Marquis, Jeff Teague express concerns over Kentucky's roster following Louisville loss

In the earliest played regular season edition of the ‘Battle of the Bluegrass’ in history, No. 12 Louisville made a loud statement by downing No. 9 Kentucky 96-88 at home Tuesday night. The Cardinals led from start to finish and earned their first victory over the Wildcats since Dec. 2020.

Kentucky trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half and 20 points in the second half, but pulled within four points with four minutes remaining in the game. Led by freshman superstar guard Mikel Brown Jr. however, the ‘Cards slammed the door shut and earned their first win over the rival ‘Cats in the Kelsey era.

Since Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey took over their respective schools prior to last season, the ‘Battle of the Bluegrass’ is now tied at one game apiece. Following the game, Jeff Teague and his brother Marquis Teague, who was the starting point guard on Kentucky‘s last National Championship team in 2012, expressed concern over the team and its roster makeup.

“Kentucky’s got me a little worried,” Marquis Teague said on the ‘Club 520 Podcast‘. “I didn’t really like everything I saw last night. It’s got me a little worried bro.”

Jeff Teague claims Kentucky ‘isn’t fun to watch’

His brother, Jeff, claimed that Kentucky was just not a fun team to watch. While flaunting Louisville‘s young exciting player in Brown Jr., he claimed that the ‘Cats just do not have that player. He also revealed that he isn’t a fan of Kentucky being made up of older players and transfers, which is a far cry from the John Calipari era of past.

“Kentucky, I’m not gonna say I don’t like them, but they’re not fun,” Jeff Teague said. “They’re not. We’re looking at this young fella (Mikel Brown Jr.) and we’re like yeah. I was looking for their young fella, who’s the young guy, Jasper (Johnson)? Im looking for him. I don’t like watching these 25-year-olds. When you’re 25 in college, the league is done. I like to see the NBA players (at Kentucky).”

Of the 10 Kentucky players that saw game action against Louisville, five players were upperclassmen (Mo Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, Otega Oweh, Denzel Aberdeen, and Jaland Lowe). Collin Chandler and Kam Williams are sophomores, while Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno are Kentucky‘s lone two true freshman. Croatian forward Andrija Jelavić is technically a freshman, but is 21 years old.

The ‘Cats could have a young superstar on their hands in sophomore Arizona State transfer Jayden Quaintance, but he is currently missing time due to an ACL tear.

While Brown Jr. scored 29 points and earned MVP honors in the win, Johnson and Moreno combined for just eight points on 3-7 shooting. With Kentucky shifting into a new system under head coach Mark Pope in the Transfer Portal era, the days of multiple one-and-done superstar freshmen playing in Lexington is likely over. That prospect has the eldest Teague brother out on the ‘Cats.