LIVE BLOG: No. 14 Kentucky at No. 25 Ole Miss
Kentucky is back on the road to try to bounce back against a ranked team. KSR’s LIVE BLOG will bring you all the sights and sounds from The Pavilion in Oxford as the No. 14 Wildcats take on the No. 25 Ole Miss Rebels (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).
You know what’s going on with Kentucky. The Cats are coming off the loss to Arkansas at Rupp, an emotional blow to the fanbase. It was Kentucky’s third loss in the last four games. Ole Miss has lost four of its last five, all four losses to ranked opponents. They’ll be looking to rebound from Saturday’s 10-point loss to No. 1 Auburn. Kentucky will once again be without Lamont Butler, who will miss his third straight game with a shoulder injury.
Refresh the feed below for updates and our takes on the game, from both Oxford 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).
Text Machine postgame thoughts
02/04/2025 08:14:21 PMYou can text your thoughts to 859-587-3828 (standard messaging rates apply).
FINAL: Ole Miss 98, Kentucky 84
02/04/2025 08:06:25 PMKentucky fought back in the second half, outscoring Ole Miss 53-44 after halftime, but the hole they dug in the first half was just too big. The Cats picked up their fourth loss in the last five games, falling to No. 25 Ole Miss 98-84 in Oxford. Kentucky is now 16-6 overall, 4-5 in SEC play.
One bright spot in the loss: Amari Williams became the fourth player in Kentucky Basketball history to record a triple-double (12 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists), joining Chris Mills (1988), De’Aaron Fox (2016), and Isaiah Briscoe (2016). He was one of five Wildcats in double figures along with Otega Oweh (24), Jaxson Robinson (18), Koby Brea (10), and Andrew Carr (10).
We just got a mini Lamont Butler update
02/04/2025 07:58:36 PMAndrew Carr just cut the lead to 13 with 1:52 to go, but more interesting is the Lamont Butler injury update we just got from Karl Ravech. Ravech said the staff “believes” they will get Butler back this season and that the point guard was wearing a “big” brace on his shoulder today. He “gingerly” participated in shootaround, mostly running up and down the court to stay in shape. Jimmy Dykes added that it’s more a question of when he’ll return to the court, not if.
The lead’s still 14 at the Under-4 timeout
02/04/2025 07:52:49 PMCredit to Kentucky for playing better this half on both sides of the ball, but Ole Miss continues to play out of its mind. At the final media timeout, the Rebels still lead by 14. Barring a late Ole Miss collapse, Kentucky’s comeback effort came too late.
3:19 2H – Ole Miss 89, Kentucky 75
Score Update: 4:20 2H – Ole Miss 87, Kentucky 73
02/04/2025 07:45:51 PMTry as they might, Kentucky can’t get this one to single digits. A massive three by Koby Brea got Ole Miss’ lead back down to 12, but a jumper by Jaylen Murray pushed it back to 14. Kentucky’s defense is better this half; however, the Rebels seemingly can’t miss, even late in the shot clock. Brutal.
Score Update: 7:45 2H – Ole Miss 78, Kentucky 65
02/04/2025 07:36:28 PMA jumper by Amari Williams capped off a 6-0 Kentucky run over the last 1:02. The Cats have hit five of their last seven field goals. Ole Miss hasn’t scored in the last two minutes. The lead is down to 13. Plenty of time left, but Kentucky has to keep getting stops.
Here’s a better look at that four-point play by Jaxson Robinson.
Jaxson Robinson 4-point play cuts the lead to 15
02/04/2025 07:34:39 PMJaxson Robinson is trying to take over this game on the offensive end. Robinson just hit his second three in the last two minutes and was fouled. He hit his free throw to cut Ole Miss’ lead to 15 with 8:45 to go.
8:45 2H – Ole Miss 78, Kentucky 63
Kentucky cuts the lead to 18
02/04/2025 07:24:27 PMJust keep shooting, right? Kentucky continues to show life on offense, now 9-12 from the field this half, but it may be too little too late. The Cats are on a 9-1 run, with Ole Miss not scoring a field goal in over two and a half minutes. Keep making shots and keep getting stops.
11:34 2H – Ole Miss 72, Kentucky 54
Score Update: 14:59 2H – Ole Miss 68, Kentucky 43
02/04/2025 07:14:11 PMAccording to ESPN’s Molly McGrath, Mark Pope told his team to put their heads up and chip away at Ole Miss’ lead bucket by bucket. So far, Kentucky is connecting on the offensive end, hitting 6-7 field goals so far. Unfortunately, Ole Miss is 6-8. The Rebels are up to eleven three-pointers tonight.
At some point, you’ve just got to get some stops.
More Text Machine takes
02/04/2025 07:04:41 PMYou can text your thoughts to 859-587-3828 (standard messaging rates apply).
Historical context to Kentucky’s very bad first half
02/04/2025 07:02:14 PMYou knew Corey Price would pull out the stats to tell us just how bad that half was. John Clay added another one.
Text Machine is mad
02/04/2025 06:58:01 PMYou can text your thoughts to 859-587-3828 (standard messaging rates apply).
HALF: Ole Miss 54, Kentucky 31
02/04/2025 06:52:41 PMWe may have a new “worst half of the season.” Kentucky trails Ole Miss by 17 at halftime, 54-31. It’s hard to put into words how bad the Cats look right now. Ole Miss is scoring at will, shooting 61% from the floor and 53% from three (nine of them!). The Rebels are living up to their billing as one of the best teams in the country at protecting the basketball, with zero turnovers so far. Meanwhile, Kentucky has six, leading to nine Ole Miss points.
Defense has always been this team’s weak spot, but the effort and body language on the defensive end was embarrassing toward the end of the half. Again, Jimmy Dykes mentioned that Mark Pope lit into his team when they seemed out of it during shootaround. The Cats clearly miss Lamont Butler, but that’s not all that’s wrong right now.
Kentucky better get it together fast or they’ll get run out of the gym.
Text Machine wants better defense (same)
02/04/2025 06:44:54 PMYou can text your thoughts to 859-587-3828 (standard messaging rates apply).
Score Update: 3:54 1H – Ole Miss 41, Kentucky 28
02/04/2025 06:42:03 PMMaybe that Koby Brea three will spark something? Brea finally found the bottom of the net from beyond the arc to pull Kentucky within 11. The Cats got a stop on the next possession, but Otega Oweh couldn’t finish a contested layup at the rim, leading to a Malik Dia bucket on the other end.
Dykes said Cats looked off in shootaround
02/04/2025 06:33:59 PMWhy does Kentucky look so bad so far? Jimmy Dykes gave us a little insight, sharing that the Cats looked very distracted in shootaround, drawing the ire of Mark Pope. Maybe that Arkansas loss is lingering.
In good news, Jaxson Robinson just hit a three to cut the lead to 12.
7:49 1H – Ole Miss 33, Kentucky 21
Kentucky’s defense is just awful right now
02/04/2025 06:29:21 PMIt’s going from bad to worse in Oxford. Ole Miss now leads by 13, 31-18, prompting Mark Pope to call a timeout. Ole Miss is scoring at will, with Kentucky unable to stay in front of the Rebels on even the most basic actions. We’ve already had two shot clock violations and even had a ten-second violation. Kentucky really misses Lamont Butler
8:34 1H – Ole Miss 31, Kentucky 18
Score Update: 9:24 1H – Ole Miss 28, Kentucky 18
02/04/2025 06:27:46 PMOle Miss’ lead is up to ten, with Jaemyn Brakefiled hitting one of two free throws after a foul on Andrew Carr. Carr is still knocking off the rust, but has played six minutes so far, totaling four points on a field goal and two free throws. He’s headed back to the bench.
Text Machine sums it up.
02/04/2025 06:24:33 PMYou can text your thoughts to 859-587-3828 (standard messaging rates apply).
Score Update: 11:40 1H – Ole Miss 20, Kentucky 14
02/04/2025 06:17:34 PMKentucky sort of found a groove offensively in that segment, but the Cats still need stops. Otega Oweh hit Kentucky’s second three-pointer of the night, which Brandon Garrison followed up with a bucket of his own. Unfortunately, Jameyn Brakefield hit Ole Miss’ fourth three to push the lead back to eight. Oweh was able to work his way into the lane to score again to pull Kentucky within six at the under-12 timeout.
Score Update: 14:59 1H – Ole Miss 15, Kentucky 7
02/04/2025 06:10:28 PMKentucky’s defense continues to struggle, especially on the perimeter. Ole Miss is up to 5-8 from the floor, 3-6 from three, many of those looks wide open. The Rebels lead 15-7 at the first media timeout. This is the same Ole Miss team that made only six threes vs. Auburn on Saturday.
We got some substitutions after that last break. Travis Perry and Trent Noah checked in for Jaxson Robinson and Koby Brea. Perry has already hit a three, which is good. As I’m sure you remember, Noah didn’t play at all vs. Arkansas.
Hot start by the Rebels
02/04/2025 06:06:29 PMOle Miss has set the pace so far, hitting 3-5 from the floor, including two threes, to take a 10-4 lead at the 16:27 mark. Amari Williams has Kentucky’s lone buckets so far. The Cats are already bothered by Ole Miss’ backcourt, unable to stop them from getting to the basket or get free for shots of their own.
Late-arriving crowd at The Pavilion?
02/04/2025 05:57:30 PMThis game is sold out, but Ole Miss fans seem to be taking their time getting to The Pavilion. According to those on the scene, there are plenty of empty seats in the minutes before tipoff, and plenty of Blue has found its way in (of course). Hopefully, we’ll hear some “Go Big Blue” chants as the night goes on.
Kentucky’s starting 5
02/04/2025 05:42:38 PMWith Butler out once again, Mark Pope is rolling with the same starting 5 he has in the last 2 games.
- Jaxson Robinson
- Otega Oweh
- Koby Brea
- Ansley Almonor
- Amari Williams
Pope said during his pregame radio hit with Tom Leach that we could see more run than usual for Williams. I’m all for it. As has been the case all season, we’ll see the big man taking on a “point guard” role throughout tonight’s game. Andrew Carr is available, but he’ll start this game off the bench.
Ole Miss up to a 5.5-point favorite
02/04/2025 05:28:53 PMOle Miss opened up as a 2.5-point favorite over the Cats yesterday. The line is now Ole Miss -5.5, with the total creeping up from 155.5 points to 158.5. Ole Miss’ team total is 81.5, Kentucky’s 77.5.
The Cats have been good in this spot this season. They’re 4-0 as underdogs outside of Rupp Arena. With Kentucky at +172 moneyline, that’s something to consider.
Ole Miss’ Matthew Murrell is available
02/04/2025 05:24:05 PMAs expected, Lamont Butler remains out on the final SEC Availability Report. Matthew Murrell, previously listed as questionable, is not on the report, meaning he’s available to play. Ole Miss’ senior guard is averaging 11.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game this season.
Elsewhere in the SEC, No. 6 Florida hosts Vanderbilt. The Gators will be without star guard Walter Clayton Jr., who has been ruled out. Clayton Jr. suffered an ankle injury in the Tennessee game but returned to play in the second half. That game takes place at the same time as Kentucky vs. Ole Miss over on the SEC Network. No. 1 Auburn hosts Oklahoma in the nightcap.
Here’s the slate of games on TV tonight:
- 6:30 PM (FS1): No. 11 Marquette vs. No. 12 St. John’s
- 7:00 PM (ESPN): No. 14 Kentucky vs. No. 25 Ole Miss
- 7:00 PM (SECN): Vanderbilt vs. No. 6 Florida
- 7:00 PM (Peacock): No. 7 Purdue vs. Iowa
- 7:00 PM (ACCN): Notre Dame vs. Florida State
- 8:00 PM (ESPN+): Oklahoma State vs. No. 5 Houston
- 9:00 PM (SECN): Oklahoma vs. No. 1 Auburn
- 9:00 PM (Peacock): Indiana vs. No. 21 Wisconsin
- 9:00 PM (ESPN2): Baylor vs. No. 13 Texas Tech
- 9:00 PM (ACCN): Georgia Tech vs. Clemson
- 10:00 PM (Peacock): No. 9 Michigan State vs. UCLA
Tonight’s officials are…
02/04/2025 05:09:26 PM…Doug Shows, Steven Anderson, and Byron Jarrett. Per Aaron Gershon, Kentucky is 1-1 this season in games called by Shows (Ohio State, Brown), 0-2 in games called by Anderson (Georgia, Alabama), and 3-0 in games called by Jarrett (Lipscomb, Florida, Texas A&M).
Someone want to set the total for trips to the monitor?
Cats in White, Rebels in Red
02/04/2025 05:07:55 PMGood evening, folks. We’re roughly 60 minutes from tipoff. Jack Pilgrim and Steven Peake are in Oxford for us tonight, and the Cats have taken the floor. Even though this is a road game, they’ll be wearing white, presumably so Ole Miss can wear red as part of the Red Out at The Pavilion.
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