UK basketball writer Ryan Black explains Wildcats’ win over Ole Miss
Kentucky beat writer Ryan Black credits Otega Oweh in the team’s victory versus Ole Miss Saturday at Rupp Arena. The Cats have now won five straight.
NASHVILLE — The phrase, “The only constant is change” aptly describes Kentucky basketball’s starting lineup this season.
In 20 games since the 2025-26 campaign began, the Wildcats have sported nine different starting fives — an altered look nearly every other outing. The reason for the fluidity has been the story of Mark Pope’s two seasons as coach: UK simply can’t avoid injuries.
In 56 games since taking over at his alma mater, Pope has had his full complement of scholarship players available just 10 times — and only five occasions in 41 matchups versus high-major foes.
Stream Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt
But UK forges on.
Another SEC showdown awaits tonight, squaring off with Vanderbilt in Nashville.
“It feels like we’ve been having to adapt every game to (a new roster) and new rotations,” said Kentucky sophomore guard Collin Chandler, who has started 15 times this season. “So, I think it’s just a credit … to everybody in finding roles, finding ways to win.
“That’s the biggest thing — we’re just finding ways to win.”
That’s all the Wildcats (14-6, 5-2 SEC) have done the past few weeks; after a 73-68 home loss to Missouri on Jan. 7, UK has won five straight. The Commodores (17-3, 4-3) are no stranger to winning streaks this season, either, as they started 16-0.
Despite its recent run of success, Kentucky remains unranked in both the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25. A victory over Vanderbilt (No. 15 coaches, No. 18 AP) might do the trick for UK when the newest rankings are released next week.
Courier Journal sports reporter Ryan Black is at Memorial Gymnasium and will have live updates throughout the game — here and on X, formerly known as Twitter — and complete coverage after. You can follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
Follow along with live updates from today’s game between the Wildcats and Commodores below:
Kentucky has the same starting five for the second straight outing.
Here’s the lineup:
- TV channel: ESPN
- Livestream: Fubo (free trial)
The game between the Wildcats and Commodores will air nationally on ESPN.
Authenticated subscribers can access ESPN via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com or the WatchESPN app.
Those without cable can access ESPN via streaming services, with Fubo offering a free trial.
Stream Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt on ESPN
Betting odds: Kentucky is a 6½-point underdog (-110) on DraftKings, which set the over/under at 159½ points (-110).
Tom Leach (play-by-play) and Jack Givens (analyst) will have the UK radio network call on 840 AM in Louisville and both 630 AM and 98.1 FM in Lexington.
You can also listen online via UKAthletics.com.
- Oct. 17: Blue-White game (Click here to read takeaways from the intrasquad scrimmage.)
- Oct. 24: exhibition vs. Purdue (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 78, Purdue 65
- Oct. 30: exhibition vs. Georgetown University (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Georgetown 84, Kentucky 70
- Nov. 4: Nicholls (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 77, Nicholls 51
- Nov. 7: Valparaiso (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 107, Valparaiso 59
- Nov. 11: at Louisville (KFC Yum! Center) | SCORE: Louisville 96, Kentucky 88
- Nov. 14: Eastern Illinois (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 99, Eastern Illinois 53
- Nov. 18: vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic; Madison Square Garden, New York) | SCORE: Michigan State 83, Kentucky 66
- Nov. 21: Loyola University Maryland (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 88, Loyola Maryland 46
- Nov. 26: Tennessee Tech (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 104, Tennessee Tech 54
- Dec. 2: North Carolina (Rupp Arena; ACC/SEC Challenge) | SCORE: North Carolina 67, Kentucky 64
- Dec. 5: vs. Gonzaga (Bridgestone Arena; Nashville) | SCORE: Gonzaga 94, Kentucky 59
- Dec. 9: North Carolina Central (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 103, North Carolina Central 67
- Dec. 13: Indiana (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 72, Indiana 60
- Dec. 20: vs. St. John’s (CBS Sports Classic; State Farm Arena, Atlanta) | SCORE: Kentucky 78, St. John’s 66
- Dec. 23: Bellarmine (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 99, Bellarmine 85
- Jan. 3: at Alabama | SCORE: Alabama 89, Kentucky 74
- Jan. 7: Missouri (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Missouri 73, Kentucky 68
- Jan. 10: Mississippi State (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 92, Mississippi State 68
- Jan. 14: at LSU | SCORE: Kentucky 75, LSU 74
- Jan. 17: at Tennessee | SCORE: Kentucky 80, Tennessee 78
- Jan. 21: Texas (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 85, Texas 80
- Jan. 24: Ole Miss (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 72, Ole Miss 63
- Jan. 27: at Vanderbilt, 9 p.m.
- Jan. 31: at Arkansas, 6:30 p.m.
- Feb. 4: Oklahoma (Rupp Arena), 9 p.m.
- Feb. 7: Tennessee (Rupp Arena), 8:30 p.m.
- Feb. 14: at Florida, 3 p.m.
- Feb. 17: Georgia (Rupp Arena), 9 p.m.
- Feb. 21: at Auburn, 8:30 p.m.
- Feb. 24: at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
- Feb. 28: Vanderbilt (Rupp Arena), 2 p.m.
- March 3: at Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
- March 7: Florida (Rupp Arena), 4 p.m.
Record: 14-6 (5-2 SEC)
- Denzel Aberdeen (guard, senior)
- Collin Chandler (guard, sophomore)
- Mouhamed Dioubate (forward, junior)
- Brandon Garrison (forward, junior)
- Braydon Hawthorne (forward, freshman)
- Walker Horn (guard, senior)
- Andrija Jelavić (forward, sophomore)
- Jasper Johnson (guard, freshman)
- Jaland Lowe (guard, junior)
- Malachi Moreno (center, freshman)
- Trent Noah (forward, sophomore)
- Otega Oweh (guard, senior)
- Reece Potter (forward, junior)
- Jayden Quaintance (forward, sophomore)
- Zach Tow (forward, senior)
- Kam Williams (guard, sophomore)
Click here to view the Commodores’ complete schedule.
Want to learn the Commodores’ roster?
Click here for player bios and more.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
