KSR Today: A quiet Tuesday for the Cats, a loss at Texas, and more

Good morning, Big Blue Nation. It’s a quieter Tuesday than we are used to around here, but there’s still plenty to catch up on as the Cats enjoy a rare midweek pause before the next SEC road test. Let’s run through what’s happening around UK sports today before we send you on your way to have your best day.

The rare midweek breather

When most college basketball teams are either playing tonight or gearing up for a Wednesday game, Kentucky is actually off. The break comes at a decent time for a team that’s played a lot of high-intensity games lately, especially coming off Saturday’s win over Tennessee and with a road trip to Florida looming.

The rest is welcome, but the timing also matters. Kentucky has won eight of its last nine and finally feels like it’s rolling, so the challenge this week is using the downtime without losing any fire. If the Cats handle the pause correctly, they should arrive in Gainesville rested, confident, and still carrying plenty of momentum.

Until then, we wait.

SEC on TV tonight

Kentucky is off, but the SEC still has two games Tuesday night on the SEC Network. No. 19 Vanderbilt visits Auburn at 7:00 p.m., followed by No. 21 Arkansas at LSU for a 9:00 p.m. tip in Baton Rouge. Just a light league slate to hold you over.

Back in the Top 25!

Finally! Kentucky snuck back into the Top 25 for the first time since December 1. Yesterday, the AP ranked the Wildcats at No. 25, good enough to get under the Top 25 tabs on your scoreboard and gambling apps. The Cats just barely got in, finishing with a few more votes than Alabama, and didn’t quite crack the Coaches Poll, but it’s still a nice acknowledgment for a team that has climbed back into the mix after a rough start.

Honestly, with the run UK is on, it’s hard to believe they’re not ranked higher or in both polls.

Otega Oweh named SEC Player of the Week

If it feels like Otega Oweh has been unstoppable lately, that’s because he kind of has been since SEC play began. For his success, Oweh was named SEC Co-Player of the Week after another monster stretch, highlighted by big performances against Oklahoma and Tennessee.

UK’s senior guard has been on a tear in league play, scoring at will, attacking downhill, and making clutch plays down the stretch, both offensively and defensively. When Kentucky needs a bucket right now, give the ball to Oweh and get out of the way. He’s had five straight games of 20+ points, including games of 21 and 24 last week. Congrats to 00 on his SEC POTW award.

Kentucky WBB lost at No. 4 Texas

Kentucky Women’s Basketball‘s trip to Austin ended in a 64–53 loss to No. 4 Texas, dropping the Cats to 5-6 in SEC play. Asia Boone led UK with 16 bench points and knocked down four threes, while Clara Strack added 14 points and seven rebounds. Tonie Morgan finished with 12, giving Kentucky three double-figure scorers on the road against one of the best defenses in the country.

The difference was Texas’ ability to control the game with runs and free throws. Kentucky struggled to string together stops, and a late second-quarter drought put the Cats in a hole they never escaped. Even when UK battled back in the fourth quarter and briefly made it interesting, the Longhorns always seemed to have an answer.

Up next: Kentucky returns to Historic Memorial Coliseum to face another Texas team, hosting Texas A&M on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m.

[KSR’s top takeaways from Kentucky’s 11-point loss at Texas]

You can watch UK Softball today

Get over to ESPN+ if you care to watch some Kentucky Softball this afternoon. The game is at UC Santa Barbara, set for a 3 p.m. ET start on this side of the country. Kentucky went 4-1 out west in the San Diego State Season Kickoff over the weekend. The Stanford Invitational begins Thursday.

Tune in to KSR at 10 a.m.

We’re back in Kentucky with lots more to say, even without a game. Go Cats.