone early and didn’t relent. They have stayed in control through two games in the NCAA Tournament as well.

– UT finished both games cold, but credit Kentucky’s defense. UT only hit one of its last dozen field goal attempts in that 78-73 UK win in Knoxville and they missed their last four field goals in the Lexington loss.

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Kentucky

What bills has Beshear vetoed? Conversion therapy, DEI measures make the list

Published

1 day ago

March 24, 2025

Press Room

What bills has Beshear vetoed? Conversion therapy, DEI measures make the list

The 2025 Kentucky legislative session is its final stretch — with more than 100 bills sent to Gov. Andy Beshear for approval.

The session entered a veto period on March 15, during which Beshear can sign bills into law, veto them or let them become law without his signature.

Wednesday marks the last day for Beshear to make his decisions. Lawmakers will return to the Capitol on Thursday and Friday for the final two days of the session.

The General Assembly is dominated by Republicans, and state legislators will likely override Beshear’s vetoes — putting their bills into law with or without an OK from the Democratic governor.

Here’s are the bills Beshear has vetoed so far.

House Bill 495: Overturning conversion therapy ban

In a social media post late Saturday, Beshear said he vetoed a measure that would nullify an executive order on conversion therapy that he issued last year.

“Conversion therapy is torture, and that’s why I signed an executive order banning it in Kentucky,” Beshear said in the post on X, formerly Twitter. “Legislators seek to overturn those protections with HB 495, which I vetoed at the Fairness Dinner.”

House Bill 495 was amended just before it received final approval to also prohibit transgender Kentuckians from receiving gender-affirming care through Medicaid.

The bill passed both chambers with widespread support from Republicans and strong opposition from Democrats.

According to HB 495, sponsored by Republican Rep. David Hale, Medicaid funds can not be expended on:

“Cross-sex hormones in amounts greater than would normally be produced endogenously in a healthy person of the same age and sex.”
“Gender reassignment surgery to alter or remove physical or anatomical characteristics or features that are typical for and characteristics of a person’s biological sex.”

House Bill 4: DEI ban at colleges and universities

Last week, Beshear vetoed a measure that bans diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at Kentucky public colleges and universities.

He said in a social media post that the bill “isn’t about love” but instead “is about hate.”

HB 4, sponsored by Republican Rep. Jennifer Decker, prohibits Kentucky colleges and universities from spending money on DEI programs. The measure also requires schools to eliminate all DEI offices and positions and prohibits them from requiring students or staff to attend DEI training sessions, among other things.

The bill has some exceptions, including for Americans with Disabilities Act and Title IX requirements. It defines DEI initiatives as policies, practices or procedures “designed or implemented to promote or provide differential treatment or benefits to individuals on the basis of religion, race, sex, color, or national origin.”

Beshear has defended DEI measures in the past and said Kentucky “should be embracing diversity, not banning it” when he announced his veto.

House Bill 216: Department of Agriculture grants

House Bill 216, sponsored by Republican Rep. Myron Dossett, would let Department of Agriculture employees apply for and receive grants and loans run by the department through the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy’s Agricultural Development Board or Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation.

In Beshear’s veto message, he said the measure allows conduct that “always has been unethical and unlawful under the Executive Branch’s Ethics Code.”

He cited two advisory opinions issued to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, where the Executive Branch Ethics Commission confirmed the state’s laws prohibit executive branch employees from accepting grants from programs “run by the agency they work for.”

“As written, House Bill 216 would even allow employees who work directly on the grant and loan programs to select themselves,” Beshear said. “This puts farmers who are not department employees at an unfair disadvantage when competing with department employees for grants and loans.”

Senate Bill 245: Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission

Under Senate Bill 245, members who are reappointed to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission would not be able to serve unless they receive Senate confirmation.

According to the bill’s language, “a member whose reappointment is not confirmed by the Senate while it is in session shall vacate his or her seat upon the date of sine die adjournment of the session in which the confirmation was declined.”

SB 245 was sponsored by Republican Sen. Brandon Smith.

Under current law, only new appointments from Beshear are subject to Senate confirmation. In his veto message, Beshear said the Senate has “refused to confirm seven members whom the sportsmen and sportswomen have nominated” the past four legislative sessions. He also pointed out the Senate still has to confirm the reappointment of the “first ever Black member of the commission.”

“The bill and the Senate’s refusal to confirm creates a scenario where there could be multiple vacancies on the Commission at one time, while the part-time General Assembly is out of session (most of the year), threatening the Commission’s ability to fill its quorum,” Beshear said in his veto message.

Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at hpinski@courier-journal.com or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski.

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