The new era of Kentucky basketball is in full swing and has Big Blue Nation feeling alive again.
The men’s and women’s programs have jumped out to a combined 10-0 start for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
Most notably on the men’s side, Mark Pope led his team to a thrilling upset victory over then No. 6 Duke in the State Farm Champions Classic, taking down the Blue Devils 77-72.
On the women’s side, Kenny Brooks and his squad pulled off a dramatic overtime victory over in-state rival, then No. 18 Louisville, in the Battle for the Bluegrass, winning 71-61.
Both teams also moved up in the AP Poll Rankings this week after more tame victories. The men’s squad took over the No. 8 spot while the women’s squad moved to No. 14. This season has seen the first time both teams have shared a place in the top 15 since the final rankings of the 2021-22 campaign.
Not only did the two programs secure their biggest wins of the season thus far, but they did so from an unfavorable position: the men’s team was down by nine points at halftime while the women’s team was trailing by three.
Both teams were also nearly entirely rebuilt during their respective offseasons.
The men’s team was reassembled entirely with nine transfers, seven of whom are at least seniors. Through the power of their leadership, the Cats solidified their first win over Duke since 2015.
The women’s team consists of only two returning players, eight transfers and three freshmen. The Wildcats pulled off something similar to the men, taking their first win over Louisville since 2015.
While each team spent most of the game trailing their foes, Kentucky’s veteran-heavy rosters contributed to unexpected wins over two of the nation’s top programs, led by two fifth-year senior transfers Andrew Carr and Georgia Amoore.
Carr notched a team-high 17 points for the Cats while finishing two and-one plays at the rim in the closing minutes, which is only something that would come so naturally to such an experienced player. The forward also contributed six rebounds, three assists and one block.
Prior to defeating Duke, Pope’s team obliterated Wright State 103-62 and Bucknell
100-72, totaling an electrifying 203 points through the first two contests while only allowing 134 points. Since the win, it has bested Lipscomb and Jackson State in dominant fashion.
On the women’s side, graduate transfer Amoore was deemed as Kentucky’s all-star from the start. The 5-foot-6 guard has already been named First-Team All-SEC, listed on the Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year and the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Watch List.
Against Louisville, Amoore gave the country a taste of what she can and will do in her final year of college basketball. The Virginia Tech transfer played 45 minutes during the contest and led the team with 19 points and nine assists.
Louisville marked the women’s fourth straight win this season, defeating Wofford, Northern Kentucky and USC Upstate in the weeks prior. Since then the Cats have improved to 5-0 with a win over Purdue Fort Wayne.
The women’s dominance marked the second time in program history that Kentucky allowed 43 points or less in each of its first three games.
The two programs will now look to stay highlighting the win column after what can be considered a “dream” start for Lexington’s two newest leaders and their teams.
No. 8 Kentucky men’s basketball will return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 6:30 p.m., when it hosts the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, which will be streamed live on ESPN+ and the SEC Network+.
No. 14 Kentucky women’s basketball will travel to Nashville, where it will face off against Arizona State in game one of the Music City Classic on Friday, Nov. 26, at 6 p.m., streaming live on BallerTV.
