Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s win against South Carolina, plus a look ahead
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Game day: No. 14 Kentucky 80, South Carolina 57
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s men’s basketball game between Kentucky and South Carolina in Rupp Arena.
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Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s 80-57 win against South Carolina on Saturday at Rupp Arena.
1. Kentucky was recognizable again
Lamont Butler was back in the starting lineup after missing the last three games. Considered a game-time decision, Jaxson Robinson was not only in the starting lineup but back at his best position at shooting guard. Andrew Carr is not yet again a starter, but after battling back issues the 6-foot-11 forward looked more like the old Andrew Carr.
In fact, in this 23-point win against the visiting Gamecocks, Kentucky looked more like the Kentucky team we had seen before the recent rash of injuries.
“I assumed they were going to play him,” South Carolina coach Lamont Paris said afterward. “I think that changes the dynamic of what other guys are doing on the court, in more natural roles. That’s what I noticed most. (Butler) is a competitor. He helps them play their best version of basketball on both ends of the court.”
Butler finished with eight points, three assists and three turnovers in 23 minutes. What stuck out was the performances from his teammates. The remarkably consistent Otega Oweh scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half as he continued his streak of being the only SEC player to hit double figures in every game. Brandon Garrison scored a season-high 15 points. Amari Williams had 10 points, six rebounds and a plus/minus of +32. Koby Brea had 10 points and a career-high six assists. (More on him later.)
Defensively, Kentucky held the Gamecocks to 0.827 points per possession, UK’s best SEC effort in that category and best overall since Brown’s 0.798. This comes after Ole Miss torched the Cats for 98 points and 1.362 points per possession.
“I thought our guys were focused for the most part,” Pope said. “They bought into being a little more disruptive.”
2. Koby Brea, defensive stopper?
As previously mentioned, Koby Brea contributed a career-high six assists without committing a turnover in his team-high 30 minutes. Yet in his postgame press conference, all Pope wanted to talk about was Brea’s defense.
“The defensive star of the game no doubt was Koby Brea tonight,” the UK coach said. “He’s had his best two days of practice the last two days on the defensive end.”
The Dayton transfer arrived in Lexington with a reputation of being one of the nation’s most accurate 3-point shooters. And despite going just 3-for-12 from 3 the last two games, Brea had made 58 of 127 of his attempts beyond the arc for 45.7%.
It’s his non-shooting game that has progressed the most. His ability to do more than shoot has kept him on the floor. He played 29 minutes against both Arkansas and Ole Miss before his 30 minutes against South Carolina. And he has committed a combined two turnovers in those three games.
Then there’s improvement on the defensive end.
“I think this week I’ve been improving a lot, just in terms of my mentality,” Brea said Saturday. “I think it’s obviously something the team has needed to work on a lot the last couple of games. And I’ve been trying to set the tone for everybody. I think once they see I’m taking that really seriously and really being locked in on that and taking it personal then it will help the rest of the group.”
3. Tennessee will be looking for revenge
The Tennessee Volunteers roll into Rupp Arena on Tuesday at 7 p.m. And Rick Barnes’ club will no doubt be looking to avenge their 78-73 home loss to the Butler-less Cats on Jan. 28 in Knoxville. That was the night that the nation’s No. 1 defense allowed UK to shoot 50% from the floor, including 12-for-24 from beyond the 3-point stripe.
The Vols have won three straight since taking that L. Without both point guard Zakai Zeigler and forward Igor Milicic — both out because of illness — Tennessee embarrassed then-No. 5 and visiting Florida 64-44. It followed that with an 85-81 home win over Missouri before a 70-52 road triumph at Oklahoma on Saturday.
UT led the Sooners 45-25 at the half in Norman before improving to 20-4 overall and 7-4 in the SEC. Tennessee held OU to 32.1% shooting from the floor, including 6-for-23 on 3-pointers. Chaz Lanier scored 21 points for the Vols. Zeigler added 17. And the winners made nine of its 21 attempts from 3. That’s a far cry from their 11-for-45 showing from beyond the arc against Kentucky.
Barnes has now lost two straight to the Cats after falling 85-81 in Lexington last March. John Calipari’s Cats did sweep the Vols in 2022-23, beating Tennessee 63-56 in Knoxville and then 66-54 in Lexington. But the last time Kentucky won three straight over its border rival was over a decade ago — 65-62 at Tennessee on Jan. 14, 2012; 69-44 in Lexington on Jan. 31, 2012, and 75-65 on Jan. 15, 2013.
One more Big Orange nugget: Tennessee is 4-5 at Rupp Arena since Barnes became the Vols’ coach for the 2015-16 season. Barnes has won three of his last five trips to Lexington, including a 103-92 victory over Kentucky last season.
Right now, Mark Pope is 1-0 vs. Barnes, however. Tennessee will be determined to change that Tuesday.
This story was originally published February 8, 2025 at 4:26 PM.
