Kentucky escaped with a win Friday night, but it was the kind that leaves a fan base exhaling instead of celebrating.
The Wildcats were a 34.5-point favorite at home against Northern Arizona and still found themselves staring at a possible disaster in the final minute. NAU had a four-point lead late before missing the front end of a one-and-one at the line, and Kentucky guard Alex Wilkins answered with a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left to finish off a 78-77 victory.
Afterward, Mark Pope was asked what he wanted to say to fans after a game that nearly turned into one of the worst home losses in Kentucky basketball history. His answer was simple.
"Well, I hope everybody in Rupp had fun," Pope said. "Pretty exciting game ...
It’s pretty entertaining if not well executed. It’s really entertaining.
I think this will be a fun team to follow. With one exception, they’re finding ways to win games.
We will continue down that path as we try to settle the ship and execute better."
The game itself followed a troubling pattern for Kentucky. The Wildcats built a 13-point lead in the first half, then watched Northern Arizona claw all the way back and seize control in the closing minutes. It took the missed free throws and Wilkins’ late shot for Kentucky to survive against a program that has spent recent years near the bottom of KenPom’s rankings.
That kind of finish only added to a stretch that has already tested Pope’s team. Kentucky was pushed hard by James Madison at home last week before pulling away late, and in its first real measuring-stick game of the season at the Champions Classic against Kansas, the Wildcats were thoroughly beaten.
The early-season résumé is not helping. Kentucky came into the year with one of the most expensive rosters in college basketball, opened at No. 23 in the preseason AP Top 25, and slipped one spot this week after the James Madison game. With the Kansas loss and Friday’s scare against Northern Arizona, the Wildcats are almost certain to fall out of next week’s poll even though they improved to 3-1.
And the schedule isn’t about to offer much breathing room. Indiana, Virginia and Louisville are all on deck over the next month, leaving Kentucky in a stretch that will keep the pressure squarely on Pope and a team that has already looked vulnerable far too often.
In Other News...
Indiana Faces A Huge Availability Question Against USC
USC is heading into its Big Ten matchup with Indiana in unusually good shape, at least by conference standards this season. The Trojans did not add any new significant injuries, and a few important names are still worth watching on the report, including safety Trestin Castro and defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, while tight end Mark Bowman has made it back to full participation.
Indianas side of the availability picture is a little more complicated. Starting quarterback Josh Hoover is no longer on the injury report, which is a welcome sign for the Hoosiers, but they will still be without starters Joe Brunner and Turbo Richard because of injuries, leaving the lineup a little thinner in a game where depth could matter. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces A Massive Playoff Test Against Surging USC
Indianas Week 11 matchup with USC brings plenty more than a marquee name to Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. The Hoosiers are set to host the Trojans in a game that carries real College Football Playoff weight, with both programs trying to strengthen their position in a crowded national race. It is the kind of late-season meeting that can reshape how a season is viewed, especially when a ranked opponent comes in with history on its side.
USC has won all four previous meetings, which only adds to the challenge for Indiana as it looks to protect its home field and keep its postseason path in focus. The game also comes with the usual Saturday details that matter to fans planning around it, including kickoff time, television coverage and the weather forecast in Bloomington, but the bigger storyline is simple enough: a surging Trojans team arrives with momentum, and Indiana gets a chance to answer on a stage with major consequences. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces One Huge Offensive Test In Playoff Fight Vs USC
A playoff race game at Memorial Stadium brings a different kind of pressure this weekend, with No. 9 Indiana set to host No. 18 USC in a matchup that could shape both teams postseason paths. Both sides are coming off a bye week, and the noon kickoff on CBS gives the Hoosiers a chance to reset at a time when every possession matters a little more.
USC arrives with momentum after its upset win over Ohio State and still has plenty to play for in the College Football Playoff chase. Indiana, meanwhile, has to sort through injuries and find a cleaner offensive rhythm against a USC defense that will ask a lot of the Hoosiers from the start, making this one of the most revealing tests left on their schedule. [Read more 🡒]