Defense Steps Up as Cats Top Illini on Sunday
The Kentucky defense admittedly had its share of struggles this season. The Cats gave up at least 90 points on six occasions this season.
But on Sunday night in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament against Illinois, it was the UK defense that carried the load early in the game as the Cats topped the Illini 84-75 to advance to the Sweet 16.
Kentucky forced Illinois into 14 turnovers in the game and the Cats were able to turn those miscues into 26 points. UK had 14 steals in the game, tied for the fifth-most by a Kentucky team in an NCAA Tournament game and tied for the most in any game during the 2024-25 season (UK had 14 steals against Brown on Dec. 31). Sunday’s game was the ninth time this season that the Cats have recorded double-digit steals.
UK head coach Mark Pope knows he has standout defenders in Lamont Butler and Amari Williams, but he credits another player with making the Kentucky defense better.
“The easy answer for me is it’s Koby Brea,” Pope said. “He all of a sudden started saying I’m taking this personal. I’m going to take every single defensive possession personal. When things didn’t go right defensively, he was going to take it incredibly personal. And he’s an example of one of the guys on our team — we have a player-led team. We have unbelievable leadership on our team, and it comes from a wide variety of guys, different slices of it. And when you have players that are leading the charge, things get better.”
For his part, Brea knows that the UK defensive effort starts with Butler.
“We have Lamont Butler as the head of defense,” Brea said. “So, I feel like for any team, when you see him pick you up, it has to put something in your stomach, some nerves or something. He makes you a little nervous be. He’s the head of the snake for us. And we see how hard he goes, and it makes us want to go just as hard. He sets the tone for us.”
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood has also been impressed with Butler. When asked how far Kentucky could go in the tournament, Underwood immediately cited Butler.
“I think as far as Lamont wants to take them, I think,” Underwood said. “I think they’re really good. They’re old, they’re experienced. I think Lamont gives them leadership. I think he’s very good.”
UK had eight steals in the first half, as the Cats took control of the game early. Illinois had a 5-4 lead within the first four minutes of the game but a 9-0 run, sparked by defense, gave Kentucky a lead it would hold for the final 36:16 of the game.
The defensive effort was a collective one, with several players contributing to the cause. Williams had three of UK’s four blocked shots and he also had a steal. Butler, Andrew Carr and Collin Chandler each had three steals. Carr tied his season high, while Chandler set a new career high in the win.
Brandon Garrison had two steals for the Cats, while Koby Brea and Otega Oweh each added one. Oweh had UK’s other blocked shot in the game.
With the increased effort, the Cats have moved from 110th to 45th in defensive efficiency in the country. Kentucky will need to continue to play solid defense as they move forward to the Sweet 16 later this week in Indianapolis.
