This one is for all the marbles, folks, the BBN Invitational finale upon us with the winner of Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky taking home the grand prize of whatever the grand prize is for an event like this. Is it a trophy? Will there be t-shirts and a net-cutting celebration? I’d rather get those questions answered the easy way with convincing win to get us to Thanksgiving where we can be grateful for a 6-0 start to the Mark Pope era.

How can the Wildcats get there? KSR’s got everything you need to know about the in-state matchup inside Rupp Arena during Feast Week.

How to Watch, Listen

At long last, the streaming games are over. After a ridiculous run of subscription-based broadcasts, it’s nothing but TV the rest of the way, starting tonight with the Cats taking on the Hilltoppers on ESPNU. Tom Leach is also back in town after missing Friday’s matchup vs. Jackson State due to football responsibilities in Austin — just in case listening to the radio broadcast is your thing.

No. 8 Kentucky (5-0) vs. Western Kentucky (3-2)
6:30 p.m. ET | Tuesday, Nov. 26 | Rupp Arena (Lexington, KY)

• Television: ESPNU (Roy Philpott, Pat Bradley)
• Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
• Online Radio: iHeart
• Satellite Radio: Sirius 210 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 tipoff, or join the conversation on KSBoard.

Early season rewind

Kentucky: KenPom 13

• 11/4: 103-62 W vs. Wright State
• 11/9: 100-72 W vs. Bucknell
• 11/12: 77-72 W vs. No. 6 Duke
• 11/19: 97-68 W vs. Lipscomb
• 11/22: 108-59 W vs. Jackson State

Western Kentucky: KenPom 125

• 11/4: 91-84 L vs. Wichita State
• 11/9: 74-72 L at Grand Canyon
• 11/12: 104-76 W vs. Campbellsville
• 11/17: 66-61 W vs. Lipscomb
• 11/20: 79-62 W vs. Jackson State

Series History

There have been seven previous meet-ups between Kentucky and Western Kentucky with the Wildcats — currently on a two-game winning streak — leading the all-time series 5-2. It will be the fourth meeting inside Rupp Arena and the first since 2021 — a 95-60 win for the blue and white. This is also the Hilltoppers’ first top 25 matchup since they visited No. 21 FAU in 2023. They’re looking for their first win over UK since Nov. 15, 2001 when WKU earned a 64-52 win in the NABC Classic in Lexington.

It’s the first head-to-head battle between Mark Pope and Hank Plona, who are both in their first seasons at Kentucky and Western Kentucky, respectively.

Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky Odds via Circa Sports

Spread: Kentucky -22
Total: 163.5

Kentucky Projected Starters

(Starting lineup based on the last game)

#1 – Lamont Butler
6-2 – 208 – GUARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
11.2 PPG, 3.2 APG, 2.8 RPG

#00 – Otega Oweh
6-4 – 215 – GUARD – JUNIOR
16.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.0 SPG

#2 – Jaxson Robinson
6-6 – 192 – GUARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
11.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.0 APG

#7 – Andrew Carr
6-11 – 235 – FORWARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
9.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.4 APG

#22 – Amari Williams
7-0 – 262 – CENTER – GRADUATE STUDENT
9.6 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 1.6 BPG

Western Kentucky Projected Starters

#3 – Jalen Jackson
5-11 – 180 – GUARD – SENIOR
1.4 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 3.0 APG

#2 – Don McHenry
6-2 – 168 – GUARD – SENIOR
17.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.8 APG

#0 – Braxton Bayless
6-2 – 175 – GUARD – SENIOR
4.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.8 APG

#24 – Tyrone Marshall Jr.
6-7 – 215 – FORWARD – SENIOR
7.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.6 APG

#5 – Babacar Faye
6-8 – 215 – FORWARD – SENIOR
15.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.2 APG

Statistical Comparison

(via Kentucky’s game notes)

Fun stats from UK’s game notes:

• Kentucky has scored 97 or more points in each of its first four home games for the first time in program history
• Koby Brea is shooting 74.1 percent from three, good for best in college basketball. He’s averaging a career-best 16.0 points per game with 20 made 3-pointers
• The Wildcats are making 12.6 made threes per contest, good for fourth-most in the country. That includes at least 10 makes in all five games, also a first in program history.
• UK leads the country in assists per game with an average of 21.8, Kerr Kriisa leading the squad at 5.2 APG and Brandon Garrison behind with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.25

Pregame Storylines

A BBN INVITATIONAL TITLE IS ON THE LINE

Get the ladders and scissors out, arm the confetti cannons — we’ve got a championship to secure inside Rupp Arena on Tuesday. With wins over Lipscomb and Jackson State to begin the BBN Invitational, the Wildcats are just one victory away from closing out the event 3-0 to earn the title. Western Kentucky is also undefeated with wins over the Bisons and Tigers, so this one is for all the marbles, a win for the Hilltoppers securing a trophy for the in-state competition. Will we be singing along to One Shining Moment with single tears streaming down our cheeks in Thanksgiving joy or will WKU spoil that fun?

ONE OF THE FASTEST TEAMS IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL

We know Kentucky plays fast, boasting the No. 11 overall offense in terms of adjusted efficiency along with the No. 12 adjusted tempo in college basketball. The Wildcats have three seconds to get it to mid-court in their run-and-gun system, immediately getting into actions to create open shots. How about Western Kentucky? The Hilltoppers may not be super efficient offensively (No. 224 overall), but they do bring the No. 13 adjusted tempo into Rupp Arena with 29.5 percent of possessions ending in transition — that’s No. 1 nationally, according to Synergy. Both teams are going to get up and down the floor on Tuesday.

PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE ON THE FLOOR

Kentucky is the fourth-oldest team in college basketball in terms of DI experience with seven seniors on the roster and two others with prior high-major experience compared to just three freshmen. Western Kentucky ranks No. 169 overall in DI experience, but No. 20 in minutes continuity with three of five leading scorers returning this season and 65.2 percent of scoring overall under first-year coach Hank Plona. The Hilltoppers have five graduate students, two redshirt seniors and six seniors to bring the total to 13 out of 18 total roster spots including walk-ons. That’s good for second-oldest nationally in terms of age.

DON MCHENRY AND TYRONE MARSHALL JR. WERE PRESEASON ALL-CUSA MEMBERS

McHenry is a former NJCAA First-Team All-American and All-CUSA FirstTeam selection in 2023-24, leading WKU in scoring last season with 15.2 PPG — third in the conference. He’s followed that up with a 17.2 PPG start this time around. As for Marshall, he’s the team’s leading rebounder at 7.0 RPG while adding 7.4 PPG. The Hilltoppers have four total players averaging double figures, a deep roster that includes nine total players averaging double-digit minutes per contest.

Join The Discussion on KSBoard

Want to interact with the KSR crew during tonight’s game? Consider joining the conversation on KSBoard, where we’ll be sharing live updates as your eyes and ears inside Rupp Arena while also answering questions and providing real-time analysis (and probably complaining about the officiating).

New members can get KSR+ for seven days for just $1 and 50% off the annual price.

Rapid Reaction on the KSR YouTube Channel

Miss the game? KSR’s got you covered with a Rapid Reaction live on the KSR YouTube Channel. We’ll also have wall-to-wall postgame coverage on the website, including highlights, comments from Mark Pope and the players, stats, and takeaways.

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