Big Blue Preview: Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky
During its unbeaten start to the season, No. 8 Kentucky has handled its business, no matter the situation. The most high-profile win came against then-No. 6 Duke in the Champions Classic. And while that’s certainly an impressive win, what the Cats have done against other competition is perhaps equally as impressive.
Kentucky has faced four other opponents (Wright State, Bucknell, Lipscomb and Jackson State) and the Cats have handled their business in each of those games. UK has beaten those four opponents by an average of 36.8 points per game. Senior forward Andrew Carr believes he knows why.
“There’s probably a couple of things. A lot of our guys are older, that’s been a theme of the team,” Carr said. “Then also, Coach Pope does a great job of preaching to us that the biggest game of our career is the next game. It really is the reality, the biggest game that we’re ever going to play in is Tuesday night against Western. It’s just going to keep growing from there. He does a really good job of instilling that into us and making us feel that.”
The Western that Carr mentioned is Western Kentucky, whom the Cats will face on Tuesday night at Rupp Arena (6:30 ET, ESPNU). The Hilltoppers are 3-2 on the season after beating Jackson State 79-62 on Wednesday. Carr and the Cats have seen the ‘Tops on tape.
“They seem like they like to play super fast, aggressive,” Carr said. “Definitely a talented team. They’re going to come in here and give us their best shot, so we’re excited.”
How can the Cats continue their perfect start?
“Continuing to be us. We’re just trying to continue to get better every single day, learn how to play with each other more,” Carr said. “We like going out there and playing with some joy and having fun with each other. I think that’s when we’re at our best.”
Kentucky has ridden its outside shooting through five games. The Cats have made at least 10 three-point baskets in each of their first five contests, becoming the first UK team to ever accomplish that feat. Kentucky has made 63 three-pointers this season, more than twice the number (30) that opponents have made against UK.
The next challenge for this team comes on Tuesday night. The Cats will once again look to handle what’s directly in front of them rather than looking ahead.
Kentucky Blasts Jackson State
Kentucky scored a season-high 108 points to cruise past Jackson State on Friday in Rupp Arena and improved to 5-0 on the season.
Five players scored in double figures, led by Koby Brea, who matched his career high with 22 points. Otega Oweh’s 21 points gave the junior his second game with 20 or more points this season, while Jaxson Robinson (14), Lamont Butler (11) and Ansley Almonor (10) also reached double-digit points.
UK was potent from deep against the Tigers, hitting 17 3s, the most for the Wildcats since they had 17 against Stonehill last November.
Kentucky managed a 43-7 advantage in fast break points and a 52-12 edge in bench points.
Some additional notes from the win:
• Kentucky has a 5-0 start for the first time since the 2016-17 team won its first seven
• The 108 points scored for Kentucky were its most since scoring 111 vs. Arkansas on March 2, 2024
• Kentucky’s defense ramped up the intensity, generating a season-best 13 steals and swatting a season-high nine shots
• UK’s 52 bench points were its most in a contest this year
• Making 17-of-39 3-point shots, this is the first team in UK history to make at least 10 3-pointers in each of its first five games. The 17 makes and 39 attempts from deep were both season highs
• It is the first time UK has made at least 10 3s in five consecutive games since Feb. 6-20, 2016.
• Kentucky is one of four teams nationally to make double-digit 3s in every game this season
Just Call Him “Fuego”
After finishing as the nation’s leading 3-point shooter a year ago, Koby Brea has picked up right where he left off in 2024-25. Brea is averaging 16.0 points per contest and shooting an incredible .741 percent from 3-point range.
• Brea has made 20 3s through UK’s first five games, the most by a Kentucky player through the first five games of a season since Derrick Miller hit 24 to start the 1989-90 campaign
• Brea is averaging 4.0 made 3s per contest. He is on pace to make 124 3-pointers by the end of the regular season. The UK record for most made 3s made in a single season is 117 by Jodie Meeks in 2009
• Brea’s 74.1 percent make rate from beyond the arc ranks first in NCAA Division I as of Nov. 22
• Brea’s 4.0 makes per game ranks tops in the SEC and ninth in the country
• Brea has made multiple 3-pointers in every game this season
