GAMEDAY: Kentucky Hosts Notre Dame on CBS

by:Nick Roush•12/12/20•

@RoushKSR

Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics

The sultry sounds that accompany March Madness will introduce the Kentucky Wildcats today at Rupp Arena. If UK does not defeat Notre Dame on CBS to end a three-game losing streak, many fans across the BBN will wonder if there will be an NCAA Tournament bid in this team’s future.

After blowing out Morehead State in the season opener, the Wildcats have not looked like the team any of us expected in the preseason. There are many problems you can point out almost any time down the court. The most obvious problem is in the turnover department. Kentucky averages 18.3 turnovers per game. EIGHTEEN. Only two dozen teams are worse in the country.

“It’s something we talk about at practice all the time: making the easy play,” Olivier Sarr said Friday, “not trying to make the best play or the hero play, just taking care of the ball and making sure we get through our offense.”

The good news is that Notre Dame is one of the worst teams in the country at forcing turnovers. If Kentucky takes care of the ball, knocks down a few shots and contains Prentiss Hubb, it could be a fun Saturday at Rupp Arena.

Stop Prentiss Hubb

The junior guard is a one-man wrecking crew for the Fighting Irish. Hubb leads the team in points (22.3) and assists (5.3) per game, while also grabbing five rebounds and one steal per game. A 43.4 percent shooter from three-point land, Kentucky’s guards will have their hands full with Hubb.

Streaks

Two significant streaks are on the line today at Rupp. Kentucky has lost four in a row under Calipari only once, back in 2018. The Wildcats have also NEVER lost to Notre Dame at home. The Fighting Irish are winless in eight games at Rupp Arena.

Vegas, TV, Radio

Much to the surprise of many UK fans, Kentucky opened as 9-point favorites, a number that quickly fell to UK -7, with a total set for 144.5. Kentucky is 2-2 ATS in 2020.

Kevin McCarthy and Bill Raftery are on the call for CBS at Noon ET. If you can’t watch all of the action, you can hear the Voice of the Wildcats, Tom Leach, on a variety of platforms.

AM: 840 WHAS, 630 WLAP
FM: 98.1 WBUL
Satellite: XM-190 and Sirius-137
Online: iHeart Radio

Listen to the KSR Pregame Show

Jack Pilgrim is joining the KSR crew to prepare you for the Cats and the Fighting Irish. Turn your radio dial to 630 WLAP or stream the hour-long show on iHeart Radio beginning at 9:30 am.

Today’s Tale of the Tape

KSBar’s Patio is Open for Business

If you don’t want to sit under the heaters outside, you can take our tasty food to go!

Army-Navy and a Full Slate of College Football

The Kentucky basketball game will serve as the pregame show for America’s greatest rivalry, Army vs. Navy. For the first time since World War II was waging in 1943, the game will be played at West Point. Take a look back at Navy’s 13-0 victory from almost 80 years ago.

https://twitter.com/ArmyNavyGame/status/1323692557457567744?s=20

The game kicks off at 3 pm on CBS. A look at the rest of the big games on today’s college football slate:

Noon: #1 Alabama at Arkansas on ESPN
Noon: #9 Georgia at #25 Missouri on SECN
Noon: Utah at #21 Colorado on Fox
3:30: #17 North Carolina #10 Miami on ABC
3:30: Wisconsin at #16 Iowa on FS1
3:30: #22 Oklahoma State at Baylor on ESPN
4:00: Cal at Wazzu on Fox
4:00: Tennessee at Vanderbilt on SECN
7:30: #15 USC at UCLA on ABC
7:30: Auburn at Miss. State on SECN
10:00: San Diego State at #18 BYU on ESPN2

State Championships are Set

We’ll have more on exactly what went down across the state Friday night throughout the day. But first, heartbreak and all of the scores from around the state. West Carter came up short in a comeback effort against Beechwood in Kroger’s KSR Game of the Week and Gavin Wimsatt’s Owensboro Red Devils advanced to the 5A State Championship after Frederick Douglass missed this game-winning kick with less than a minute to play.

Douglass field goal no good. Owensboro @SrHighFootball takes over. Red Devils up 28-27. Just a knee left pic.twitter.com/X6HpcjhfDo

— Jared Peck (@HLpreps) December 12, 2020