Live updates: Arkansas Razorbacks at Kentucky Wildcats college basketball

Former Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena on Saturday as his Arkansas Razorbacks play the 12th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats in an SEC basketball matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. EST on ESPN.

Ben Roberts, Ryan Hermens, Cameron Drummond, Mark Story and yours truly will be reporting from Rupp. You can follow Ben on Bluesky at @benrobertshl. You can follow the rest of us on X/Twitter at @ryanhermens, @markcstory, @cdrummond97 and @johnclayiv.

Follow a dedicated Kentucky men’s basketball X/Twitter list.

Final: Arkansas 89, Kentucky 79

Final box

Halftime: Arkansas 46, Kentucky 45

Halftime box

Scouting report: Arkansas

Arkansas brings a 12-8 overall record and 1-6 SEC mark into Saturday night. The Razorbacks are coming off a 65-62 home loss to Oklahoma after beating Georgia 68-65. Arkansas is 61st in KenPom’s adjusted overall efficiency rankings. It ranks 101st in adjusted offensive efficiency and 35th in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Former UK forward Adou Thiero leads Arkansas in scoring at 16.1 points per game and rebounding at 6.2 per game. Freshman Boogie Fland leads the Razorbacks in assists at 5.7 per game but is probably out for the season after undergoing hand surgery. Ex-UK guard D.J. Wagner is averaging 10.2 points and 2.8 assists. Ex-UK forward Zvonimir Ivisic is averaging 7.4 points and 3.7 rebounds.

Arkansas men’s basketball roster

Arkansas men’s basketball schedule and results

Arkansas men’s basketball statistics

Scouting report: Kentucky

Coach Mark Pope’s team improved to 15-5 overall and 4-3 in the SEC with its 78-73 victory at No. 8 Tennessee on Tuesday. Kentucky is 19th in the KenPom adjusted overall efficiency rankings. The Wildcats are No. 4 in adjusted offensive efficiency and 70th in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh leads UK in scoring at 15.9 points per game. Drexel transfer Amari Williams leads the team in rebounding at 8.9 per game and is coming off a 15-rebound night in Knoxville. Lamont Butler leads the Cats in assists at 4.8 per game, but the San Diego State transfer is out for his second straight game because of a shoulder injury.

Kentucky men’s basketball roster

Kentucky men’s basketball schedule and results

Kentucky men’s basketball statistics

This story was originally published February 1, 2025 at 8:00 PM.

John Clay

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-472-4218

John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky, he covered UK football from 1987 until being named sports columnist in 2000. He has covered 20 Final Fours and 42 consecutive Kentucky Derbys. Support my work with a digital subscription