< Previous10 @KentuckyMBB 2020 UK Sports Partnership Football Program Ad (8.5x11) 265-20801.indd 12020 UK Sports Partnership Football Program Ad (8.5x11) 265-20801.indd 111/13/20 11:01 AM11/13/20 11:01 AMWEEKNIGHTS 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY 9:00 a.m.110920 BBN Tonight RUPP Ad.indd 1110920 BBN Tonight RUPP Ad.indd 111/9/20 4:39 PM11/9/20 4:39 PMAround the SEC Around the Country 2020-21 SEC Standings Team SEC Overall Home Road LSU 1-0 6-1 5-0 0-1 Alabama 1-0 6-3 4-1 0-0 Ole Miss 0-1 5-2 4-0 1-2 Texas A&M 0-1 5-2 5-0 0-1 Arkansas 0-0 8-0 8-0 0-0 Georgia 0-0 7-0 7-0 0-0 Missouri 0-0 6-0 4-0 1-0 Tennessee 0-0 6-0 6-0 0-0 Auburn 0-0 6-2 4-0 0-1 Florida 0-0 3-1 1-0 0-1 Vanderbilt 0-0 4-2 4-1 0-1 Mississippi State 0-0 5-3 5-0 0-0 South Carolina 0-0 1-2 0-0 0-1 Kentucky 0-0 1-6 1-2 0-2 Scoring Player-Team ...................................................................PPG Cameron Thomas, LSU ..................................................24.1 Scotty Pippen Jr., VANDY ...............................................23.3 D.J. Stewart Jr., MISS ST .................................................18.3 Emanuel Miller, TAMU ..................................................17.3 Moses Moody, ARK........................................................16.9 Rebounding Player-Team ...................................................................RPG Emanuel Miller, TAMU ....................................................9.2 Dylan Disu, VANDY ........................................................9.0 Tolu Smith, MISS ST.........................................................8.9 Darius Days, LSU ............................................................8.6 Isaiah Jackson, UK ..........................................................8.4 Assists Player-Team ...................................................................APG Sahvir Wheeler, UGA ......................................................7.4 Tre Mann, UF ..................................................................4.8 Santiago Vescovi, UT .......................................................4.7 Jalen Tate, ARK ................................................................4.6 Justin Powell, AUB ...........................................................4.5 Steals Player-Team ................................................................... SPG Justin Kier, UGA ..............................................................2.5 Tyree Appleby, UF ...........................................................2.0 Desi Sills, ARK .................................................................1.9 Luis Rodriguez, MISS .......................................................1.9 Devontae Shuler, MISS ....................................................1.9 Blocks Player-Team ...................................................................BPG Isaiah Jackson, UK ..........................................................2.6 Connor Vanover, ARK ......................................................2.5 Omar Payne, UF ..............................................................2.0 Scottie Lewis, UF .............................................................1.8 Romello White, MISS ......................................................1.6 2020-21 Associated Press Rankings As of Dec. 27, 2020 (week 6) Team Record Points 1 Gonzaga (62) 7-0 1,598 2 Baylor (2) 6-0 1,537 3 Kansas 8-1 1,458 4 Villanova 8-1 1,370 5 Houston 7-0 1,313 6 Wisconsin 8-1 1,249 7 Tennessee 6-0 1,217 8 Texas 7-1 1,109 9 West Virginia 7-2 1,080 10 Iowa 7-2 1,008 11 Creighton 7-2 926 12 Missouri 6-0 888 13 Texas Tech 7-2 821 14 Rutgers 6-1 659 15 Illinois 7-3 650 16 Michigan 7-0 582 17 Michigan State 6-2 431 18 Florida State 5-1 377 19 Northwestern 6-1 350 20 Duke 3-2 290 T-21 Oregon 6-1 252 T-21 Minnesota 8-1 252 23 Virginia 4-2 238 24 Virginia Tech 7-1 230 25 Ohio State 7-2 216 14 @KentuckyMBBFrom Press Row 16 @KentuckyMBB Wildcats Give Back for the Holidays In good times and tough times alike, Kentucky's commitment to servant leader- ship didn't waver this holiday season. Dating back to his time at Memphis, John Calipari has worked with local businesses to partner and help families (usually around 10-12 families) in need for the holidays. Families are identified by local leaders and are uplifted with gifts, gift cards, food for the holidays, a new mattress and even rent checks. In a typical year, there is a reception inside with a holiday meal and Christmas carols sung by the players. The COVID-19 pandemic forced Calipa- ri and his team to get a little creative this year, but the event continued on. To practice social distancing and to con- tinue to mitigate the coronavirus, the fami- lies pulled up in their cars and the players delivered bags full of gifts and food to the families. The Christmas carols continued -- from a distance -- as the players sang from the sidewalk as families watched from the front of their cars. Players, with personal protection equipment on, delivered the gifts and food to the trunks of the vehicles. Local businesses Kroger, Tempur-Pedic, Kentucky Branded, Oneness and Lundy's assisted with the gifts and food this year. Brooks 'Getting Closer' to Return Sophomore forward Keion Brooks Jr. -- the only returning scholarship player who played aseason ago -- has not played in any of Kentucky's first six games. He remains doubtful. "I'm still taking it day-by-day" Brooks said after the game. "I'm feeling good. Get- ting closer and closer back to being 100%. Just trusting in our medical staff and doctors. I'd like to go out there and contribute. It's killing me that I can't go out there and help the team, be on the floor, be a part of what they're going through as far as playing. But I'm still with them each and every way I can right now. If I can help from the sideline, I will in each area." Brooks averaged 4.5 points and 3.2 re- bounds in 31 games, including six starts, in 2019-20. Without him in the lineup, Kentucky has played its first three games without a single scholarship player who played for UK last season. Value the Rock Kentucky head coach John Calipari was surprised by his team's offensive efficiency and ability to both take care of the ball and share the ball in the team's season open- er vs. Morehead State. With 18 assists that game, UK shot 55.9% from the floor and av- eraged 1.19 points per possession. Unfortunately it set some early false ex- pectations and the inability to take care of the ball has been one of the major reasons behind the difficult start. UK turned the ball over 21 times and to- taled just five assists -- including zero in the second half -- vs. Richmond. The five assists were tied for the lowest of the Calipari era. The Wildcats were only marginally better vs. Kansas with 16 turnovers and just eight assists but reverted vs. Georgia Tech with 21 turnovers. They again only had eight assists with 16 turnovers vs. North Carolina. The 100 turnovers are the second most of the Calipari era through six games. The 2009-10 team had 112 but also had 90 as- sists at this point. This team only has 69 so far, the lowest of any Calipari-coached UK team at this stage. The Wildcats are turning the ball over on 23.7% of their possessions according to Ken-Pom.com, ranked 288th in the country. Only Davion Mintz (17 assists and 11 turn- overs) and Cam'Ron Fletcher (three assists and two turnovers) have more assists than turnovers. As a result, Kentucky has struggled to find easy shots and has shot just 39.9% from the floor and 21.8% from 3 in its first five losses. Kentucky averaged 0.83 points per possession vs. Richmond, 0.85 vs. Kansas, 0.91 vs. Georgia Tech, 0.95 against Notre Dame and 0.90 vs. North Carolina. Because of the turnovers, UK has taken fewer shots than its opponent this season de- spite a plus-6.0 average rebounding margin. Forever Young With Keion Brooks Jr., who averaged 4.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 31 games, in- cluding six starts, as the lone major contrib- utor to the roster from last season UK was tasked with replacing 94% of its scoring from last season. That's the most of the John Calipari era. It also had to replace 98.6% of its minutes, 84.4% of its rebounds, 92.0% of its assists and 91.5% of its blocks -- and Brooks has yet to play this season. According to an NCAA survey, Ken- tucky's three scholarship returners was among the nation's least amount of return- ing experience. 2020-21 Basketball Schedule Texas A&M Lexington, Ky. 7 p.m. Tuesday February 23 Florida Lexington, Ky. 4 p.m. Saturday February 27 Ole Miss Oxford, Miss. 9 p.m. Tuesday March 2 SEC Tournament Nashville, Tenn. TBA Wed.-Sun. March 10-14 NCAA Tournament Final Four® Indianapolis | TBA March- April TBA Auburn Auburn, Ala. 2 p.m. Saturday January 16 LSU Lexington, Ky. 6 p.m. Saturday January 23 Alabama Tuscaloosa, Ala. 7 p.m. Tuesday January 26 Texas Lexington, Ky. SEC/Big 12 Challenge Saturday January 30 Missouri Columbia, Mo. 9 p.m. Tuesday February 2 Tennessee Lexington, Ky. 8 p.m. Saturday February 6 Arkansas Lexington, Ky. 7 p.m. Tuesday February 9 Auburn Lexington, Ky. 1 p.m. Saturday February 13 Vanderbilt Nashville, Tenn. 7 p.m. Wednesday February 17 Tennessee Knoxville, Tenn. 1 p.m. Saturday February 20 Georgia Athens, Ga. 7 p.m. Wednesday January 20 Morehead State Lexington, Ky. W, 81-45 Wednesday November 25 Richmond Lexington, Ky. L, 64-76 Sunday November 29 Kansas Indianapolis L, 62-65 Tuesday December 1 Notre Dame Lexington, Ky. L, 63-64 Saturday December 12 North Carolina Cleveland L, 63-75 Saturday December 19 Louisville Louisville, Ky. L, 59-62 Saturday December 26 Mississippi State Starkville, Miss. 1 p.m. Sunday January 3 Vanderbilt Lexington, Ky. 7 p.m. Tuesday January 5 Florida Gainesville, Fla. 5/8 p.m. Saturday January 9 Alabama Lexington, Ky. 9 p.m. Tuesday January 12 Georgia Tech Atlanta L, 62-79 Sunday December 6 Home Away/Neutral 18 @KentuckyMBB Next >