KSR Today: Kentucky prepares for Tennessee, Hoophall Classic begins
Well, here goes nothing. After a tough stretch of play that includes back-to-back losses at Alabama and vs. South Carolina, the Kentucky men’s basketball team will head to Knoxville hoping to avoid a third straight. And unfortunately, they’ll be taking on one of the best teams in college basketball, with the Tennessee Volunteers entering the matchup ranked No. 5 overall at 14-2.
Tennessee scores a respectable 75.5 points a game, but dominates on the other end of the floor, holding opponents to an absurd 53.4 points per contest. It’s a unique team, one that doesn’t have any individual star, but balanced talent. Four different Volunteers average double-figure scoring, led by veteran guard Santiago Vescovi at 12.9 points per game. The group shoots 44.4% from the field, 34.6% from three and 72.7% from the line. As a team, UT also rebounds the ball exceptionally well, pulling down 41.1 boards per game — eight players averaging at least three rebounds.
What are the Wildcats’ chances? Well, not great. ESPN’s Matchup Predictor gives Kentucky just a 9.4% chance to pull off the upset in Knoxville. The official line has not yet been released, but it’s expected to be a big one in favor of the Vols.
Tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on Saturday inside Thompson-Boling Arena, with the game broadcast live on ESPN. Time to see if a turnaround is possible.
Bruiser Flint previews Tennessee
It won’t be John Calipari previewing Kentucky’s biggest conference rival. Instead, it will be Bruiser Flint, the Associate to the Head Coach, breaking things down on Friday.
Flint will sit down with the media starting at, well, now, bright and early at 9 a.m. ET.
What are his thoughts on the matchup? How can the Wildcats bounce back? KSR will have all of the coverage you need right here on the website throughout the day.
Rick Barnes previews Kentucky
Tennessee, on the other hand, did bring out its head coach to preview the high-profile matchup. Rick Barnes, along with select players, spoke on the Wildcats and what his team hopes to accomplish on Saturday.
Take a look:
Chris Lofton’s jersey will be retired
Kentucky will be entering enemy territory in a rowdy environment set to retire the jersey of a Tennessee basketball legend — and a familiar face for Big Blue Nation.
Maysville’s own Chris Lofton will be honored at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday, celebrating his standout career that saw him earn AP All-America honors during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons and was named the 2007 SEC Player of the Year. He scored 2,131 career points during his four seasons as a Vol — a mark that still stands as the fourth-most in program history.
“We all should be excited for Chris,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said of Lofton. “When you think about it, I’ve never met anyone that can say an ill thing about Chris. When you come into a situation like we did eight years ago, and you want to build something special, but you also know you need past players and people involved to help you do that, he embraced us.”
The former UT star was infamously passed on by Kentucky under Tubby Smith out of high school, leading him to the program’s bitter SEC rival.
Now, he’ll have his jersey retired with the Wildcats in attendance.
Kentucky WBB crumbles vs. No. 1 South Carolina
The bad news: Kyra Elzy’s Wildcats lost their fifth consecutive game, leaving them winless in the SEC. The good? Kentucky competed against No. 1 South Carolina inside Memorial Coliseum, hanging in for three quarters before the wheels fell off in the fourth.
A 95-66 loss at the final buzzer, the Wildcats entered the second quarter down just three points before a 14-1 run put UK up 29-20 midway through the period. The Gamecocks fired back with a 16-0 run and ultimately closed out the half up 37-33. Led by seven points from Robyn Benton, Kentucky kept things close in the third, down just 59-51 to end the frame despite shooting just 8-21 in that span.
Despite the respectable start, South Carolina proved its worth as the No. 1 team in the nation, rolling in the fourth to take home the 29-point victory.
Another positive? The team’s most brutal stretch of the season is behind it, and now, some winning opportunities are on the table. That run will (hopefully) start at Florida on Sunday in Gainesville, with tip scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
Hoophall Classic begins in Springfield
One of the biggest high school recruiting events of the year is set to tip off, as the Hoophall Classic will take place in Springfield, MA starting Friday (local games actually began late Thursday) through Monday afternoon.
Among the top players set to take the floor? Four of Kentucky’s five signees in its top-ranked recruiting class in 2023: DJ Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw with Camden (NJ) High School, Justin Edwards with Imhotep Charter (PA) Institute, and Reed Sheppard with North Laurel (KY) High School. Robert Dillingham, who plays for Overtime Elite in Atlanta, GA, is the lone signee not headed to Springfield this weekend.
Kentucky’s other top recruiting targets in attendance include five-star junior shooting guard Ian Jackson, five-star junior point guard Johnuel “Boogie” Fland, four-star junior wing Billy Richmond, five-star sophomore forward Cooper Flagg and five-star twin sophomores Cameron and Cayden Boozer — the sons of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.
KSR will have boots on the ground — Zack Geoghegan and I are actually in the air now — in Springfield throughout the weekend. Coverage will include insight from Kentucky’s four signees, recruiting updates, daily game recaps, Sources Say Podcasts and more. Stay tuned for a busy weekend — you never know, you could see a massive commitment come down the pike (come on down, Ian Jackson).
Liam Coen comes home
It isn’t all basketball in the bluegrass going into the weekend. The Kentucky football program introduced Liam Coen as its new offensive coordinator this week, bringing him back after a one-year hiatus with the Los Angeles Rams.
Coen spoke to the media again for the first time since his announced return on Thursday. Miss the opening press conference — one were he made it clear he missed his Old Kentucky Home?
Check out the complete replay below:
Devin Leary one of the best passers in college football? Focusing on fixing the offensive line? Utilizing the team’s elite young pass-catching weapons?
Is it football season yet?
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