More injuries force changes to Kentucky basketball’s starting lineup at Tennessee
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Game day: Kentucky 63, No. 5 Tennessee 56
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s men’s basketball game between Kentucky and Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville.
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An already daunting task for the Kentucky men’s basketball team on Saturday has become even more difficult.
UK — 10-6 overall, losers of two straight SEC games and already 1-3 in conference play — traveled to Knoxville for a rivalry matchup at No. 5 Tennessee (14-2 overall and a perfect 4-0 in league play).
The Wildcats will have to try to pull the upset over the Volunteers without sophomore forward Daimion Collins (left foot) and senior guard Sahvir Wheeler (left shoulder). A tweet from the UK men’s basketball Twitter account listed both players as day-to-day.
News of both players’ injuries was first reported on UK’s pregame radio show in an interview with UK head coach John Calipari.
It was later reported on the pregame radio show that Collins suffered a sprained ankle earlier this week.
This news came as a surprise less than an hour before tipoff, especially given that Kentucky’s two biggest injury concerns for the game will both play.
Calipari said Jacob Toppin — who has per-game averages of 10.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 15 games played this season — will play after missing this week’s home loss to South Carolina with a right shoulder injury.
Additionally, Calipari said Cason Wallace — who is one of three UK players to play in all 16 games so far this season, and the only Wildcat to start all 16 — will play for the Cats after leaving that South Carolina game with back spasms.
Both Toppin and Wallace will start for the Cats against Tennessee.
Game-by-game Kentucky starting lineups
Here’s a look at the starting lineups that UK has used for all 17 games so far in the 2022-23 season.
The Cats have used eight different starting combinations.
Howard: Cason Wallace, CJ Fredrick, Chris Livingston, Jacob Toppin, Lance Ware.
Duquesne: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Ware.
Michigan State: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Ware.
South Carolina State: Sahvir Wheeler, Wallace, Fredrick, Toppin, Ware.
Gonzaga: Wheeler, Wallace, Fredrick, Toppin, Oscar Tshiebwe.
North Florida: Wheeler, Wallace, Antonio Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
Bellarmine: Wheeler, Wallace, Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
Michigan: Wheeler, Wallace, Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
Yale: Wheeler, Wallace, Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
UCLA: Wheeler, Wallace, Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
Florida A&M: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Ware, Tshiebwe.
Missouri: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Ware, Tshiebwe.
Louisville: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
LSU: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
Alabama: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
South Carolina: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Collins, Tshiebwe.
Tennessee: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
Kentucky’s win-loss record by starting lineup
Here’s a look at Kentucky’s win-loss record this season by starting lineup.
Lineups are listed in order of total games played.
4-1: Wheeler, Wallace, Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
2-1: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Ware.
2-1: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
1-1: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Ware, Tshiebwe.
1-0: Wheeler, Wallace, Fredrick, Toppin, Ware.
1-0: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
0-1: Wheeler, Wallace, Fredrick, Toppin, Tshiebwe.
0-1: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Collins, Tshiebwe.
This story was originally published January 14, 2023 at 11:48 AM.
