All articles tagged with #kentucky
Kentucky men's basketball is reportedly planning an “epic” overseas preseason tour, with a destination not yet decided. Coach Mark Pope said an external group has invited the Wildcats on a trip that could boost team chemistry after three years since their last summer excursion, though no location has been finalized and it will not be Italy.
Kentucky fell 75-74 to Auburn, suffering a third straight loss as Otega Oweh poured in a career-high 29 points. A late controversial foul on Collin Chandler with 14 seconds left helped Auburn seal the win, while Kentucky’s frontcourt watched a decisive sequence. Mark Pope’s postgame hallway rant criticizing officiating drew headlines, adding to a tense week for UK as four regular-season games remain and an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament hangs in the balance.
Kentucky blew a late chance at Auburn, failing to grab the game-winning rebound after a controversial push-off, with a second-half scoring drought and seven turnovers apiece fueling Auburn’s 22-9 run to a 75-74 victory; Kentucky had chances—the rim-out layup by Otega Oweh and Collin Chandler’s late turnover—but couldn’t close it.
Ahead of Selection Sunday, the NCAA runs a mock bracket to illustrate the process. In the latest mock, Kentucky is shown as a No. 6 seed after seeds 1–5 are set and the rest are auto-filled, and their Wins Above Bubble (WAB) ranking (No. 26, 3.03) is cited as evidence they may be in a better position than fans think despite recent losses.
A Kentucky teenager’s attempt to “look cool” by vaping led to two pneumothorax episodes, requiring an 18-inch chest tube and later a pleurodesis to re-expand his lung. After quitting, he still experiences pain, and his mother is urging nationwide restrictions on vaping to protect youths, highlighting ongoing concerns about vaping-related health risks among teens and young adults.
In Kentucky’s GOP Senate primary to replace Mitch McConnell, three candidates distance themselves from the longtime leader and court Trump’s base: Daniel Cameron emphasizes independence from McConnell, while Morris attacks McConnell and leans toward Trump allies, and Barr ties his campaign to Trump. The competition reflects a broader shift in Kentucky politics as donors divide and voters express frustration with McConnell, signaling a potential realignment of the state’s Senate power dynamic.
Florida No. 14 hosts No. 25 Kentucky in a high-stakes SEC clash that doubles as a reunion with former UF champion Denzel Aberdeen, who transferred to Kentucky after Florida’s title run. UF teammates publicly urged Aberdeen’s attendance and stressed the moment should be about respect, not distraction, while coach Todd Golden downplays the drama and treats it as just another game. Aberdeen’s 12.3 PPG, 3.2 APG for Kentucky adds emotional weight as UF (18-6, 9-2) aims for another win in Gainesville in the 3 p.m. Saturday showdown.
Matt Walsh will be in the stands for the sold-out Florida–Kentucky matchup in Gainesville, adding a nostalgic wrinkle as UK eyes an upset of the reigning champions. The piece revisits famous Florida “villains” from the series’ history, notes other Florida stars attending, and frames the game as a pivotal SEC clash in the Mark Pope–Todd Golden era.
After Kentucky beat Oklahoma by 16 points, coach Mark Pope ducked out of his postgame duties to rush to the airport and welcome his daughter Avery back from a 15–17 month mission trip in El Salvador, aided by local police and airport security. The reunion, shared with the rest of the Pope family, highlighted faith, sacrifice, and the deep bonds of family as Avery rejoined her loved ones after serving abroad.
Kentucky rolled to a 94-78 victory over Oklahoma at Rupp Arena, turning an 8-0 late first-half run into a comfortable win as the Wildcats shot 46.2% from three and 50% overall. Oklahoma’s Otega Oweh led the visitors with 24 points, but Kentucky got a breakout performance from Brandon Garrison (20 points, 11 rebounds) for his first Kentucky double-double and another strong 18-point effort from Collin Chandler in 34 minutes. UK moves to 16-7 (7-3 SEC) and sits in a tie for first in the league, with a demanding rest of the schedule featuring six Quad-1 games in eight through February–March and a Tennessee rematch on deck.
Kentucky’s NCAA tournament resume got a boost with an upset of Arkansas, lifting the NET ranking to No. 28 and giving UK five Quad 1 wins with six Quad 1 games left, including a looming matchup with Tennessee; Indiana’s NET rise also moved the Arkansas win back into Quad 1 for now. With a schedule heavy on Quad 1 opportunities but also a Quad 3 game against Oklahoma, UK’s seed prospects depend on continued consistency, with projections from KenPom and BartTorvik suggesting a potential top-7 seed if the results swing right.
Kentucky steadied after a rough showing against Vanderbilt by defeating Arkansas 85-77 on the road, driven by a personal, high-energy effort from Otega Oweh and the Wildcats as they seek consistency and momentum heading into home games with Oklahoma and Tennessee.
Kentucky beat Arkansas 85-77 despite three straight second-half technicals on Garrison, Diobate, and Mark Pope that swung momentum; the Wildcats’ fight and undaunted spirit kept them ahead, and Pope said he’d like to clean up the discipline but wouldn’t trade the heart of the team, while Arkansas added a late Malique Ewin technical and a Trevon Brazile Flagrant 1 as the game closed.
Kentucky edged No. 15 Arkansas 85-77 on the road amid a seven-technical-foul barrage from Doug Shows' crew, including a phantom call on Mo Dioubate; Mark Pope was ejected in the second half, but the Wildcats held on thanks to crucial free throws from Trent Noah. They’ll hosts Oklahoma on Wednesday.
Kentucky travels to Vanderbilt as a 6.5-point road underdog in a key SEC matchup, with projections split: KenPom and Torvik favor Vanderbilt and ESPN BPI gives Kentucky a 32.7% win probability, while the over/under sits at 159.5; Kentucky rides a five-game SEC win streak but is 1-3 ATS on true road games, and Vanderbilt started 16-0 before cooling, now 10-6 ATS in the stretch, with tip-off at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.