This Week in Kentucky Basketball: SEC Begins + Louisville

After having fun with a few days off to have a good time Christmas, the Kentucky Basketball workforce is again in Lexington. This week is a giant one for the Wildcats because it brings the beginning of Southeastern Convention play. Additionally, there may be the rivalry sport towards the Louisville Cardinals on New 12 months’s Eve. The Wildcats’ subsequent two opponents are trending in very totally different instructions this season. Wednesday’s matchup at Missouri will likely be a a lot more durable take a look at than many would have anticipated within the preseason. Nevertheless, Saturday’s sport towards the Cardinals has misplaced a bit of little bit of its luster attributable to their struggles this season.

The Wildcats are getting into SEC play with an 8-3 report and ranked #19 within the AP Ballot. It’s no secret that the season has been a little bit of a disappointment to this point. There have been very actual championship expectations round Huge Blue Nation, however Kentucky has reverted again to dropping all of their huge video games towards the most effective groups. The 4-13 report towards High 25 opponents since 2020 is a stat that followers know all too nicely. It must be weighing on the thoughts of head coach John Calipari, his employees, and the gamers as nicely. Nevertheless, there will likely be loads of extra probabilities to enhance that ugly report all through a really tough SEC schedule.

As we do every Monday, it’s time to preview the week forward for the Kentucky Basketball program. We’ll talk about the largest storyline at the moment surrounding the workforce, preview the week’s opponents, and reset the SEC panorama as an entire. Then, we at all times end by highlighting a few of the finest video games to observe nationally all through the week. Let’s dive on into one other version of This Week in Kentucky Basketball.

High Kentucky Basketball Storyline: Making Enhancements Heading Into SEC Play

This Kentucky Basketball workforce has actually been seen below a crucial eye by many. Losses to Michigan State, Gonzaga, and UCLA had been met with growing frustration. Till the Wildcats can beat a ranked opponent there will likely be many followers who merely won’t consider on this workforce. No matter whether or not that’s honest or not, that’s the place we sit heading into the SEC portion of the schedule.

Regardless of some grumblings of poor protection towards the Florida A&M Rattlers earlier than Christmas break on Wednesday, many of the frustration has centered round Kentucky’s offense. A scarcity of spacing, ball motion, and taking pictures has left it feeling like “extra of the identical” from the previous couple of years of irritating outcomes. Some hope of enjoying Chris Livingston on the 4-spot has was a whole lot of minutes for Lance Ware on the place. Nevertheless, that experiment has oddly labored out fairly nicely for Kentucky offensively. Rumors of different “tweaks” proceed as nicely. This post-Christmas time of yr is all about outcomes although. That’s what number of Kentucky Basketball followers really feel whatever the time of yr anyway.

Experimentation, tweaks, and guarantees of enhancements to return will largely fall on deaf ears. In convention video games, it’s nearly successful. The ‘Cats have their first alternative to get an SEC victory on Wednesday after they journey to CoMo to tackle the Missouri Tigers. Mizzou is now receiving votes within the new AP High 25 Ballot.

This Week in Kentucky Basketball: Missouri Tigers & Louisville Cardinals

It isn’t typically {that a} Kentucky Basketball sport towards the hated Louisville Cardinals could be the second most anticipated contest of the week. Nevertheless, that’s the way it feels heading into the ultimate week of 2022. The Missouri Tigers are 11-1 after a 93-71 beatdown over Illinois in St. Louis. New head coach Dennis Gates had the Tigers off to an ideal 9-0 begin earlier than getting blown out 95-67 at dwelling towards rival Kansas. At that time, many throughout faculty basketball felt like Missouri had an inflated report attributable to one of many weakest schedules within the nation and dismissed them as frauds. Nevertheless, back-to-back victories since towards UCF and a ranked Illinois workforce have modified that tune. Now, Kentucky will likely be going right into a hostile atmosphere towards an opponent with the entire confidence on this planet.

By the numbers, Missouri has been the most effective offensive groups within the nation this season. Per KenPom, the Tigers are seventh in adjusted offensive effectivity, second in efficient area purpose proportion, and twenty fourth in tempo. Coach Gates has relied closely on veteran transfers and senior Kobe Brown to create this high-scoring offense. They’re scoring just below 89 factors per sport, connecting on 10 three-pointers per sport, and have all 5 starters averaging double-figures. Missouri’s athleticism and physicality have allowed them to complete so effectively across the basket to stability their practically 37% mark from past the arc. We can have far more right here at Kentucky Sports activities Radio over the following 48 hours to get you prepared for this huge SEC matchup.

To not be forgotten, the Wildcats host rival Louisville on Saturday. Sadly, the midday tip-off conflicts with Kentucky’s Music Metropolis Bowl sport towards Iowa. Kentucky followers have a troublesome juggling act to execute between the basketball and soccer video games to start their New 12 months’s Eve festivities. The Cardinals will come to Rupp Enviornment with an unsightly 2-11, 0-3 ACC report. On account of a scarcity of guard play, Louisville turns the ball over as a lot as anybody within the nation and that has led to an extremely inefficient offense. It’s onerous for the Cardinals to place the ball within the basket. It’s additionally protected to imagine that the rivalry nature of Saturday’s matchup will make this a better sport than many anticipate. Nevertheless, there isn’t any denying the expertise hole between Kentucky and Louisville.

Across the Southeastern Convention

We’ve got made it to the SEC portion of the schedule. Groups will play their first convention sport this week between Christmas and the New 12 months. Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State, and Missouri all enter league play with 11-1 data. Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee every sit at 10-2 and are ranked within the High 25 as SEC play begins. Georgia and Kentucky are 9-3 and 8-3, respectively, whereas Ole Miss is subsequent at 8-4 and Florida sits at 7-5. Texas A&M, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt spherical out the standings at 6-5, 6-6, and 6-6, respectively.

Mississippi State and Missouri actually have been the shock groups in non-conference play. You need to give credit score to go coach Matt McMahon at LSU as nicely for the Tigers’ 11-1 begin after having to basically utterly revamp their lineup within the switch portal. When it comes to finest resumes, that title positively goes to the Crimson Tide and Volunteers. Alabama has impartial website wins over Michigan State and North Carolina plus a victory at Houston. In the meantime, Tennessee beat Butler, USC, and Kansas within the span of three days on the Battle 4 Atlantis. They’ve additionally defeated Maryland on a impartial flooring.

This season guarantees to be as aggressive as ever within the Southeastern Convention. There are at the moment three groups ranked within the AP High 10 with #7 Tennessee, #8 Alabama, and #9 Arkansas. #19 Kentucky and #20 Auburn give the SEC 25% of the High 20 groups within the nation. Missouri can also be receiving votes after their 11-1 begin to the season.

Video games to Watch Nationally

Tuesday, December twenty seventh

#6 Texas vs. Texas A&M-Commerce @ 8:00 p.m. Jap Time (Longhorn Community)

Wednesday, December twenty eighth

Missouri vs. #19 Kentucky @ 7:00 p.m. Jap Time (SEC Community)
Ole Miss vs. #7 Tennessee @ 5:00 p.m. Jap Time (SEC Community)
#10 Gonzaga vs. Jap Oregon @ 5:00 p.m. Jap Time
#18 TCU vs. Central Arkansas @ 5:00 p.m. Jap Time (ESPN+)
#13 Virginia vs. Albany @ 6:00 p.m. Jap Time (ACC Community)
#2 UConn vs. Villanova @ 6:30 p.m. Jap Time (FS1)
#20 Auburn vs. Florida @ 7:00 p.m. Jap Time (ESPN2)
#12 Baylor vs. Nicholls @ 8:00 p.m. Jap Time (ESPN+)
#14 Miami (FL) vs. Vermont @ 8:00 p.m. Jap Time (ACC Community)
Tulsa vs. #3 Houston @ 9:00 p.m. Jap Time (ESPNU)
#21 Mississippi State vs. #8 Alabama @ 9:00 p.m. Jap Time (SEC Community)
LSU vs. #9 Arkansas @ 9:00 p.m. Jap Time (ESPN2)
St. John’s vs. #22 Xavier @ 9:00 p.m. Jap Time (FS1)
#22 New Mexico vs. Colorado State @ 9:00 p.m. Jap Time (CBS Sports activities Community)

Thursday, December twenty ninth

#1 Purdue vs. Florida A&M @ 5:00 p.m. Jap Time (Huge Ten Community)

Friday, December thirtieth

Pittsburgh vs. #25 North Carolina @ Midday Jap Time (ACC Community)
Notre Dame vs. #14 Miami (FL) @ 2:00 p.m. Jap Time (ACC Community)
#15 Wisconsin vs. Western Michigan @ 8:00 p.m. Jap Time
Washington State vs. #11 UCLA @ 11:00 p.m. Jap Time (Pac 12 Community)

Saturday, December thirty first

#19 Kentucky vs. Louisville @ Midday Jap Time (CBS)
#22 Xavier vs. #2 UConn @ Midday Jap Time (FOX)
Georgia Tech vs. #13 Virginia @ Midday Jap Time (ACC Community)
#18 TCU vs. Texas Tech @ Midday Jap Time (ESPNU)
#17 Duke vs. Florida State @ 1:00 p.m. Jap Time (ESPN2)
#3 Houston vs. UCF @ 2:00 p.m. Jap Time (ESPN+)
#4 Kansas vs. Oklahoma State @ 2:00 p.m. Jap Time (CBS)
Arizona State vs. #5 Arizona @ 2:00 p.m. Jap Time (FOX)
Oklahoma vs. #6 Texas @ 2:00 p.m. Jap Time (ESPN+)
Iowa State vs. #12 Baylor @ 2:00 p.m. Jap Time (ESPNU)
Wyoming vs. #22 New Mexico @ 4:00 p.m. Jap Time (FS1)
#10 Gonzaga vs. Pepperdine @ 5:00 p.m. Jap Time
Kansas State vs. #24 West Virginia @ 7:00 p.m. Jap Time (ESPN+)

Sunday, January 1st

Washington vs. #11 UCLA @ 7:00 p.m. Jap Time (Pac 12 Community)