Kentucky
There’s a lot new with Kentucky basketball. Here’s early scouting report of 2024-25 Cats
Kentucky basketball: Mark Pope discusses win over Minnesota State
Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope was happy with his team’s second half performance to get the win over Minnesota State in an exhibition game.
Sam Upshaw Jr.
LEXINGTON — Kentucky basketball opens the 2024-25 season — and the Mark Pope era — next week, as it welcomes Wright State to town for a 7 p.m. tipoff at Rupp Arena.
The Wildcats held their annual Big Blue Madness event earlier in October, which included a 3-point competition and dunk contest. Then they held a scrimmage session during the repurposed Blue-White event — though only fans in attendance at Memorial Coliseum were able to watch in person, as it wasn’t televised. And now, UK is done with the preseason, routing Division II clubs Kentucky Wesleyan and Minnesota State Mankato in a pair of home exhibitions.
But there’s still plenty to learn about this season’s roster.
The Courier Journal provides insight about this edition of the Wildcats by answering key questions entering the 2024-25 campaign:
Everything. From the scholarship players to the coaches, not a single part of the 2023-24 team is back this season. For that reason, the 2024-25 roster is historic: Per bigbluehistory.net — a statistical database devoted to detailing every aspect of Kentucky’s men’s basketball program — the 2024-25 campaign will be the first time UK has fielded a roster without a returning scholarship player from the previous season. Two seniors from last season, Tre Mitchell and Antonio Reeves, ran out of college eligibility. Three more (Rob Dillingham, Justin Edwards and Reed Sheppard) entered the NBA draft. The other seven scholarship players transferred: Aaron Bradshaw (Ohio State), Jordan Burks (Georgetown), Joey Hart (Ball State) and Ugonna Onyenso (Kansas State) left the SEC, while three ex-Wildcats (Zvonimir Ivišić, Adou Thiero and D.J. Wagner) followed former UK coach John Calipari to his new intraconference gig at Arkansas.
With Calipari gone, Kentucky turned to Pope, an alum and a team captain of “The Untouchables,” the program’s iconic national championship squad of 1995-96.
The dozen scholarship exits wrought 12 scholarship newcomers. Pope and the Wildcats treaded heavily in the transfer portal, adding nine players: guards Koby Brea, Lamont Butler, Kerr Kriisa, Otega Oweh and Jaxson Robinson, forwards Ansley Almonor, Andrew Carr and Amari Williams and center Brandon Garrison. UK also had a three-man signing class composed of Collin Chandler, Trent Noah and Travis Perry.
No one. Other than a pair of walk-ons (Grant Darbyshire and Walker Horn) who played a combined five minutes in 2023-24.
Jaxson Robinson. He’s the only member of UK’s roster to have played for Pope before. (Robinson spent the past two seasons at BYU, Pope’s previous school.) He was the Cougars’ top scorer last season, coming off the bench to average 14.2 points per game on his way to winning the Big 12’s Sixth Man of the Year award and earning an honorable mention nod for the All-Big 12 team. Robinson’s already showcased his top-flight ability offensively, pacing the Wildcats in points in both of their exhibition outings, scoring 19 versus Kentucky Wesleyan and 24 against Minnesota State Mankato. In the latter, every point from Robinson came from distance, sinking eight 3-pointers.
While he’ll likely be the Wildcats’ chief point-getter at the end of the season, don’t expect much of a margin between Nos. 1 and 2 — or perhaps even 1 and 5. Pope and his staff crave balance and sporting multiple scoring options on the floor at all times.
Take note: Four players on BYU’s 2023-24 roster finished with double-digit scoring averages, with three more above 9.0: Robinson (14.2), Fousseyni Traore (10.9), Trevin Knell (10.6), Spencer Johnson (10.3), Richie Saunders (9.6), Noah Waterman (9.5) and Dallin Hall (9.0).
Ansley Almonor. He’s the lowest-ranked transfer to join the program, according to every major recruiting service (Rivals, 247Sports and On3). The same goes for basketball statistician Evan Miyakawa, who not only had Almonor last among UK’s nine transfers but also questioned how quickly the former Fairleigh Dickinson star could adapt to the SEC. “He was (FDU’s) leading scorer last year, and he put up good numbers. … But they don’t play in a great league,” Miyakawa said. “So those sorts of statistics don’t typically translate that well, and my projections take that into account: just the massive talent jump that he’s gonna be taking in terms of teams that he’s playing against.” At UK’s media day in October, Almonor said he’s well aware of his detractors; friends and family pass along critical comments they’ve heard aloud or seen on social media. Now, it’s on Almonor to prove his doubters wrong.
Andrew Carr. A good bet to rank among the top two in points (behind Robinson) and rebounds (alongside center Amari Williams), Carr could have the best statistical profile of any Wildcat come the end of the season. He’s a gifted passer, too. But that’s not all: His 6-foot-10 frame belies his shooting ability, which he showcased throughout the team’s pro day Oct. 7. Carr was arguably the Wildcats’ top player that evening — and put that on display for scouts from all 30 NBA teams. With his size, length, top-tier decision-making and knack for knocking down shots from well beyond the 3-point line, Carr possesses every skill NBA teams desire from big men in modern basketball. If Carr’s play matches his potential, that bodes well for the Wildcats this season.
Seven. As in, seven players on Kentucky’s roster have played 2,000 or more minutes in college. (A hat tip to former Courier Journal UK beat writer Kyle Tucker for that figure, which he unearthed during a deep-dive analysis of the SEC ahead of the 2024-25 season.) Those seven 2,000-plus-minutes Cats are more than any outfit in the now-16-team conference, besting Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, which each boast six such players.
No, not a single member of UK’s roster has played together before. But the past decade has proven that programs with plenty of experienced veterans win national titles. No SEC club is as seasoned as the Wildcats in terms of college minutes. If the chemistry develops quickly, Kentucky will be a contender in March.
Lamont Butler. His individual stats might not dazzle. He might not go among the 60 picks in next year’s NBA draft. But Butler’s importance to this team’s won’t be judged by such numerical measures. His best attribute: lockdown, 1-on-1 defense. Pope regularly refers to him as the best perimeter defender in college basketball. Up and down Kentucky’s schedule, foes feature ultra-talented guards. Those lead guards take on even greater importance in March Madness; more often than not, teams with the best guard play make the deepest NCAA Tournament runs. Butler flummoxing and frustrating those guards would go a long way toward ensuring UK has a long stay in the Big Dance.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @RyanABlack.
Kentucky
Boar’s Head, Locatelli brand items sold in Kentucky recalled over listeria risk
Walmart recalls shrimp due to potential radioactive contamination
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recalled frozen shrimp sold at Walmart for potential radioactive contamination.
unbranded – Newsworthy
A third-party manufacturer that distributes some products under brands including Boar’s Head and Locatelli has recalled cheese items sold in some states, including Kentucky, over concerns of possible listeria contamination.
The Ambriola Company issued a recall for some of its pecorino romano cheese products, including two produced under the Boar’s Head brand, according to a Nov. 24 recall notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Another pecorino romano grated cheese product manufactured by the Ambriola Company and sold under the brand Locatelli was also recalled, according to retailers Big Y, Sprouts and Wegmans. The FDA has not yet issued a notice for that product.
The two products labeled under Boar’s Head that may contain the recalled cheese include pre-packaged deli salads and wraps sold at some Kroger grocery stores, the recall notice said.
The affected items may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria commonly known as listeria. No illnesses or consumer complaints have been reported, the notice said.
In a statement to USA TODAY, Boar’s Head said it is “committed to delivering safe, high-quality foods that consumers can enjoy with confidence.”
“Boar’s Head took immediate action to halt the purchase of these products from The Ambriola Company, notify retail partners and ensure that the affected products are being removed from distribution nationally,” the statement said.
USA TODAY has reached out to The Ambriola Company and Locatelli for comment. Here’s what to know about the recall:
The recalled Boar’s Head-branded items, which include a six-ounce container of pecorino romano cheese and two pre-packaged products containing pecorino romano cheese, were sold at Kroger stores in Kentucky and Indiana, according to the recall notice.
The recalled items can be identified by their barcode number, known as the barcode UPC, or their best by date:
- Boar’s Head Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese – 6 oz container
- Case UPC: 042421-05858
- Sell-by Dates: 11/21/25-3/12/26
- EverRoast Chicken Caesar Salad (contains grated pecorino romano cheese)
- Barcode UPC: 850042244142
- Best by date: 11/9/2025-11/22/2025
- EverRoast Chicken Caesar Wrap (contains grated pecorino romano cheese)
- Barcode UPC: 85004224455
- Best by date: 11/9/2025-11/22/2025
Out of an abundance of caution, Boar’s Head also withdrew its other cheese product supplied through Ambriola Company, although it’s not part of the recall, the notice said.
- Pre-cut Pecorino Romano
- Item Code: 15160
- Case UPC: 042421-15160
- Sell-by dates: 11/25/25-5/11/26
The impacted Locatelli products are containers of grated pecorino romano cheese, according to Big Y, Sprouts and Wegmans. It’s unclear whether the impacted products were also sold to other retailers.
- Big Y:
- UPC: 41793-82493
- Size: 8-ounce container
- All sell-by dates
- Wegmans:
- UPC: 2-77580-XXXXX-7
- Any product sold from 11/14/25 and 11/22/25
- Sprouts:
- UPC: 0-41793-41292-2
- Size: 4-ounce container
- Sell-by dates 05/03/2026, 05/10/2026
What to do with recalled Locatelli, Boar’s Head-branded cheese products
Anyone who has one of the recalled products should dispose of it and not consume it.
For questions, contact Ambriola Company at info@ambriola.com.
New recall comes after deadly 2024 Boar’s Head listeria outbreak
While the products in this latest recall were manufactured by Ambriola and not Boar’s Head, the Boar’s Head brand was involved in a deadly listeria outbreak in 2024 linked to its deli meats.
The 2024 outbreak sickened 61 people across 19 states, resulting in 60 hospitalizations and 10 deaths, though it is likely the actual number of sicknesses was higher.
Boar’s Head’s Nov. 25 statement to USA TODAY emphasized that the latest recall is an isolated incident related to The Ambriola Company and no other Boar’s Head products manufactured at any other facilities are impacted by this recall.
“This supplier produces several products for a variety of different companies and brands, including Boar’s Head,” the statement said.
Listeria is a type of bacteria spread through food that can cause serious infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms of listeria infections depend on the person, but can include:
- Fever
- Flu-like symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Seizures
Infections are more likely to harm pregnant women, newborns, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Listeria is the third leading cause of foodborne illness death in the United States, according to the CDC.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Kentucky
Kentucky man accepts plea deal in baby’s death
BELL COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – A judge has accepted a plea deal for an Eastern Kentucky man who was indicted in connection with the death of a baby.
Harvey Gollahan was charged with murder and three counts of first degree criminal abuse for the July 2023 death of 17-month-old Elena Hembree.
According to WRIL, Gollahan pleaded guilty to three lesser charges of second degree criminal abuse and his murder charge was dismissed.
Gollahan was sentenced to five years for each of those counts, which will run consecutive to one another.
Copyright 2025 WKYT. All rights reserved.
Kentucky
Kentucky VB Tops Tennessee 3-1, Advances to SEC Final
In a heated SEC Tournament semifinal in Savannah, Georgia, No. 1 seed Kentucky volleyball took down No. 4 seed Tennessee once again 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-15, 25-23) to advance to the championship match and play for yet another SEC title.
Kentucky’s win was strung together behind several standout performances across the board. Brooklyn DeLeye led her team with a match-high 22 kills on .370 hitting and 10 digs, while Eva Hudson posted 18 kills, four digs, and three monster blocks. On the frontline, Lizzie Carr had one of her best outings of the season, tallying nine kills on .364 hitting and a team-leading five blocks, and setter Kassie O’Brien orchestrated the offense with 46 assists, eight digs, and three blocks. Anchoring the defence was Molly Tuozzo with an outstanding performance, posting a career-high 25 digs to help her team seal the deal. Off the bench, Jordyn Dailey provided a spark with four kills and two blocks, while Brooke Bultema added three kills and two blocks to assist their team in their all-around complete performance.
Kentucky opened the first set with Hudson swinging confidently, keeping the Cats in it through ties at five, eight, and 11 as O’Brien directed traffic with poise. However, after 10 ties and numerous lead changes midway through the set, Tennessee finally sparked a 4-0 run to take a 14-11 lead. The Cats answered with their own 4-0 run, though, forcing the Vols to regroup before momentum switched once again. A service error by Tuozzo led Tennessee’s defense to step up, help their frontline catch fire and tally back-to-back blocks on DeLeye. Another 5-0 surge by the Lady Vols pushed their lead to 23-18, forcing another Kentucky timeout as the Cats couldn’t find a rhythm. A late 2-0 push from the Wildcats forced a Tennessee timeout at 24-20, but the Vols closed the opening set to take it 25-20.
The second set swung in both directions before Kentucky managed to grasp some control. After Tennessee held an early 4-3 lead followed by a tie at five, a huge dig by Carr and a pair of monster kills from Hudson ignited a 4-0 run from the Cats to take a 10-7 lead, forcing a Vols’ timeout. Carr kept the energy high with a thunderous kill to make it 12-9, but Tennessee strung together a 3-0 run to pull within one, prompting a Cats timeout at 17-16. From there, Kentucky caught fire behind a massive dig from Berezowitz, sparking a 5-0 run to stretch their lead to 22-17 before DeLeye hammered home an explosive kill followed by a huge block from Carr. Tennessee answered with a 3-0 run to force a Kentucky timeout, but a service error by the Vols led Kentucky to take it 25-22, evening the match at one apiece.
The Cats’ trademark volleyball finally roared back to life in the third set, sparked by DeLeye finding every seam on the court. After a 2-1 Vols lead, a long rally kept alive by a tough Berezowitz dig ended by Hudson with a huge kill tied it at three, and Deleye followed with back-to-back perfect placement kills. A 6-1 Wildcats run helped them stretch their lead to 10-6, forcing a Tennessee timeout. DeLeye added a huge dig to fire up the Cats, sparking a 16-9 burst, followed by a powerful Carr block as Kentucky’s backcourt defence caught fire. Another timeout from Tennessee at 17-10 didn’t stop the Cats’ momentum, with Dailey delivering a monster kill followed by a huge block to stretch the lead to 23-14. Another Vols service error closed the set in favour of Kentucky 25-15, with the Cats completely dominating the third set in the Wildcats’ true brand of volleyball.
Kentucky came out full steam ahead in the fourth set, with Hudson scorching the floor from the start and Carr stuffing a monster block to take a 6-2 lead. DeLeye and Hudson continued to throw punches, and an ace by Ward helped the Wildcats push their lead to 11-7. However, Tennessee answered with a 4-0 surge to tie it at 11, grabbing momentum to take a 13-12 advantage as the Wildcats struggled with errors. The Vols rode that energy to a 19-16 lead, forcing Kentucky to call a timeout after yet another 3-0 run. After the break, the Cats rallied behind two monster kills from Bultema and a perfectly placed kill from DeLeye to tie it once again at 19, causing a Vols timeout and flipping the pressure back to them. A tough set from Tuozzo led to a huge kill by DeLeye to push the Cats ahead 22-21 before Hudson set up match point with back-to-back bombs. Hudson sealed it with one final kill, and Kentucky took the set 25-23, capturing the match 3-1 to send them to the SEC Tournament Championship.
The Cats take the court once again, less than 24 hours later, at 7:00 p.m. ET in Savannah, Georgia where they will face the winner of No. 2 Texas A&M vs. No. 3 Texas.
Kentucky carries all the momentum heading into the SEC Tournament title game. The Wildcats once again proved why they are one of the nation’s most elite teams, combining lockdown defense, powerful hitting, and perfect execution down the stretch to stay perfect in SEC play. All eyes will be on the Cats Tuesday night as they look to finish their SEC Tournament run with another championship.
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