KSR LIVE BLOG: No. 12 Kentucky vs. Arkansas
The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. KSR’s LIVE BLOG will bring you all the sights and sounds from Rupp Arena as your No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats host John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks (9 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Kentucky (15-5, 4-3 SEC) is coming off one of the most impressive (and unexpected) wins of the season at No. 8 Tennessee. Arkansas (12-8, 1-6 SEC) has been on a midweek bye after losing to Oklahoma on Saturday, the Razorbacks’ sixth SEC loss. As you know, they’ve fallen far below expectations in John Calipari’s first season, and are without Boogie Fland, who is out for the season following thumb surgery. A win over No. 12 Kentucky could turn things around for Cal’s Hogs, but the odds are not in their favor. KenPom projects an 84-73 Kentucky victory. Vegas also likes the Cats by double digits.
What will the scene be like at Rupp Arena when John Calipari and the Razorbacks take the court? Refresh the feed below for updates and our takes on the game, from both Rupp Arena and the couch. You can also join the conversation on the KSBoard Game Thread or by texting your observations to 859-587-3828 (standard messaging rates apply).
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Another scoring drought for Kentucky
02/01/2025 09:44:25 PMA foul on Karter Knox is now being reviewed. Kentucky’s down 11, 71-60, at the 9:45 mark. The lineup on the floor prior to this review was not idea. Kentucky needs buckets and they’re just not going to get them with both Jaxson Robinson and Koby Brea on the bench in favor of Travis Perry and Collin Chandler.
Score Update: 10:54 2H – Arkansas 69, Kentucky 60
02/01/2025 09:43:48 PMDJ Wagner suddenly can’t miss and Amari Williams needs help. Wagner’s fourth bucket of the half has Arkansas up nine with 10:54 to go. The Razorbacks have been on fire all night, but especially in the second half, hitting 8-12 from the floor, 3-4 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Kentucky can buy a bucket, going 5-16 from the field, 1-7 from three. Williams has six of Kentucky’s 15 points this half.
This needs to turn around, and soon.
Foul on Jonas Aidoo upgraded to Flagrant 1
02/01/2025 09:34:10 PMHere’s one good thing: Jonas Aidoo’s foul on Amari Williams was just upgraded to a Flagrant 1 upon review. Williams hit both free throws to make it 67-58 Arkansas with 12:45 to go.
Score Update: 13:02 2H – Arkansas 67, Kentucky 56
02/01/2025 09:29:32 PMArkansas’ lead is back up to double digits. A three-pointer by DJ Wagner and a dunk by Karter Knox pushed the score to 67-56 Razorbacks. Kentucky is being outscored 21-11 this half. Here’s a dunk by Otega Oweh if it makes you feel better. We need more of those.
Tubby Smith is the Y!
02/01/2025 09:24:28 PMYou knew once Tubby Smith was spotted at the airport that he was the frontrunner to be the Y tonight. Sure enough, the former Kentucky coach took the floor to a warm round of applause. Hopefully, that infuses this group with the spirit of the Comeback Cats.
4-point play by Ansley Almonor
02/01/2025 09:21:26 PMBad news first: Big Z hit a three to put Arkansas up 11, 58-47. Good news: Ansley Almonor followed it up with one of his own and was fouled on the shot. After the timeout, he hit the free throw to pull Kentucky within seven.
15:29 2H – Arkansas 58, Kentucky 51
Score Update: 16:39 2H – Arkansas 55, Kentucky 47
02/01/2025 09:15:39 PMDJ Wagner was 0-5 in the first half. On back-to-back trips down the floor, he found the bottom of the bucket, the first basket a three-pointer (Arkansas’ 10th of the night) and the second a layup to put the Razorbacks up eight. Timeout Mark Pope. Please regroup, Kentucky.
Not a good start to the second half
02/01/2025 09:11:51 PMWhere’s that great start to the second half we needed? After a missed three by Otega Oweh, the Razorbacks struck first in the second half with a lob dunk to Adou Thiero. After a steal by Big Z, Thiero followed it up with two free throws to put the Razorbacks up five, 50-45.
18:58 2H: Arkansas 50, Kentucky 45
HALF: Arkansas 46, Kentucky 45
02/01/2025 08:53:44 PMAfter 20 minutes of play, Arkansas leads Kentucky by one, 46-45. This is the same Arkansas team that averages 64.3 points total per game in SEC play. The Razorbacks are hitting 48.5% from the floor, including 9-18 (50%) from three, WELL above their averages. Arkansas’ nine threes match their high this season.
Kentucky is hitting 58.6% of its shots, 7-10 (70%) from three, but the Cats have turned it over eight times so far. Gotta clean it up and get this W.
Andrew Carr three!
02/01/2025 08:51:19 PMHappy birthday, Andrew Carr! The big man just hit a three to push Kentucky’s lead to four with 1:39 to go. Arkansas’ Trevon Brazile cut it back to one with a three-pointer on the other end.
1:15 1H – Kentucky 44, Arkansas 43
Collin Chandler gives Kentucky the lead!
02/01/2025 08:49:50 PMHow about Collin Chandler! After an impressive performance at Tennessee, the freshman just muscled his way to the basket to put Kentucky back on top 41-40, with 2:38 to go in the half.
Score Update: 2:55 1H – Arkansas 40, Kentucky 39
02/01/2025 08:45:23 PMThe Amari Williams takeover continues. Williams is up to 11 points on 5-5 from the floor. Unfortunately, Arkansas continues to make shots. Johnell Davis has three three-pointers so far, bringing the Razorbacks’ total to seven. On the other end, Kentucky has turned the ball over eight times, not the trend we want to see as we approach halftime. Arkansas up by one at the final media timeout of the half.
Amari Williams answers Big Z’s three with a dunk
02/01/2025 08:41:37 PMYou knew Big Z would get some threes. He hit his second to give Arkansas a 37-32 lead. Amari Williams responded in the best way, driving the lane to get a dunk and a foul. He completed the three-point play with a free throw (after a lane violation).
5:01 1H – Arkansas 37, Kentucky 35
Score Update: 6:11 1H – Arkansas 31, Kentucky 30
02/01/2025 08:39:02 PMArkansas just went on a 6-0 run to take the lead, 31-30, prompting Mark Pope to call a timeout. Adou Thiero is responsible for four of those points, with Karter Knox scoring the other two on a dunk. Thiero is up to 11 points, as is Jaxson Robinson.
Lots of stars in the house
02/01/2025 08:36:02 PMNaturally, the VIP guest list at Rupp Arena tonight is impressive. Several former Kentucky Football stars are in the building, including Tim Couch, Randall Cobb, Ray Davis, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Dru Phillips are all here tonight. I’ll share more celebrity sightings as we get them.
Score Update: 7:46 1H – Kentucky 27, Arkansas 23
02/01/2025 08:32:38 PMTravis Perry ain’t scared. The freshman, who committed to Kentucky under John Calipari, hit a three to put Kentucky up 25-21. A pair of free throws by Adou Thiero and a jumper by Amari Williams, we’re at 27-23 Cats at the under-eight timeout.
No bottles or cans at Rupp Arena tonight
02/01/2025 08:27:37 PMAll week, everyone has been talking about whether or not Kentucky fans would boo John Calipari. As expected, it happened, but some extra precautions were taken. Drinks are being served in cups only tonight at Rupp. No bottles or cans. According to a few fans, this was a request from John Calipari himself.
Score Update: 10:14 1H – Kentucky 22, Arkansas 20
02/01/2025 08:23:59 PMBilly Richmond hit back-to-back buckets, the second a pretty impressive dunk, to tie things up at 20. Thankfully, Koby Brea responded with a dunk of his own to put the Cats back up 22-20. After a foul on Andrew Carr, we’re at the under-12 media timeout. The crowd was NOT happy with officials for not calling a foul on Arkansas during a missed layup by Travis Perry.
Score Update: 12:06 1H – Kentucky 20, Arkansas 16
02/01/2025 08:21:32 PMAfter a foul on DJ Wagner, Jaxson Robinson just hit a pair of free throws to push Kentucky’s lead to four, 20-16. Andrew Carr and Travis Perry also just checked in. Carr was listed as probably on last night’s injury report as he continues to battle back issues.
The roof is about to come off this place
02/01/2025 08:12:48 PMIt’s a three-point flurry, early. Arkansas is one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the country, but so far, the Razorbacks have hit four (4-7). Thankfully, Kentucky has matched the Razorbacks beyond the arc (4-4) and done more inside, with Otega Oweh and Amari Williams hitting layups to put the Cats up 18-12 at the first media timeout.
The energy in the building is absolutely nuts right now. The Rupp Arena crowd is finally taking a breath after the most anxious build-up to a game I can remember.
14:23 1H – Kentucky 18, Arkansas 12
Calipari and Arkansas booed during intros
02/01/2025 08:05:06 PMThe reception wasn’t too bad for John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks when they took the floor but during intros? The boos were definitely loud. Experience it through the tweets below.
The Tysons are in the house
02/01/2025 07:11:53 PMOne of the men directly responsible for leading John Calipari to Arkansas is in Rupp Arena tonight. John Tyson, the chairman of Tyson Farms, just came out to his seats dressed head to toe in Tyson gear. Do you think UK will take Drew’s suggestion and make him the Y tonight?
Greetings from Rupp Arena
02/01/2025 06:54:56 PMHello from the media section high atop Rupp Arena where we’ve got about an hour until tipoff and fans are starting to file in. Energy is already high. At KSBar and Grille, fans were still debating what they’ll do tonight, cheer or boo. We’ll find out soon enough, thankfully.
The boo-birds are out
02/01/2025 06:34:36 PMIt’s only students in Rupp right now (doors for everyone else just opened) but that didn’t stop them from getting raining down some boos on the former ‘Cats: Adou Thiero, Zvonimir Ivisic, and DJ Wagner. A preview of what we’ll see tonight for Calipari?
Calipari is in the building
02/01/2025 06:28:32 PMIt still feels weird…
A wardrobe divided for Reed
02/01/2025 06:26:55 PMReed Sheppard is rocking an Arkansas shirt and Kentucky shorts ahead of his NBA game tonight against the Brooklyn Nets. Fair or foul? Jeff Sheppard wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a Razorback logo.
Carr is AVAILABLE, Butler is OUT
02/01/2025 06:24:21 PMAs expected, the final SEC Availability Report has removed Andrew Carr’s name from the list, meaning Kentucky’s starting power forward will try to give it a go tonight. After playing just 89 seconds against Tennessee on Tuesday, it’ll be interesting to see how long of a leash Mark Pope gives him. Lamont Butler and Kerr Kriisa both remain out. It’ll be another big game for Jaxson Robinson’s point guard minutes.
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