Kentucky men’s basketball vs. Nicholls: Follow live stats and updates from opener

The Kentucky men’s basketball team raises the curtain Tuesday on a promising new season.

The Wildcats — ranked No. 9 in The Associated Press preseason poll — take on Nicholls at Rupp Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and the game will air on SEC Network+.

Kentucky has its sights set on the Final Four and beyond, with coach Mark Pope not backing down from soaring preseason expectations for a roster stocked with veteran — and expensive — talent.

You can follow men’s basketball games this season with Herald-Leader staffers live at the event. Staff writers Ben Roberts and Cam Drummond and sports columnist Mark Story will be on the scene at Rupp Arena on Tuesday, and you can chat, follow live updates and see stats on our built-in tracker.