KSR Gameday: Kentucky hosts top-ranked Auburn in Rupp Arena

Good morning, folks! Are we nervous yet? I already woke up in an anxious sweat. It’s not all that often the nation’s top-ranked team comes into Rupp Arena (2019 was the last time, a 27-point smacking of the Volunteers), but that will be the setting in Lexington this afternoon. Bruce Pearl brings his No. 1 Auburn Tigers (and National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome) to town today.

There isn’t a better way to kick off the start of March Madness than this. As Jon Rothstein would say, we sleep in May.

Auburn is the country’s top-ranked team for a reason. The Tigers boast KenPom’s best offense and the 12th-best defense. Six of the seven rotational players average double-figures in scoring, powered by Broome’s 18.8 points per outing. This is a deeply experienced, veteran group with very few weaknesses. Kentucky will need a near-perfect showing to pull off the upset. KenPom and BartTorvik both project Auburn to win 86-81. FanDuel has the Tigers as 5.5-point favorites, despite Auburn not having won inside Rupp Arena since 1988.

But if we’ve learned anything about Mark Pope in his first season coaching the Wildcats, it’s that he can pull off wins against any level of opponent. He’ll have to do so without starting guard Jaxson Robinson though, who was ruled out in last night’s SEC Availabilty Report as he recovers from his wrist injury. But everyone else (aside from Kerr Kriisa, of course) expects to suit up against Auburn. Pope will need a complete team effort today to take down Auburn. Keep in mind that the Tigers’ two losses this season came against Duke and Florida — two teams Kentucky has already beaten.

Regardless of the final score, I’m expecting a fun and tight game from start to finish. While you wait for tipoff, dive into our pregame content below, along with the rest of this morning’s news and notes.

• KSR Staff Predictions: No. 1 Auburn at No. 17 Kentucky
• Kentucky has not lost to Auburn in Rupp Arena since 1988
• Kentucky has played best basketball against ranked competition
• No matter who’s on the floor, Auburn has guys who ‘are all capable of putting up 20 (points).’
• Kentucky holding steady as No. 3 seed in Bracketology ahead of matchup vs. Auburn
• Bruce Pearl praises Otega Oweh as an ‘impossible cover’ and ‘the best athlete in the league’
• Kentucky has a winning record vs. No. 1-ranked teams at Rupp Arena
• Bruce Pearl is Preparing for Kentucky to get a “Home Whistle” at Rupp Arena
• Take a Journey through Otega Oweh’s 28-point performance against Oklahoma

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No. 17 Kentucky vs. No. 1 Auburn: How to Watch, Listen

• Date, Time: Saturday, 1:00 p.m. EST
• Television: ABC (Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas)
• Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
• Online Radio: iHeart
• Satellite Radio: Sirius 84 or 191
• 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

Join KSR Plus! With a KSR Plus membership, you get access to bonus content and KSBoard, KSR’s message board, to chat with fellow Cats fans and get exclusive scoop.

Baseball/Softball in action again today

Both the Kentucky baseball and softball teams are in action throughout the weekend.

Baseball opened up its first home series of the 2025 season Friday with a 7-5 win over Hofstra. Despite some unusual errors and mishaps from the Bat Cats, UK held of Hofstra’s ninth inning comeback attempt. Nick Mingione’s squad (7-1) will be back out at the Kentucky Proud Park diamond this afternoon for the second game of the weekend. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM EST on the SEC Network+. KSR’s Daniel Hager will be on the scene to provide live updates.

Meanwhile, softball is in the midst of its fourth straight tournament to begin the season. Rachel Lawson’s crew opened the 2025 WKU Tournament Friday with a 7-5 loss to Evansville but followed it up with a 7-5 win over Western Kentucky later in the day. Now 11-6 on the season, Kentucky will play twice Saturday: 11:00 AM vs. Tennessee Tech and 4:00 PM in a rematch with WKU. Unfortunately, these games are not available for live stream, but you can stay up to date by following KSR’s Eleanor Beavin.

Maxwell Hairston is faster than you

In fact, he’s faster than everyone at this year’s NFL Combine who participated in the 40-yard dash. Hairston recorded a time of 4.28-seconds on Friday, possibly cementing the Kentucky cornerback’s spot in the first-round of the upcoming NFL Draft (April 24). ESPN’s Field Yates called it too, saying earlier in the day to watch out for Hairston’s 40-time.

“The possibility of him running a 4.30 or even faster is very much in the cards today,” Yates said, “I think he has a chance to move himself into that first round. Very explosive with outstanding ball skills as a corner. I cannot wait to watch him run.”

Kentucky DB Maxwell Hairston runs a speedy 4.30u!

📺: #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/YhCuwW9lgN

— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2025

CBB Top 25 schedule (Saturday, March 1)

TIME (EST)/TV	MATCHUP
12:00 PM (ESPN2)	No. 13 Clemson @ Virginia
12:00 PM (BTN)	No. 16 Maryland @ Virginia
1:00 PM (ABC)	No. 1 Auburn @ No. 17 Kentucky
2:00 PM (ESPN)	No. 10 Texas Tech @ Kansas
2:15 PM (CBS)	Seton Hall @ No. 7 St. John’s
3:30 PM (SEC Network)	LSU @ No. 24 Mississippi State
4:00 PM (ESPN)	No. 6 Alabama @ No. 5 Tennessee
4:30 PM (CBS)	Cincinnati @ No. 4 Houston
6:00 PM (SEC Network)	No. 14 Missouri @ Vanderbilt
6:00 PM (ESPN2)	Pittsburgh @ No. 19 Louisville
7:00 PM (ACC Network)	Florida State @ No. 2 Duke
8:00 PM (Peacock)	No. 21 Marquette @ Georgetown
8:30 PM (SEC Network)	No. 12 Texas A&M @ No. 3 Florida
9:00 PM (ESPN)	No. 22 Arizona @ No. 9 Iowa State
10:00 PM (CBSSN)	Oregon State @ No. 23 Saint Mary’s
10:00 PM (ESPN2)	West Virginia @ No. 25 BYU

Fresh episode of 11 Personnel in your feeds

Kentucky football spring practice is right around the corner. Before the Cats take the field, they spent some time at the Nutter Field House talking with the 11 Personnel crew. KSR’s Nick Roush and Adam Luckett put the headsets on to break down everything they saw/heard from this week’s 90-minute media session with the Kentucky football team. There was plenty to discuss. You won’t want to miss it.