Kentucky

LIVE BLOG: Kentucky vs. Clemson in the SEC/ACC Challenge

Published

1 year ago

December 3, 2024

LIVE BLOG: Kentucky vs. Clemson in the SEC/ACC Challenge

After four easy wins at home, it’s time to see what this Kentucky team can do on the road. KSR’s new and improved LIVE BLOG will bring you all the sights and sounds from Littlejohn Coliseum as No. 4 Kentucky takes on Clemson in the SEC/ACC Challenge (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Kentucky is 7-0, the best start since the 2016-17 season. If the Cats win tonight, it’ll be the best start since the 2014-15 season. Tonight, they’ll face a Clemson team that is 7-1, the only loss coming at Boise State. The Tigers made it to the Elite Eight of last year’s NCAA Tournament but lost seven players from that squad. This year’s team was picked to finish fourth in the ACC preseason poll and is led by Chase Hunter (16.4 points per game) and Ian Schieffelin (11.6 rebounds per game).

Refresh the feed below for updates and our takes on the game, from both Littlejohn Coliseum and the couch. You can also join the conversation on the KSBoard Game Thread or by texting your observations to 859-587-3828 (standard messaging rates apply).

Special thanks to today’s live blog sponsor, Ole Jim’s BBQ:

This holiday season give the tastiest gift in the form of Ole Jim’s BBQ sauce and rub! Ole Jim’s began in the hometown of our founder in Eddyville, KY. Being unable to find a sauce and rub that provided the flavor he wanted, Jim set out to make his own. Blending sweet and savory spices with a touch of tangy, he created the signature Ole Jim’s BBQ Sweet Sauce. Jim’s inspiration comes from his love and passion of cooking on his smoker and gathering with family and friends.

Ole Jim’s BBQ is a Kentucky Proud product, and that’s just what we are… proud to be made in the bluegrass! Take advantage of free shipping on orders of $19.99 or more. Happy shopping at olejimsbbq.com. Savor the flavor!

By:Tyler Thompson

Andrew Carr picks up his 2nd foul

12/03/2024 09:09:04 PM

The fouls are mounting at Littlejohn Coliseum. Andrew Carr picked up his second, bringing Kentucky’s team total to five. Lamont Butler has been on the bench after picking up his second foul at the 15:11 mark. Brandon Garrison also just picked up a foul to take Kentucky’s total to six. Clemson has eight fouls total. This game could drag on well into the night.

By:Tyler Thompson

Score Update: 11:40 1H – Kentucky 17, Clemson 15

12/03/2024 09:02:03 PM

It’s a back-and-forth battle so far. After missing two free throws Andrew Carr hit a huge three to put the Cats up 17-12. Clemson’s Dillon Hunter responded on the other end to cut that lead to three at the Under-12 media timeout. The Tigers are having their way on the offensive glass so far, with five offensive boards to Kentucky’s three for six second-chance points.

By:Tyler Thompson

Clemson takes the lead, but Koby Brea takes it back

12/03/2024 08:58:55 PM

Myles Foster gave Clemson its first lead of the game but Koby Brea stole it back with his first three of the game. Unfortunately, he picked up a foul on the other end, but we’ll forgive it if it means more threes.

By:Tyler Thompson

Score Update: 15:11 1H – Kentucky 11, Clemson 8

12/03/2024 08:51:49 PM

Good news or bad news? Good: Kentucky leads Clemson at the first media timeout. Bad: Lamont Butler just picked up his second foul. Butler’s been playing great otherwise, leading Kentucky with five points, so this is not ideal.

Both teams are a little cold early on. Kentucky is 3-9 from the floor, Clemson 2-8.

By:Tyler Thompson

Christian Reeves picks up his second foul

12/03/2024 08:49:07 PM

Clemson center Christian Reeves just fouled Otega Oweh on a three-point shot, his second foul of the game. Oweh made two of three from the stripe to make it 9-5 Cats with 16:11 to go until half.

By:Tyler Thompson

Lamont Butler, Andrew Carr pick up early fouls

12/03/2024 08:44:07 PM

The refs are already making themselves known, calling two early questionable fouls on Lamont Butler and Andrew Carr. Mark Pope, who famously attended a referee symposium to better understand officiating, is unhappy with them so far.

It’s okay because a Lamont Butler and-one makes it 6-2 Kentucky with 18:13 to go.

By:Tyler Thompson

Birthday boy Jaxson Robinson starts things off with a three!

12/03/2024 08:41:44 PM

Today is Jaxson Robinson’s 22nd birthday and he tipped off the celebration with a big three-point bucket on the opening possession.

By:Tyler Thompson

Tennessee cruises past Syracuse

12/03/2024 08:33:02 PM

If you’ve got ESPN on waiting for Kentucky vs. Clemson, you watched the end of Tennessee vs. Syracuse. I hate to say it, but the Vols looked very good, cruising past the Orangemen 96-70. Add in Missouri’s win over Cal and the SEC now leads the SEC/ACC Challenge 5-0.

Time for the main event. The crowd at the KSR Road Trip watch party in Fort Collins, Colorado is ready:

By:Tyler Thompson

10 minutes to go until tipoff

12/03/2024 08:30:29 PM

The crowd at Littlejohn Coliseum looks ready to roll:

By:Tyler Thompson

Usual Starting Lineup

12/03/2024 08:22:16 PM

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Kentucky will go with its usual starters vs. Clemson.

00 Otega Oweh
01 Lamont Butler
02 Jaxson Robinson
07 Andrew Carr
22 Amari Williams

By:Tyler Thompson

Pope confirms Brandon Garrison will play vs. Clemson

12/03/2024 08:18:49 PM

Jack Pilgrim said Brandon Garrison looked good in warmups after sitting out the Georgia State game as a precautionary measure (soreness). In his pregame conversation with Tom Leach, Pope confirmed Garrison will play vs. Clemson.

“He got in a really light workout on Sunday evening, got to practice yesterday. So, he’s should be a full go today.

Love to hear it.

By:Tyler Thompson

Good crowd at the KSR Road Trip Watch Party in Fort Collins

12/03/2024 08:13:33 PM

The radio crew is in Fort Collins, Colorado tonight and, of course, some fans showed up at the Grey Rock Sports Grill to watch the game with them. I’m sure that’s just the beginning of Blue getting in.

By:Tyler Thompson

Arkansas comes back to beat Miami

12/03/2024 08:08:18 PM

Miami led almost the entire game but Arkansas came back to win it 76-73 thanks to some big buckets by Boogie Fland. Miami has now lost five straight games.

The SEC is now 3-0 in the SEC Challenge, as South Carolina beat Boston College 73-51 and Georgia beat Notre Dame 69-48. No. 3 Tennessee is cruising vs. Syracuse and it looks like Missouri will beat Cal too. So far, it just means more.

By:Jack Pilgrim

Brandon Garrison looks good to go

12/03/2024 08:02:57 PM

Held out “more as a precaution than anything else” due to “a little bit of soreness” against Georgia State, it appears Garrison will make his return for the Wildcats following the one-game absence.

The sophomore forward went through full warmups with no apparent setbacks.

Looks like Kentucky is back at full strength.

By:Jack Pilgrim

Sights and sounds from Littlejohn Coliseum

12/03/2024 07:55:28 PM

KSR has arrived for Kentucky’s matchup at Clemson inside Littlejohn Coliseum ahead of the opening tip. Students flooded the venue as soon as doors opened while the rest of the orange and purple have trickled in since.

They’re not alone, though. Big Blue Nation has showed out, too, with most sections featuring at least a couple of Kentucky fans and several with a good chunk of blue. Talking with BBN members around the arena, many made the short trip from Atlanta over to Clemson — just two hours away.

Plenty to get a “Go Big Blue” chant going if things swing Kentucky’s direction this evening.

Take a look at some of the early views from Littlejohn Coliseum:

By:Tyler Thompson

Tip time now 9:41 p.m. ET

12/03/2024 07:38:04 PM

The game is already being pushed back. According to Dave Baker on the official UK pregame show, tipoff has been pushed back to 9:41 p.m. ET, probably because Tennessee/Syracuse, which is also on ESPN, is only at halftime. Yawn.

Here are your How To Watch Details for whenever this one does tip off.

Television: ESPN (Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes)
Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
Online Radio: iHeart
Satellite Radio: Sirius 158 or 190
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Source link

Kentucky

Three NKY girls wrestlers win titles, including a third for Emma Moore

Published

5 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Three NKY girls wrestlers win titles, including a third for Emma Moore

LEXINGTON, KY – The Kentucky High School Athletic Association has sponsored a girls state tournament for three seasons.

That’s three seasons of wrestling over the dirt at Alltech Arena at Kentucky Horse Park

That’s three seasons of the girls having their own day to crown winners and placers.

And three seasons of Emma Moore climbing up the podium, taking her place as a Kentucky state champion.

Moore, a Walton-Verona senior who said she picked up the sport once the KHSAA started sanctioning, has gone 12-0 in her three trips to state with eight pins and a tech fall on the record.

“I feel great,” Moore said of ending her preps career on top again. “I feel like I made a lot of growth season and I’m really proud of what I was able to accomplish.”

Moore won the all-Northern Kentucky state final at 107 pounds, besting Ryle eighth grader Peyton Brinkman, 13-5. Moore beat Brinkman with a 17-1 tech fall in the regional championship, but had to battle with Brinkman for three complete periods in the state final.

“I felt like she was better at stopping my attacks today,” Moore said. “But, I just make sure to get to my offense and wrestle like myself.”

Brinkman was one of three Brinkmans to place at the state tournament. While younger sister finished as runner-up, older twin brothers and Ryle sophomores Aiden and Bryant placed second and fifth respectively.

Moore’s championship was the 14th in Walton-Verona history. Of those 14, three came from Emma, two came from brother Spencer and two more came from brother Ryan.

Highlands junior Emma Hood grinds out 152-pound championship

Emma Hood had a 3-0 lead in the 152-pound KHSAA state final and just around a minute needed to hold on to win her first championship.

When opponent Bralyn Maynard of Prestonsburg tried to get out of Hood’s grasp, she bent Hood’s leg sideways at the knee, causing Hood to immediately react to the injury. Hood’s injury time ticked away before she hopped up, ready to continue on.

With the knee barking, Maynard scored a quick reversal and cut Hood’s lead to 3-2. For 44 seconds, Hood had Maynard wrestling on top, but unable to score any more points.

“That last minute was just pure fight or flight,” Hood said. “After the knee, adrenaline kinda kicks in and I really couldn’t feel it at all for the last minute of the match.

“She gets the reversal with about 46 seconds left. The whole time I’m replaying how it felt last year to lose to her and making sure that didn’t happen again.”

Hood was a runner-up last year, losing to Maynard by a pin in the match’s final seconds. The championship was the fourth state placement for Hood, who also placed fifth in 2024 and eighth in the Kentucky Wrestling Coaches Association girls tournament in 2023 that ran before KHSAA sanctioned a tournament.

With the win, Hood became the first wrestler in Highlands history ‒ boy or girl ‒ to win a KHSAA wrestling championship.

Cooper freshman Aaliyah Svec finishes off undefeated season

Aaliyah Svec’s freshman season is one that will hard to improve on, but she’s up for the challenge.

Svec’s first season as a high schooler saw her go 19-0 for the year, claiming Kentucky’s 138-pound state championship. She didn’t even wrestle a full-length match in the postseason, going 8-0 across the regional and state tournaments with six pins and a pair of tech falls.

One of those pins came in the 138-pound final as Svec pinned North Hardin’s Payton Perry in the third period while Svec was already sitting with an 8-2 lead.

“It’s absolutely wild,” Svec said. “I never thought I would be here. I’ve grown up doing this sport and I’m just so, so grateful for these opportunities.”

Like Hood, Svec’s championship was also historic for Cooper as she also became the first wrestling state champion ‒boy or girl ‒ in the program’s history.

Northern Kentucky girls wrestling state placers

107 – 1. Emma Moore (Walton-Verona), 2. Peyton Brinkman (Ryle); 114 – 6. Leah Boggs (Campbell County); 138 – 1. Aaliyah Svec (Cooper), 6. Preslee Steiber (Ryle); 152 – 1. Emma Hood (Highlands), 7. Devon Banks, Simon Kenton; 165 – 5. McAyla Steffen (Campbell County); 235 – 6. Fanta Mariko, Cooper.

Source link

Kentucky

Which Northern Kentucky boys basketball teams can win regional titles?

Published

17 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Which Northern Kentucky boys basketball teams can win regional titles?

The best week of the boys Kentucky high school basketball season is here, as the regional tournaments begin.

Three boys basketball tournaments with Northern Kentucky teams begin next week as they try to punch their ticket to Rupp Arena. They are all in their traditional homes: The Eighth Region takes place at Henry County, the Ninth Region at Truist Arena and the 10th Region at the Mason County Fieldhouse. Here is a look at those brackets.

Eighth Region (at Henry County)

Wednesday, March 4: Henry County (19-11) vs. South Oldham (20-8), 6:30 p.m.; Simon Kenton (16-10) vs. Spencer County (19-13), 8 p.m.

Thursday, March 5: Walton-Verona (17-15) vs. North Oldham (22-5), 6:30 p.m.; Woodford County (17-7) vs. Gallatin County (11-20), 8 p.m.

Monday, March 9: Semifinals – March 4 winners, 6:30 p.m.; March 5 winners, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, March 10: Final, 7 p.m.

What to watch: Simon Kenton edged Walton-Verona 56-51 for the 32nd District championship. Bray Bilton was the tournament MVP. SK did not play Spencer County this year, and lost to South Oldham in its half of the draw by 20. North Oldham and Woodford County are considered the two favorites, and are both 8-0 in the region as they have not played each other. WV lost to North Oldham by 20 on Feb. 6.

Ninth Region (at NKU’s Truist Arena)

Saturday, March 7: Highlands (25-5) vs. Conner (14-12), 1 p.m.; Covington Catholic (28-2) vs. Dixie Heights (18-12), 2:30 p.m.; Lloyd Memorial (22-4) vs. Holy Cross (21-9), 6:30 p.m.; Ryle (21-8) vs. Newport (21-9), 8 p.m.

Sunday, March 8: Semifinals – Highlands/Conner vs. CovCath/Dixie winners, 6:30 p.m.; Lloyd/Holy Cross vs. Ryle/Newport winners, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, March 10: Final, 7 p.m.

What to watch: CovCath is the overwhelming favorite. Its only losses are to other top Kentucky teams Male and Madison Central. CovCath has not played Lloyd or Newport but has beaten the other five teams in the field by an average of 27 points. The Colonels’ closest win against Ninth Region competition is by 18 (72-54) against its first opponent, Dixie Heights.

Conner beat Highlands 72-58 on Feb. 10. Ryle beat Conner by 12 in the 33rd District final for its first district title since 2014. Ryle beat Newport 45-30 on Dec. 17 but Newport has won seven of nine heading into the regional.

Lloyd is the hottest team in the region besides CovCath, winning 12 straight including a 21-point victory over Dixie in the 34th District final. Lloyd beat Holy Cross by 10, 63-53, on Jan. 6. Lloyd and Newport did not play each other this season, and time will tell if either can challenge CovCath if they get that chance. But barring injuries, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than the Colonels going to Rupp.

10th Region (at Mason County Fieldhouse)

Wednesday, March 4: Scott (15-14) vs. Mason County (7-19), 6 p.m.; Pendleton County (17-12) vs. George Rogers Clark (26-4), 8 p.m.

Thursday, March 5: Montgomery County (17-12) vs. Bracken County (14-15), 6 p.m.; Campbell County (21-9) vs. Nicholas County (20-12), 8 p.m.

Monday, March 9: Semifinals – March 4 winners, 6 p.m.; March 5 winners, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, March 10: Final, 7 p.m.

What to watch: George Rogers Clark is the heavy favorite here. Scott beat the host Royals 64-59 Dec. 18 in Taylor Mill. The hosts have struggled all year but won the 39th District. Scott survived a wild finish in the 37th District semifinals, with Jordan Clemons hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer after a steal to give the Eagles a win over Brossart. Freshman Benjamin Brown has averaged 23 points per game in half a season. Pendleton County won the 38th District behind junior Kamden O’Hara, one of Northern Kentucky’s best shooters (15.4 ppg., 100 3-pointers). They drew the short straw after tourney favorite GRC lost the 40th District final to Montgomery County, 73-66. Campbell County has won four straight, including two dominant wins in the 37th District tournament. The streak started with a 90-89 win over its first-round regional opponent Nicholas County Feb. 13. Sophomore standout Austin Davie put up 50 points against Nicholas. Campbell lost by 12 to potential semifinal opponent Montgomery County Jan. 23.

Source link

Kentucky

Cities Drive Kentucky License Plate fund aims to support disaster relief across the commonwealth

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Cities Drive Kentucky License Plate fund aims to support disaster relief across the commonwealth

(LEX 18) — With peak flood season approaching in eastern Kentucky, a new license plate is hitting the road with a mission: helping communities recover when disaster strikes.

The Kentucky League of Cities is launching the Cities Drive Kentucky license plate to raise money for communities affected by natural disasters. The plates are expected to arrive at county clerk’s offices across the state next month.

Kentucky League of Cities CEO J.D. Chaney said the idea grew from watching Kentuckians rally together during past disasters — most notably in 2021, when an EF-4 tornado touched down in western Kentucky as part of a widespread outbreak.

“We saw people from the far east going far west that weren’t even touched,” Chaney said.

Chaney said getting local governments back on their feet quickly is essential to helping residents recover.

“Getting the city up and going to be able to respond to the citizens they serve is absolutely critical for individuals to make recovery,” Chaney said.

The Kentucky League of Cities also aims to serve as a communication hub during disasters, helping local officials manage the flood of offers of support so they can focus on their communities.

“They’ve got [300] or 400 other phone calls they need to be doing, and we help on that other side. So, there’s one point of contact to facilitate those things,” Chaney said.

The need for that kind of support is growing. Research from the organization shows extreme weather caused $22 million in damages in 2025.

Chaney described the license plate program as a safety net for cities across Kentucky.

“It’s an insurance policy, for Kentucky cities to know that they have that backing with other communities that have the resources so they can immediately get back and start serving their constituency,” Chaney said.

“We hope others also see how important that is,” Chaney added.

The Cities Drive Kentucky license plates will be available at county clerk’s offices statewide next month.

Source link