Now that the ink has dried and his signing with Kentucky has been made official, Jasper Johnson was finally able to be formally introduced to the Rupp Arena crowd during the Wildcats’ 87-68 win over Western Kentucky on Tuesday night.

Johnson, a class of 2025 five-star point guard born and raised in Lexington, sat courtside with his family to check out his future team in action against the Hilltoppers. During the second half, former Kentucky player Ravi Moss brought out the future Wildcat to midcourt where he was met with a chorus of cheers from the packed crowd of Big Blue Nationites.

After initially committing to Kentucky back in September, Johnson signed the necessary papers to play his college basketball at UK earlier this month. He’s been inside Rupp Arena plenty of times before over the years (and even played here with Woodford County as a sophomore), but never while wearing street clothes as the center of attention in front of over 20,000 screaming fans.

The smile says all you need to know.

Johnson is one of three signees from Mark Pope‘s first recruiting class as Kentucky’s head coach, joining four-star center Malachi Moreno and four-star point guard Acaden Lewis. The 6-foot-4 guard is ranked No. 14 overall in the nation by the On3 Industry Ranking. He’s currently finishing up his high school career at Overtime Elite as a member of Rod Wave Elite (RWE).

Alongside Tay Kinney, a talented class of 2026 guard who is also from Kentucky and is being recruited by Pope, the two Bluegrass natives form arguably the deadliest backcourt duo in all of OTE. Through five games played this season, Johnson is averaging 19.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per outing while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from deep.

This time next year, we’ll hopefully see him do the same thing in Kentucky blue and white.

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Clara Strack scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Teonni Key had 16 points and 13 rebounds and No. 14 Kentucky defeated Arizona State 77-61 on Tuesday in the Music City Classic to remain unbeaten.

Kentucky nearly had four players with double-doubles as Georgia Amoore added 20 points and nine rebounds and Amelia Hassett had eight points and nine rebounds for the Wildcats (6-0), who shot 42% and scored 13 points off 14 Arizona State turnovers.

Jalyn Brown scored 16 points and Nevaeh Parkinson added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Sun Devils (3-3). Arizona State shot just 30%.

The Sun Devils cut a 19-point deficit to 11 after three quarters but a 6-0 burst with baskets by Key, Amoore and Strack built the lead back to 15 midway through the fourth.

Kentucky led 42-23 at halftime after outscoring the Sun Devils 27-9 in the second quarter, scoring the first 13 points of the period with Struck putting in the final seven in the run. A couple ASU free throws later, the Wildcats went on an 11-2 run capped by a Hassett 3 and the lead was 20. Strack scored 14 points and Key 10 in the half.

The teams continue play in the Music City Classic on Wednesday with Kentucky playing No. 19 Illinois and Arizona State facing South Dakota.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rivalry week has finally arrived. The Louisville and Kentucky football program are set to do battle once again, facing off in Lexington for the annual Battle for the Governor’s Cup.

Here are the depth charts for both the Cardinals and Wildcats:

Changes from Louisville’s Depth Chart vs. Pitt:

Quarterback

9 Tyler Shough (6-5, 230, Gr.)
10 Pierce Clarkson (6-1, 190, R-Fr.)
OR 15 Harrison Bailey (6-5, 230, R-Sr.)
OR 12 Brady Allen (6-6, 220, R-So)

Running Back

25 Isaac Brown (5-9, 190, Fr.)
21 Donald Chaney Jr. (5-10, 210, R-Jr.)
26 Duke Watson (6-0, 180, Fr.)
22 Keyjuan Brown (5-10, 210, R-Fr.)

Wide Receiver

0 Chris Bell (6-2, 220, Jr.)
81 Cataurus Hicks (5-10, 180, R-Fr.)

Wide Receiver

1 Ja’Corey Brooks (6-3, 195, R-Sr.)
49 Kris Hughes (5-11, 190, R-Fr.)
82 Jahlil McClain (5-11, 180, R-Fr.)

Wide Receiver

81 Cataurus Hicks (5-10, 180, R-Fr.)
24 Ahmari Huggins-Bruce (5-11, 180, Sr.)
0 Chris Bell (6-2, 220, Jr.)

Tight End

83 Mark Redman (6-6, 255, Gr.)
85 Nate Kurisky (6-3, 240, R-So.)
88 Jaleel Skinner (6-5, 225, So.)

Left Tackle

71 Monroe Mills (6-7, 315, Jr.)
70 Trevonte Sylvester (6-6, 280, R-Jr.)

Left Guard

68 Michael Gonzalez (6-4, 305, Sr.)
73 Madden Sanker (6-5, 310, R-Fr.)

Center

50 Pete Nygra (6-4, 300, R-Jr.)
73 Madden Sanker (6-5, 310, R-Fr.)

Right Guard

56 Renato Brown (6-4, 315, R-Sr.)
OR 51 Austin Collins (6-3, 295, R-Jr)

Right Tackle

70 Trevonte Sylvester (6-6, 280, R-Jr._

Defensive End

9 Ashton Gillotte (6-3, 275, Sr)
41 Ramon Puryear (6-3, 275, R-Sr.)
91 Richard Kinley II (6-3, 235, R-Sr.)

Nose Tackle

99 Dezmond Tell (6-1, 295, Sr.)
90 Rene Konga (6-4, 290, R-Sr.)
55 William Spencer (6-5, 305, R-Fr.)

Defensive Tackle

93 Jared Dawson (6-2, 305, R-Jr.)
50 Thor Griffith (6-2, 320, Gr.)

Leo (DE/LB)

19 Tramel Logan (6-4, 247, R-Sr.)
33 Myles Jernigan (6-3, 235, R-Sr.)
98 Adonijah Green (6-6, 240, R-Fr.)

Middle Linebacker

34 T.J. Quinn (6-1, 230, R-Jr.)
32 Jurriente Davis (6-1, 235, R-Sr.)
18 T.J. Capers (6-2, 220, R-Fr.)

Weakside Linebacker

6 Stanquan Clark (6-3, 230, So.)
15 Dan Foster Jr. (6-3, 225, R-Sr.)

STAR (LB/S)

35 Antonio Watts (6-2, 225, Jr.)
OR 10 Benjamin Perry (6-3, 205, R-Jr.)

Cornerback

3 Quincy Riley (6-0, 185, R-Sr.)
23 Tahveon Nicholson (5-11, 180, Sr.)

Cornerback

14 Corey Thornton (6-1, 190, Sr.)
OR 23 Tahveon Nicholson (5-11, 180, Sr.)

Free Safety

12 Tamarion McDonald (6-2, 195, Sr.)
OR 21 D’Angelo Hutchinson (6-3, 195, Jr.)

26 M.J. Griffin (6-1, 200, R-Sr.)
21 D’Angelo Hutchinson (6-3, 195, Jr.)

Punter

93 Brady Hodges (6-1, 200, Sr.)
39 Carter Schwartz (6-4, 230, R-Fr.)

Placekicker

38 Brock Travelstead (6-1, 205, Sr.)
98 Nick Keller (6-1, 200, R-So.)

Holder

93 Brady Hodges (6-1, 200, Sr.)
39 Carter Schwartz (6-4, 230, R-Fr.)

Long Snapper

48 Shai Kochav (6-3, 230, R-Jr.)
46 Brady McEnaney (6-2, 225, Fr.)

Kick Returner

1 Ja’Corey Brooks (6-3, 195, R-Sr.)
25 Isaac Brown (5-9, 190, Fr.)

Punt Returner

24 Ahmari Huggins-Bruce (5-11, 180, Sr.)
3 Quincy Riley (6-0, 195, R-Sr.)

Left Tackle

69 Marques Cox (6-5, 318, Sr-1L)
71 Malachi Wood (6-8, 320, Fr-RS)

Left Guard

62 Jager Burton (6-4, 316, Jr-2L,)
53 Aba Selm (6-4, 303, Fr-HS)

Center

75 Eli Cox (6-4, 309, Sr-4L)
50 Koby Keenum (6-4, 302, Fr-RS)

Right Guard

52 Jalen Farmer (6-5, 314, So-Tr)
73 Dylan Ray (6-6, 310, Jr-1L)

Right Tackle

71 Malachi Wood (6-8, 320, Fr-RS,)
78 Anfernee Crease (6-6, 315, So-Tr)

Wide Receiver (F)

9 Ja’Mori Maclin (5-11, 190, Jr-Tr)
5 Anthony Brown-Stephens (5-10, 176, So-1L)

Wide Receiver (X)

7 Barion Brown (6-1, 182, Jr-2L)
13 Fred Farrier II (6-1, 182, Jr-Tr)

Wide Receiver (Z)

6 Dane Key (6-3, 210, Jr-2L)
13 Fred Farrier II (6-1, 182, Jr-Tr)

Tight End (Y)

84 Josh Kattus (6-4, 246, Jr-2L)
81 Willie Rodriguez (6-4, 245, Fr-HS)

Tight End (F)

85 Jordan Dingle (6-4, 238, So-1L)
15 Khamari Anderson (6-5, 252, So-1L)

Quarterback

12 Brock Vandagriff (6-3, 217, Jr-Tr)
8 Cutter Boley (6-5, 214, Fr-HS)
or 2 Gavin Wimsatt (6-3, 227, Jr-Tr)

Running Back

0 Demie Sumo-Karngbaye (6-0, 210, Sr-1L)
10 Jamarion Wilcox (5-10, 197, Fr-RS)

Defensive End

90 Tre’vonn Rybka (6-4, 284, Sr-3L)
8 Octavious Oxendine (6-1, 278, Sr-4L)

Nose Guard

9 Keeshawn Silver (6-4, 336, Jr-1L)
99 Kendrick Gilbert (6-5, 275, Fr-RS)

Defensive Tackle

0 Deone Walker (6-6, 345, Jr-2L)
92 Kahlil Saunders (6-5, 291, Jr-2L)

Strongside Linebacker

3 Alex Afari Jr. (6-2, 222, Jr-2L)
or 42 Tyreese Fearbry (6-5, 242, So-1L)

Outside Linebacker

13 J.J. Weaver (6-5, 255, Sr-4L)
55 Noah Matthews (6-5, 254, So-1L)
2 Jamon Dumas-Johnson (6-1,245, Sr-Tr)
22 Grant Godfrey (6-3, 225, Fr-RS)

Middle Linebacker

2 Jamon Dumas-Johnson (6-1,245, Sr-Tr)
22 Grant Godfrey (6-3, 225, Fr-RS)

Weakside Linebacker

3 Alex Afari Jr. (6-2, 222, Jr-2L)
34 Jayvant Brown (6-0, 225, So-1L)

Field Cornerback

6 JQ Hardaway (6-3, 191, Jr-1L)
or 10 Jantzen Dunn (6-0, 185, Jr-1L)

Boundary Cornerback

1 Maxwell Hairston (6-1, 186, Jr-2L)
5 DJ Waller Jr. (6-3, 202, So-Tr)
or 21 Nasir Addison (6-0, 199, So-1L)

Strong Safety

11 Zion Childress (6-0, 195, Sr-2L)
4 Kristian Story (6-1, 213, Sr-Tr)

Free Safety

25 Jordan Lovett (6-2, 205, Jr-2L)
or 14 Ty Bryant (6-0, 197, So-1L)

Kicker

16 Alex Raynor (6-0, 185, Sr-1L)
91 Jacob Kauwe (6-1, 206 (Fr-HS)

Kickoffs

48 Aidan Laros (6-2, 212, Jr-Tr)
91 Jacob Kauwe (6-1, 206, Fr-HS)

Punter

48 Aidan Laros (6-2, 212, Jr-Tr)
93 Wilson Berry (6-4, 217, Jr-1L)

Long Snapper

42 Alex McLaughlin (5-10, 229, Jr-Tr)
56 Walker Himebauch (6-1, 223, So-1L)

Short Snapper

56 Walker Himebauch (6-1, 223, So-1L)
42 Alex McLaughlin (5-10, 229, Jr-Tr)

Holder

93 Wilson Berry (6-4, 217, Jr-1L)
48 Aidan Laros (6-2, 212, Jr-Tr)

Kickoff Return

7 Barion Brown (6-1, 182, Jr-2L)
0 Demie Sumo-Karngbaye (6-0, 210, Sr-1L)

Punt Return

9 Ja’Mori Maclin (5-11, 190, Jr-Tr)
or 7 Barion Brown (6-1, 182, Jr-2L)
6 Dane Key (6-3, 210, Jr-2L)

*Depth chart from Kentucky’s last game vs. Texas. Their DT vs. Louisville has yet to be released.

(Photo of Ashton Gillotte: Matt Stone – The Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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