Kentucky vs. Lipscomb: Preview, Odds & How to Watch

At long last, the Kentucky Wildcats are back, returning to game action for the first time in a week following the team’s win over Duke in the Champions Classic. Back in Lexington, it’s the Lipscomb Bisons of the ASUN coming to town, looking to bring Mark Pope‘s group down from its high as a heavy underdog.

Can the Wildcats avoid a hangover? KSR has everything you need to know about tonight’s matchup inside Rupp Arena.

How to Watch, Listen

Tuesday’s game is our second-to-last SEC Network+ game of the season. If you have SEC Network on your cable subscription, you’ll be able to access the game on the ESPN app on your phone, tablet, SmartTV, or TV with a streaming device. Former Kentucky great Travis Ford will be on the call alongside Andrew Kappes.

No. 9 Kentucky (3-0) vs. Lipscomb (2-3)
7 p.m. ET | Tuesday, Nov. 19 | Rupp Arena (Lexington, KY)

• Streaming: SEC Network+/ESPN+ (Andrew Kappes, Travis Ford)
• Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
• Online Radio: iHeart
• Satellite Radio: Sirius 158 or 190
• Live Stats: StatBroadcast

You can also follow the game via our new LIVE BLOG on the website, which will begin an hour before tipoff, or join the conversation on KSBoard.

Early season rewind

Kentucky: KenPom 22

• 11/4: 103-62 W vs. Wright State
• 11/9: 100-72 W vs. Bucknell
• 11/12: 77-72 W vs. No. 6 Duke

Lipscomb: KenPom 129

• 11/4: 77-72 W at Duquesne
• 11/6: 76-60 L at Arkansas
• 11/9: 78-69 W vs. Wofford
• 11/12: 80-79 L vs. Belmont
• 11/17: 66-61 L at Western Kentucky

Series History

The Wildcats and Bisons have played just twice — both wins in Lexington for the home team. Kentucky took home a 67-49 win in the Guardians Classic back in 2005, Rajon Rondo leading the way with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Ravi Moss added 13 and Ramel Bradley rounded out double-figure scorers with 12. From there, it was a blowout 88-50 win for the Cats in 2012, Kyle Wiltjer going nuclear in that one for 23 points and 12 rebounds while Ryan Harrow went for 12 and Alex Poythress added 11. Nerlens Noel did Nerlens Noel things, as well, going for seven points, nine rebounds, seven blocks, four steals and an assist.

Kentucky vs. Lipscomb Odds via Circa Sports

Spread: Kentucky -21
Total: 158.5

Kentucky Projected Starters

(Starting lineup based on the last game)

#1 – Lamont Butler
6-2 – 208 – GUARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
9.7 PPG, 3.3 APG, 3.0 RPG

#00 – Otega Oweh
6-4 – 215 – GUARD – JUNIOR
15.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.3 SPG

#2 – Jaxson Robinson
6-6 – 192 – GUARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
7.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.3 APG

#7 – Andrew Carr
6-11 – 235 – FORWARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
13.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.0 APG

#22 – Amari Williams
7-0 – 262 – CENTER – GRADUATE STUDENT
11.7 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 1.3 BPG

Lipscomb Projected Starters

#22 – Joe Anderson
6-0 – 175 – GUARD – SENIOR
9.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG

#2 – Will Pruitt
6-3 – 195 – GUARD – SENIOR
12.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.0 APG

#10 – Gyasi Powell
6-3 – 195 – GUARD – SENIOR
9.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.6 APG

#15 – Dylan Faulkner
6-9 – 215 – FORWARD – SOPHOMORE
9.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.0 APG

#41 – Jacob Ognacevic
6-8 – 220 – FORWARD – SENIOR
20.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG

Statistical Comparison

(via Kentucky’s game notes)

Fun stats from UK’s game notes:

• Kentucky’s nine-point halftime deficit was the largest the Wildcats have overcome since March 7, 2020
• The win over No. 6 was Mark Pope’s second-highest ranked win as a head coach. His highest was a victory over No. 2 Gonzaga in 2020 at BYU
• Pope’s win in his third game as UK’s coach is the fastest win over an AP Top 10 team in program history for a head coach
• Kentucky’s assist rate of 68.6 percent on made baskets is on pace to set the school record.
• There has been a different leading scorer in each of the team’s first three games with seven players racking up at least five assists on the year

Pregame Storylines

AVOIDING A CHAMPIONS CLASSIC HANGOVER

Kentucky took care of business against Duke, upsetting its top-10 rival on the national stage to give the Wildcats their first win over the Blue Devils since 2015. It was an emotional night for the team, Mark Pope earning his first statement win as head coach of his alma mater. Their next task? Not letting that performance linger too long as the schedule moves forward. They can’t earn national respect one week and throw it all away the next. “We gotta focus on the next game. That game was fun, but the next team can beat us,” Lamont Butler said.

SLOWING DOWN OGNACEVIC

The Bisons are extremely top-heavy, five players averaging at least 9.3 points per game with no one else averaging over 3.8. It’s essentially an eight-man rotation with four playing at least 32 minutes per contest and the other four sitting between 12 and 16 — no one else in double-digits. The headliner? That’s star forward Jacob Ognacevic, who averages 20.6 points on 48.6 percent shooting, 33.3 percent from three and 79.3 percent at the line while adding 8.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists — all at 6-8, 220 pounds. He is the second-leading scorer in the ASUN and a Preseason All-ASUN selection, clearly the guy at the top of the scouting report for Kentucky tonight.

NO CUPCAKE — ASK ARKANSAS

Lipscomb was picked to finish first in both the ASUN Preseason Coaches and Media Polls with two All-ASUN team members after bringing back nine letterwinners responsible for 3,000 minutes and 841 total points from a group that has won 20 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in DI program history. Just how difficult could things get for Kentucky? Ask John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks, who led by four with seven minutes to go before closing out the 16-point victory in the second game of the regular season.

THE START OF BBN INVITATIONAL

Why is Kentucky playing Lipscomb to begin with? It’s the start of the BBN Invitational, a three-game series for the Wildcats and four-team round-robin event overall featuring Lipscomb, Western Kentucky and Jackson State — the Wildcats, Bisons and Hilltoppers named hosts. Following tonight’s matchup, UK will take on JSU on Friday and WKU next Tuesday.

WHY ARE THEY THE BISONS?

Yes, bison is the plural form of bison. It’s why the Bucknell Bison are the Bucknell Bison, as we experienced 10 days ago inside Rupp Arena. So why are they the Lipscomb Bisons instead of the Lipscomb Bison? Well, because they want to and can, I guess. “We are the BYE-SONS at Lipscomb. Don’t confuse us with North Dakota State whey they are pronounced the BYE-ZIN,” the official Lipscomb game notes read. “The most commonly accepted plural of bison is bison, but at Lipscomb we are the BISONS with an S. The unabridged Oxford English dictionary includes Bisons as a proper usage.” Clear as mud, right?

Join The Discussion on KSBoard

Want to interact with the KSR crew during tonight’s game? Consider joining the conversation on KSBoard, where we’ll be sharing live updates as your eyes and ears inside State Farm Arena while also answering questions and providing real-time analysis (and probably complaining about the officiating).

New members can get KSR+ for seven days for just $1 and 50% off the annual price.

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Rapid Reaction on the KSR YouTube Channel

Miss the game? KSR’s got you covered with a Rapid Reaction live on the KSR YouTube Channel. We’ll also have wall-to-wall postgame coverage on the website, including highlights, comments from Mark Pope and the players, stats, and takeaways.

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