KSR Gameday: Kentucky hosts rematch vs. Vanderbilt in revenge game at Rupp

Good morning, folks! It’s the rare Wednesday Gameday tipoff for the Kentucky Wildcats as another sheet of snow was blanketed across the state overnight.

This evening’s matchup is a big one for the Wildcats. We’re not in “must-win” territory or anything like that, similar to the situation when South Carolina rolled into Lexington (and got smacked by 23 points) the other week, but this is certainly one Mark Pope‘s team can’t let slip away. Kentucky lost 74-69 to a surprisingly good Vanderbilt squad in Nashville back on Jan. 28. Round two is tonight in Rupp Arena.

UK was down Andrew Carr in that first game, but he’ll be in the lineup for the rematch. That’s the good news. Instead, Pope will once again have to navigate without either of his two primary ball handlers. Both Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson were ruled OUT on last night’s SEC Availability Report. That’s not good news. Kentucky has found ways to win before without them, but after fumbling a five-point lead with four minutes to go over the weekend against Texas, we know it’s anything but an easy task to pull off.

We’ll be in for a steady dose of the bench tonight. Travis Perry and Trent Noah (and maybe Collin Chandler) will need to step up. Amari Williams will hold down the “point guard” responsibilities. Koby Brea needs a bounce-back performance after going 0-6 against Texas. Kentucky is still favored to win this one despite the injuries. FanDuel has UK as a 5.5-point favorite this morning while KenPom projects a 90-80 victory for the ‘Cats. Those numbers admittedly scare me a bit.

Kentucky is 3-3 since the Vandy loss. The Commodores are just 1-4 (the win coming against Texas, of course). Oklahoma smacked them by 30. Granted, the other three losses came against Florida, Auburn, and Tennessee — all ranked among the nation’s Top 6. But Vanderbilt now holds the SEC’s worst overall defense with a conference record of 5-7 (while losing five of seven). The offense hasn’t reached 80 points since Jan. 21. Reality is hitting head coach Mark Byington a bit over the last few weeks.

The NCAA Bracket Preview showed us the committee values Kentucky’s many Quad 1 wins while also factoring in the injury issues. That’s good to hear for postseason positioning as the ‘Cats could continue to deal with injuries until/through March. But tonight’s game against Vanderbilt is still one Kentucky should win regardless.

• Mark Pope showed his team the USA vs. Canada hockey fights in Monday’s film session
• Since beating Kentucky, Vanderbilt has struggled to close out games
• Kentucky has 3 of the ‘best statistical output’ players in Division I this season
  Andrew Carr eager to get his shot at Vanderbilt after missing first matchup
• What Kentucky expects from the Vanderbilt rematch? “They’re very aggressive.”
• Otega Oweh is Chasing an Elusive Kentucky Basketball Accolade

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Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt: How to Watch, Listen

• Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
• Television: SEC Network (Roy Philpott and Daymeon Fishback)
• Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
• Online Radio: iHeart
• Satellite Radio: Sirius 84
• Live Stats: StatBroadcast

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

Got thoughts? Take advantage of our KSR+ Introductory Offer and continue the conversation on KSBoard, the KSR Message Board. $1 per week for your first year.

How YOU can help out the EKY flood victims

UK Athletics, UK Police, and Facilities Management are partnering to accept donated supplies outside of Rupp Arena on High Street before the Wildcats take on Vanderbilt. The donation window is scheduled between 4:30 and 7:30 PM ET with the following items being accepted:

• Non-perishable foods
• Paper goods (toilet paper, paper towels)
• Cleaning supplies
• Bottled water

Looking to make an impact now? Former head coach John Calipari and his wife Ellen have already announced plans to donate toward flood relief. You can go ahead and join the cause, too. UK has announced the following drop-off locations are open:

• Gatton Student Center
  Student Government Association office on the first floor
  160 Avenue of Champions
  Lexington, KY 40508
• Chandler Hospital
  Pavilion A Information Desk
  1000 S Limestone
  Lexington, KY 40508 

You can also donate online:

• To support Kentucky Communities consider contributing to the Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund
• For more on how the University of Kentucky is responding, visit uky.edu/FloodRelief

Fresh episode of Memorial Memo in your feed

Only four regular season games remain on the schedule for Kentucky women’s basketball. Kenny Brooks‘ first season in charge is quickly coming to a close. The Memorial Memo crew pumped out a new episode yesterday to update you on where the Wildcats stand going into the final stretch. KSR’s Phoenix Stevens and Katie Hutchison break down UK’s loss to Texas/win over Georgia, touch on the NET rankings and latest Bracketology updates, look ahead to the upcoming matchups, and much more.

Dive in below, or find the episode on your preferred podcast platform.

Wednesday’s CBB schedule

TIME (EST)/TV	MATCHUP
7:00 PM (SEC Network)	Vanderbilt @ No. 17 Kentucky
9:00 PM (ESPN)	Arkansas @ No. 1 Auburn
9:00 PM (SEC Network)	No. 4 Alabama @ No. 15 Missouri
9:00 PM (FS1)	No. 10 St. John’s @ DePaul

Mario asked UK students if they could identify pictures of…

1. Mark Pope
2. Andy Beshear
3. Rick Pitino
4. Dave Portnoy
5. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

And they didn’t do a good job of not making us all feel very old. Poor MKG.

Two things:

1. I feel like I’m getting old…
2. Is this why Andy Beshear has his name on his jacket?! pic.twitter.com/LNZcfhIF1z

— Mario A Maitland (@MarioMaitland_3) February 18, 2025