LEXINGTON - Kentucky’s preseason tune-up against Little Rock gives fans their first look at Mark Pope’s team against outside competition, and it comes with the added wrinkle that this one won’t be on a standard TV channel.
The Wildcats and Trojans are set for a 7 p.m. tipoff tonight at Rupp Arena as Kentucky continues to use the NCAA’s expanded exhibition window. The program has already gone through Big Blue Madness, which was open to the public, and a pro day that was closed off. This matchup is the first chance for outsiders to see Pope’s group in game action against another team.
There will be no shortage of attention on Milan Momcilovic, who arrives as the top shooter in the nation last season and Kentucky’s biggest transfer pickup. Malachi Moreno is another name to watch as the Georgetown native looks to build on a 2025-26 campaign that landed him on the SEC’s All-Freshman Team.
Kentucky and Little Rock have met only once before, with the Wildcats rolling to a 73-51 win at Freedom Hall on Jan. 3, 2012.
For tonight’s exhibition, the game will stream live on SEC Network+, the digital companion to SEC Network. Fans with authenticated access can find it through TV-connected devices, WatchESPN.com, the WatchESPN app or ESPN+.
Andrew Kappes and Ravi Moss will handle the broadcast from Rupp Arena.
On the radio, Darren Headrick and Jack Givens will call the action on the UK network, available at 840 AM in Louisville and on 630 AM and 98.1 FM in Lexington. The radio call will also be available online through UKAthletics.com.
In Other News...
Kentucky Faces A Tougher Oklahoma Test Than Fans May Expect
Kentuckys trip to Oklahoma sits in the middle of a crowded week of college football picks, but it stands out because this is the kind of game where the familiar SEC script can get upended in a hurry. The matchup comes with plenty of recent trend-watching attached, along with the sort of player and performance notes that shape how these predictions get made, and it gives the Wildcats a chance to show they can handle a road test that looks tougher on paper than some fans may have expected.
Oklahoma brings the sort of profile that can punish a team if it starts slowly, and that is why this one has drawn more attention than a routine conference preview. Kentuckys outlook is tied to whether it can match the Sooners tempo and avoid the kind of mistakes that tend to decide games like this, which is also what makes the prediction angle so interesting: the gap between what people think and what actually happens could be smaller than it appears. [Read more 🡒]
Lance Heard Is Giving Kentucky's Offense Something Few Tackles Can
Lance Heard has quickly become one of the more versatile pieces in Kentuckys offense, and that matters for a team looking for every edge up front. The left tackle has not allowed a sack through the first six games, but his impact has gone well beyond pass protection. Kentucky has found ways to use his size and movement skills in space, including a highlight-reel sweep against South Carolina, and the results have given the Wildcats something few offenses can say they have from the tackle spot.
His coaches have also been creative with how they deploy him, at times lining him up as a lead blocker in the backfield, a role Heard has clearly embraced. He was again part of the story in Kentuckys recent overtime win against LSU, adding another layer to a season that has already shown how valuable he can be when the Wildcats ask him to do more than the usual left tackle job. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky's Linebacker Situation Just Took Another Unexpected Turn
Kentuckys inside linebacker picture got a little clearer, at least for the moment, when Alex Afari was granted eligibility to play by a temporary injunction from Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Brian Edwards. The ruling comes amid a lawsuit challenging how the NCAA is applying its new five-year eligibility rules to players who graduated high school in 2022, and it adds another twist to a situation that has already moved through multiple legal decisions.
For Kentucky, the timing matters because Afaris status directly affects a depth chart that has been under pressure at inside linebacker. His return gives the Wildcats another option in a spot where every available body counts, even as the larger eligibility fight continues to play out in court. [Read more 🡒]