KSR Today: Another Kentucky Win Over a Top 15 Team
Beating Top 15 teams is becoming a habit for Mark Pope. The first-year Kentucky head coach picked up his fifth when the Wildcats took down Texas A&M by a score of 81-69. Nobody in college baskebtall has more Top 15 wins than Kentucky.
It’s important to remember that the Aggies are the 11th-ranked team in the country. There was a time in the second half when things felt kind of blah. Kentucky was in cruise control, yet a dagger had not yet been delivered. Amari Williams eventually provided one via a dunk. He had 8 points, 12 boards, and 4 assists in a physical SEC basketball game. Wade through the fouls and turnovers and enjoy a few more remarkable performances from the Wildcats.
Jaxson Robinson Revenge Game
There was a lot of uncertainty entering Tuesday night’s game against Texas A&M. Jaxson Robinson just played his best game as a Wildcat, knocking down seven threes and scoring 27 points at Mississippi State. How would he follow it up against Texas A&M, the school he signed to play with out of high school?
Things started slow for Mr. Robinson. He missed his first three three-point attempts. After hitting a layup, he took the lid off the bucket with a three. It was the first of five three-pointers for the sensational shooting guard from Oklahoma. He hit a couple right before halftime and earned a technical foul while chirping at his old coach, Buzz Williams, before eventually finishing with a game-high 22 points.
Robinson is the first Wildcat to score 22+ points in consecutive wins over Top 25 opponents since Heshimu Evans helped Kentucky take down No. 11 Indiana and No. 2 Maryland in December of 1998.
Best Kentucky Poster Ever?
Otega Oweh was due to create a memorable moment at the rim. It happened in one of his worst games as a Wildcat. For a time, it looked like he might not score in double-figures for the first time this year. It didn’t matter. What was more concerning is the welfare of Pharrel Payne after his soul was ripped form his body by 00.
I know we live in a reactionary society that can be hyperbolic, but Holy Moly, how many Kentucky basketball dunks have you seen that are better than this? Not many.
Buzz Williams Believes Kentucky is National Championship Good
The Texas A&M is not the first opposing head coach to say nice things about Mark Pope’s team, but Buzz Williams might have been the most complimentary so far.
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“They’re good enough to win the National Championship,” Williams said after his team suffered its second straight loss.
He continued: “I think they play with great spirit. I think their coach has a phenomenal spirit. I think how he leads is the appropriate way in 2025. You can tell how they compete. You can tell how they play. You can tell watching their huddles. You can tell how they’re in and out of substitutions. That spirit, I know it’s not a stat and I know Jax played great, but I think the spirit is just as important as the stats.”
More Coverage from the Kentucky Win
Five Takeaways from the Win
Lamont Butler is fine, but he’s going to be sore
WATCH: Pope, Kentucky Players Recap the Win
Kentucky had more offensive rebounds than the nation’s best offensive rebounding team
RECAP: Jaxson Robinson Shines in Win over A&M
Travis Perry Hit Big Shots in a High-Pressure Game
BOX SCORE: Defense Leads the Way
Amari Williams was a ‘Manchild’
WATCH: Highlights from the Kentucky Win
Mark Pope was caught on camera disagreeing with a ref
CBB Slate for Wingsday at KSBar and Grille
The Tuesday night SEC slate produced plenty of drama. Kentucky’s next opponent, Alabama, lost at home to Ole Miss. It was the Rebels’ first-ever win over a top-five team on the road. Missouri completely controlled the game at Florida, holding on for an 83-82 victory over the fifth-ranked Gators.
Meanwhile in Baton Rouge, Daimion Collins ensured his old coach wouldn’t get an SEC win against him. John Calipari fell to 0-4 in league play as the Arkansas head coach. His old player blocked a shot at the buzzer to seal the deal. The former Cat had 7 points, 10 boards, four blocked shots and one badass dunk in LSU’s first SEC win of the year.
Tonight could produce more fireworks and you can watch all of the drama unfold while enjoying delicious wings at a discount. We’ll see you at KSBar where we’ll have all of these games on our TV screens.
No. 9 Kansas at No. 2 Iowa State, 7 pm, ESPN2
Cal at North Carolina, 7 pm, ACCN
NC State at Virginia Tech, 7 pm, ESPNU
Penn State at No. 12 Michigan State, 7:30 pm , BTN
No. 23 Georgia at No. 6 Tennessee, 8 pm, SECN
West Virginia at No. 10 Houston, 8 pm, ESPN+
Pitt at Florida State, 9 pm, ESPNU
No. 17 Purdue at Washington, 9:30 pm, BTN
Texas at Oklahoma, 10 pm, SECN
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