This Week in Kentucky Basketball: Well Deserved Rest

The Kentucky Basketball team is finally going to get a little time to rest and recover. With some injuries and illness making their way through the program a full seven days without a game couldn’t come at a better time. However, the Wildcats will first welcome the Central Michigan Chippewas to Rupp Arena this evening.

Kentucky will have squeezed seven games into the first 20 days of their season after tonight’s matchup with Tony Barbee and the Chippewas. Some extended practice time will certainly be nice as everyone gets healthy and the staff prepares for a step up in competition level coming soon.

Along with breaking down what Kentucky Basketball has in store this week, we will also take our weekly look around the Southeastern Conference and check out all the games you will want to follow nationally. Let’s dive right into another edition of this week in Kentucky Basketball.

Top Kentucky Basketball Storyline: Who is Healthy?

Admittedly, it is a little frustrating that as soon as the ‘Cats got Jacob Toppin and Lance Ware back they lost Davion Mintz and Keion Brooks. It obviously isn’t anybody’s fault, but it is frustrating nonetheless. Mintz has missed the last two games with an illness with Brooks joining him on the unavailable list prior to last Friday’s game with North Florida. However, the return of Toppin and Ware was welcomed after neither had played in a couple of weeks.

Trading front court depth for a lack of back court depth led to a heavy dose of Dontaie Allen on Friday. The sophomore sharp-shooter made the most of his opportunity tying a team-high with 14 points. He will see more minutes once again if Mintz remains out. As for the Brooks absence, his minutes were filled by the return of Toppin and some Bryce Hopkins time. Both showed flashes of being able to be consistent rotation pieces.

We likely won’t know until warmups begin this even just who will be available against the Chippewas. If we know one thing about the Kentucky Basketball program it is that they play these things close to the vest. From a competitive standpoint, that certainly makes sense. However, it leaves an air of uncertainly for the rest of us up until game time. It will be interesting to see what the rotation looks like this evening before the ‘Cats get some extended time without a game on the schedule.

This Week in Kentucky Basketball: Central Michigan Chippewas

After seven seasons on the Kentucky bench, Tony Barbee once again is running his own program. The long time John Calipari assistant was hired on April 23rd to lead the Chippewas and is off to a 1-4 start. Central Michigan was picked to finish 10th in the MAC this season as they try to once again find their footing in the league. It will be an uphill battle this season, but it isn’t all bad in Mt. Pleasant.

The transfer portal was a major key for Coach Barbee when he took over the job. He quickly landed players from UIC, Southern, Long Island, Albany, and DePaul that are playing significant roles this season. Central Michigan shoots a ton of threes which gives them a chance in any given game. Per KenPom, the Chippewas are 15th nationally with 43.3% of their points coming from beyond the arc. They are going to let it fly in Rupp Arena tonight.

Jermaine Jackson Jr., a Long Island University transfer, is their leading scorer at 13.6 points per game. The graduate transfer is their leading three-point shooter as well. On the interior, is 6’11” Harrison Henderson who holds things down in the paint. The Southern transfer averages 10.8 points and can stretch out to three-point range too. There will be plenty more on the Chippewas in this afternoon’s scouting report.

Around the Southeastern Conference

Thanks to Rick Pitino and his Iona team, we are down to three undefeated programs in the Southeastern Conference. Alabama went down to the Gaels on Thanksgiving 72-68 at the ESPN Events Invitational. However, the Crimson Tide bounced back with a couple of wins over Drake and Miami (FL). This week they have a date with Gonzaga in Seattle on Saturday.

The Florida Gators remain the surprise team of the SEC so far as they now sit at a perfect 6-0. Mike White’s club knocked off Ohio State on Wednesday of last week and that is their only single-digit victory of the season. Things are rolling down in Gainesville.

LSU keeps chugging along as well with three wins last week over Belmont, Penn State, and Wake Forest. None of those teams are world-beaters, but that is a solid resume for a seven day span. In what may be their toughest test to date, the Tigers will host Ohio on Wednesday of this week.

Eric Mussleman and the Razorbacks are quietly taking care of business out in Fayetteville as well. They are 6-0 after wins last week against Kansas State, Cincinnati, and Pennsylvania. Once again, that isn’t a star-studded cast, but it isn’t bad for a week’s worth of work either.

Wednesday evening will be a big slate of games for the Southeastern Conference against some quality non-conference foes. Memphis takes on Georgia, Oklahoma plays Florida, Auburn has UCF, and LSU will go against Ohio. Missouri plays Liberty on Thursday before more marquee games over the weekend around the conference. Memphis-Ole Miss, Colorado-Tennessee, Gonzaga-Alabama tip off on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, we get two games between Georgetown-South Carolina and Minnesota-Mississippi State. Everyone is starting to ramp things up a little bit before SEC play begins.

Games to Watch Nationally

Monday, November 29th

Central Michigan @ #9 Kentucky (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN+)

Sam Houston @ #7 Texas (8:30 p.m. Eastern Time Longhorn Network)

Tarleton @ #3 Gonzaga (10:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Tuesday, November 30th

Presbyterian @ #13 Tennessee (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time SEC Network)

Maryland-Eastern Shore @ #17 UConn (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time CBS Sports Network)

Florida State @ #2 Purdue (7:30 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN)

Northwestern State @ #15 Houston (8:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN+)

#1 Duke @ Ohio State (9:30 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN)

Wednesday, December 1st

#6 Villanova @ Pennsylvania (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN+)

Wagner @ #25 Seton Hall (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time FS2)

#18 Memphis @ Georgia (7:15 p.m. Eastern Time SEC Network)

Louisville @ #22 Michigan State (7:15 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN)

Central Arkansas @ #10 Arkansas (8:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN+)

UCF @ #21 Auburn (8:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN+)

#14 Florida @ Oklahoma (8:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Arkansas-Pine Blue @ #19 Iowa State (8:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN+)

#12 BYU @ Utah Valley (9:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN+)

#23 Wisconsin @ Georgia Tech (9:15 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN2)

#24 Michigan @ North Carolina (9:15 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN2)

Colorado @ #5 UCLA (9:30 p.m. Eastern Time Pac 12 Network)

Utah @ #20 USC (11:30 p.m. Eastern Time Pac 12 Network)

Thursday, December 2nd

Washington @ #11 Arizona (8:30 p.m. Eastern Time Pac 12 Network)

Friday, December 3rd

#8 Kansas @ St. John’s (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time FS1)

UT Rio Grande Valley @ #7 Texas (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time Longhorn Network)

Bryant @ #15 Houston (8:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN+)

Iowa @ #2 Purdue (9:00 p.m. Eastern Time Big 10 Network)

Saturday, December 4th

Saint Joesph’s @ #6 Villanova (Noon Eastern Time)

#18 Memphis @ Ole Miss (Noon Eastern Time ESPN2)

Nyack College @ #25 Seton Hall (Noon Eastern Time FS2)

Marquette @ #23 Wisconsin (12:30 p.m. Eastern Time FOX)

San Diego State @ #24 Michigan (1:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

#13 Tennessee @ Colorado (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Yale @ #21 Auburn (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPNU)

Little Rock @ #10 Arkansas (4:00 p.m. Eastern Time SEC Network)

#12 BYU @ Missouri State (4:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Grambling @ #17 UConn (4:00 p.m. Eastern Time FS2)

Arkansas-Pine Bluff @ #4 Baylor (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN+)

Toledo @ #22 Michigan State (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Big 10 Network)

#20 USC @ Washington State (6:00 p.m. Eastern Time Pac 12 Network)

#16 Alabama vs. #3 Gonzaga in Seattle (8:00 p.m. Eastern Time ESPN2)

#19 Iowa State @ Creighton (9:00 p.m. Eastern Time FS1)

Sunday, December 5th

#5 UCLA @ Washington (3:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

#11 Arizona @ Oregon State (4:00 p.m. Eastern Time)