Top Players to Watch in the Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt Showdown
Get ready for an epic battle on the basketball court as Kentucky takes on Vanderbilt. Here are the top players to keep an eye on during this highly anticipated matchup:
1. Tyrese Maxey (Kentucky) – Known for his scoring ability and clutch performances, Maxey is a player who can take over a game at any moment. Watch out for his explosive drives to the basket and deadly outside shooting.
2. Scotty Pippen Jr. (Vanderbilt) – The son of NBA legend Scottie Pippen, Pippen Jr. has been making a name for himself with his playmaking skills and scoring prowess. Keep an eye on his quickness and ability to create opportunities for his teammates.
3. Immanuel Quickley (Kentucky) – Quickley has been a consistent performer for the Wildcats this season, showcasing his versatility as a scorer and defender. Look for him to make an impact on both ends of the floor in this matchup.
4. Aaron Nesmith (Vanderbilt) – One of the top shooters in the country, Nesmith is a player who can light it up from beyond the arc. Keep an eye on his smooth stroke and ability to stretch the defense.
With these standout players on the court, the Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt game is sure to be a thrilling showdown. Don’t miss out on the action and be sure to watch these top players in action.
If the Lakers are going to extend their winning streak to five games, they’ll have to do so without Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent, who have both been ruled out for Tuesday’s game versus the Sixers.
Per the Lakers: Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot surgery recovery) is out for tonight’s game at Philadelphia.
This is the second straight game Vincent has missed. Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed before Monday’s matchup versus the Hornets that Vincent banged his knees during Saturday’s Warriors game, which has caused him to miss both back-to-back games during this road trip.
The injury is officially listed as left knee soreness.
JJ Redick said Gabe Vincent banged knees last game and is dealing with that, while Rui Hachimura’s calf remains sore. He’s hopeful both will be able to play on this road trip (Charlotte is Game 2 of 6), but they’ll take it day by day.
For Vanderbilt, being ruled out seems to be about managing his recovery and not pushing himself too fast too soon. Vando is on a minutes restriction and has returned for two games and has been very good in both outings.
Jarred Vanderbilt is out tonight, per the Lakers. They are keeping him out of the back to back as he continues to return to form after nearly a year-long absence. https://t.co/EI5UxOAhk4
He made good defensive plays in each win and didn’t look like he was limited in any capacity, which is good news for the Lakers.
An abundance of caution is needed with the wing and it is logical and understandable to have him miss a game during a back-to-back while he continues to ramp up.
A positive for the Lakers on the injury front is that they will likely have Rui Hachimura back. The Lakers forward has missed two games with left calf soreness but has been upgraded to probable heading into Tuesday’s game.
The Sixers will also be short-handed on Tuesday. They will be without Paul George and Joel Embiid, as Embiid has practiced but is still unavailable. PG injured his pinky on Saturday in a win versus Chicago and is still out.
The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent for their upcoming game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Both players are dealing with injuries that will keep them sidelined for this matchup.
Vanderbilt, who has been dealing with a knee injury, will miss his second consecutive game. The athletic forward has been a key contributor off the bench for the Lakers this season, providing energy and hustle on both ends of the court.
Vincent, on the other hand, has been sidelined with an ankle injury. The guard has been a reliable shooter and ball-handler for the Lakers, and his absence will be felt on the offensive end.
Despite these injuries, the Lakers will look to rally together and put forth a strong effort against the Sixers. Stay tuned for updates on their status as they continue to recover and rehab their respective injuries.
The Los Angeles Lakers will play the Philadelphia 76ers for the second and final time this season, and it will be without their star defensive forward, Jarred Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt has been ruled out for tonight’s contest due to right foot surgery recovery.
The Athletic’s Jovan Buha shared via X.
Update: Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot surgery recovery) is out for tonight’s game at Philadelphia, per the Lakers.
This comes as no surprise, as the Lakers are being extremely cautious with Vanderbilt and his foot issues.
Prior to Vanderbilt’s first game on Saturday against the Golden State Warriors, he was approaching a full calendar year since stepping on the court for L.A.
The Lakers want to be sure that he is healthy and ready to go for the rest of the season, and not playing in back-to-back games will be key to that.
Vanderbilt has played in two games for the Lakers this season after recovering from surgery on both feet.
However, the team is slowly getting him back up to speed.
He hasn’t played more than 13 minutes in a game yet.
The star defensive forward has been solid so far, being the defensive pesk the Lakers desperately needed.
In two games, he is averaging 3.0 points per game, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.5 steals while shooting 42.9 percent from the field.
In Monday’s match against the Charlotte Hornets, Vanderbilt was solid, recording four points, two steals, and two rebounds in 13 minutes of action.
After undergoing surgeries to both feet during the offseason, followed by a lengthy rehab process, it comes as no surprise that Vanderbilt will continue to have heavy restrictions right out of the gate.
Prior to Saturday’s game at Golden State, Vanderbilt was last on the court Feb. 1, 2024, against the Boston Celtics.
The Lakers were undermanned in that contest as they were without their two best players, Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
Vanderbilt is arguably their best perimeter defender, as he can defend positions one through four. He is an apex athlete, and his return should result in the Lakers having a slightly better defense.
The 25-year-old will be missed for tonight’s contest, but in all likelihood, he will be back for Thursday’s matchup against the lowly Washington Wizards.
The Los Angeles Lakers have announced that forward Jarred Vanderbilt will be ruled out for their game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Vanderbilt, who has been dealing with a knee injury, will not be available to play in the matchup.
This news comes as a blow to the Lakers, as Vanderbilt has been a key contributor off the bench for the team this season. His energy and hustle on both ends of the court will be missed, especially against a tough opponent like the 76ers.
It remains to be seen how long Vanderbilt will be sidelined with his injury, but the Lakers will need to find ways to compensate for his absence in the meantime. Hopefully, he will be able to make a speedy recovery and get back on the court soon.
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NORMAN — Oklahoma chose the right time for its best half of the season on Saturday.
After never leading in the first half, the Sooners went on a 23-0 run early in the second half, paving the way for their 97-67 win against No. 24 Vanderbilt. The Sooners’ dominant second half came after OU committed 11 turnovers and allowed 16 points in the paint in the first half, trailing 40-36 at the break.
The Sooners win is their third victory in the last four games. OU earned back-to-back wins against South Carolina and Arkansas before falling to No. 13 Texas A&M on Tuesday.
Here are three takeaways from OU’s win:
Even after a first half defined by turnovers and poor defense, the Sooners (16-5, 3-5 SEC) didn’t need long to snatch the momentum in the second.
Vanderbilt (16-5, 4-4) scored the first bucket of the half before OU went on a 23-0 run, giving the Sooners a 17-point lead. In the first four minutes of the second half, the Sooners hit four 3-pointers and logged three steals.
The Sooners’ early-second-half run was reminiscent of one they went on in their win against South Carolina on Jan. 18, where OU used a 15-0 run to turn a five-point lead into a 20-point lead. OU won that game 82-62.
Even with the crowd at the Lloyd Noble Center near half capacity, this run energized the crowd and gave OU a much-needed jolt after its ugly first half.
OU’s outstanding second half really never ended.
Altogether, the Sooners outscored the Commodores 61-27 in the final 20 minutes.
After freshman guard Jeremiah Fears went scoreless and played the worst game of his college career on Tuesday, the guard bounced back against the Commodores.
Fears, the two-time SEC Freshman of the Week, ended the game with a team-high 21 points. He did so efficiently, shooting at a 67% (8-of-12) clip from the field.
Fears also ended the game with six rebounds and four assists.
The freshman, though, struggled in the ball-control department, as did some of his teammates, finishing the game with five turnovers. The Sooners combined for 17 turnovers as a team.
Still, Fears and other Sooners’ contributions — especially during the second half were more than enough to give OU the win.
Three other Sooners — Jalon Moore, Dayton Forsythe and Duke Miles — also finished in double figures, notching 19, 14 and 11 points, respectively.
After an 0-4 start to SEC play, the Sooners have played much better basketball in the last couple of weeks.
OU has earned three quality wins in four games, beating South Carolina, Arkansas and now the Commodores. The Arkansas win was quad-one, Saturday’s win was quad-two and the South Carolina win was quad-three.
Oklahoma entered Saturday ranked No. 45 in the NET rankings and will likely move up a few spots after beating Vanderbilt, ranked No. 37 in those rankings.
The road doesn’t get any easier for Oklahoma.
Eight of the Sooners’ final 10 regular-season opponents are currently ranked in the AP Top 25. Though a brutal stretch, the schedule gives them an opportunity to earn a handful of quad-one and quad-two wins.
Next for Oklahoma is a road game against No. 1 Auburn on Tuesday.
In a thrilling comeback victory, Oklahoma stunned Vanderbilt with a massive second-half surge to secure the win. Trailing at halftime, the Sooners displayed incredible resilience and determination to overcome the deficit and emerge victorious in a hard-fought battle.
The team’s offensive firepower was on full display as they executed with precision and efficiency, outscoring their opponents by a significant margin in the second half. The defense also stepped up, making crucial stops and forcing turnovers to swing the momentum in their favor.
Fans were treated to a thrilling display of skill and determination as Oklahoma mounted an impressive comeback to secure the win. The team’s resilience and never-give-up attitude were on full display, showcasing their potential and determination to compete at the highest level.
With this impressive victory, Oklahoma has proven that they are a force to be reckoned with and a team to watch out for in the upcoming games. The players and coaching staff should be commended for their exceptional performance and ability to rally together in the face of adversity.
Overall, Oklahoma’s massive second-half comeback against Vanderbilt was a testament to their skill, determination, and never-say-die attitude. This win will surely serve as a confidence booster for the team as they continue their journey towards success in the season.
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Oklahoma football, Oklahoma vs. Vanderbilt, college football comeback, second half rally, Oklahoma Sooners, Vanderbilt Commodores, college football highlights, game recap, Oklahoma victory, NCAA football, sports news
NORMAN — The second half started with an alley oop from Jeremiah Fears to Sam Godwin. Duke Miles followed that up with a 3-pointer.
Then Brycen Goodine made a 3-pointer.
Fears followed that with a layup.
Jalon Fears and Goodine made back-to-back 3-pointers.
Godwin made a dunk. Fears again made another layup.
By the time Glenn Taylor made a layup, it capped off a 21-0 run for the Sooners to open the second half. The Sooners made nine consecutive shots during that stretch while holding No. 24-ranked Vanderbilt scores, flipping a four-point halftime deficit into a 17-point lead.
The offensive simply found a rhythm, the defense tightened up and the Sooners rode that momentum to an 97-67 win over the Commodores Saturday at the Lloyd Noble Center.
That second-half run really was a continuation of the way the Sooners ended the first half. With Vanderbilt leading by 11 points with 3:30 before halftime, the Sooners closed the first half on a 9-2 run that was punctuated by a 3-pointer from Luke Northweather with 28 seconds to go.
Combining that with their second-half run, that stretch saw the Sooners outscore Vanderbilt 30-4. That proved to be the run the Sooners needed to find their footing in a game they had to win.
With the win, the Sooners improve to 16-5 on the season and 3-5 in SEC play.
— Vanderbilt led by as many as 12 points in the first half and went into half with 42 points on 47% shooting from the floor and 43% shooting from the 3-point line.
But OU’s defense was significantly better in the second half. Vanderbilt scored just 27 points after halftime while shooting just 30% from the field.
After trailing 42-38 at halftime, the Sooners outscored Vanderbilt 61-27 in the second half.
— The Sooners were remarkably efficient offensively. They shot 63% from the field (36/57) and 55% from 3 (11/20).
In the second half? The Sooners scored 61 points while shooting a blistering 73% from the field and 58% from the 3-point line.
— It was turnovers that killed Oklahoma in the first half. The Sooners coughed the ball up 11 times, which led to 10 Vanderbilt points.
The Sooners completely flipped that script in the second half. They committed just six turnovers after halftime while scoring 15 points off of 10 second-half turnovers for Vanderbilt.
— The Sooners won the rebounding battle 39-24, a huge bounce back after they were outrebounded by 28 against Texas A&M.
— All eyes were going to be on Jeremiah Fears after his dud against Texas A&M, when he was held scoreless while missing all five of his shot attempts.
This was the bounce-back effort the Sooners needed, and it started early. Fears scored seven of the team’s first eight points, and that carried through the rest of the game. He finished with a team-high 21 points while shooting an efficient 8-of-12 from the floor, adding six rebounds, four assists and three steals. He finished with a plus-minus of +22.
When Fears plays like this, the Sooners are a lot tougher to beat.
— Dayton Forsythe continues to be a genuine difference-maker off the bench. In one particular sequence at the end of the first half, Forsythe forced a jump ball defensively, drove and made a layup, then stripped a Vanderbilt player that resulted in a turnover. It was a big reason why Oklahoma ended the half on a 9-2 run.
Forsythe — who finished with 14 points, three rebounds and three steals — wasn’t even in the rotation to begin conference play. But he’s now logged at least 22 minutes in the last two games and has become an indispensable cog in the Sooners’ machine.
He was a big reason why the Sooners held an 32-10 advantage in bench scoring against Vanderbilt.
— Vanderbilt guard Jason Edwards was on a heater to start the game, making four of his first five shots. But the Sooners held him in check, as he made just three of final 15 shots. He finished the game with 21 points on 7-of-20 shooting.
— This was a significantly important victory for the Sooners, who face No. 1 Auburn (8 p.m. Tuesday, SEC Network) and No. 8 Tennessee next week.
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The Oklahoma Sooners put on a show in the second half to defeat No. 24 Vanderbilt in an impressive comeback win. The Sooners overcame a slow start to unleash a massive run that left the Commodores in the dust. Led by their star players, the Sooners showed their resilience and determination to secure a crucial victory. Stay tuned for more exciting hoops action from the Sooners as they continue their quest for success this season. #BoomerSooner #HoopsVictory
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Hoops, Oklahoma Sooners, Vanderbilt, college basketball, NCAA, second-half run, upset, sports, March Madness, Big 12, SEC, top 25 matchup, game recap
No. 24 Vanderbilt travels to Oklahoma for the first SEC meeting between the Dores and Sooners. Tipoff is set for 2:30 p.m.
The game will air on SEC Network with Dave Neal and Jon Sundvold on the call. Fans can also catch the game on 102.5 The Game with Kevin Ingram and Tim Thompson.
TWO TOP 10 WINS
Vanderbilt conquered two top 10 foes in No. 6 Tennessee and No. 9 Kentucky in a seven-day span.
The pair of top 10 wins marks the first time the Dores have beaten multiple top 10 foes in a season since 2007.
RANKED COMMODORES
Vanderbilt earned its first AP Top 25 ranking since 2015, coming in at No. 24 this week.
The Dores are ranked under a first-year head coach for the first time since Kevin Stallings’ inaugural season in 1999-2000.
NICKEL CASHING IN
Junior Tyler Nickel has been red hot from three the past three games, averaging 15.3 ppg in the process.
Nickel hit four threes in the win over Tennessee, five triples at Alabama and three more against Kentucky.
Nickel went a combined 12-of-22 on threes against the trio of top 10 foes.
The long-distance threat is shooting .429 from three in SEC play.
1K IS COMING
Junior Jason Edwards is closing in on 1,000 career points in two seasons at the DI level, needing just four points to reach the milestone.
Adding in his season at JUCO in Dodge City, Edwards has scored 1,761 points in three seasons.
SERIES HISTORY
Vanderbilt meets Oklahoma for the first time as SEC foes and just the fourth time overall.
Saturday marks Vandy’s third visit to Norman where the Dores are 1-1 all time.
The Dores and Sooners last met as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge in 2019.
The Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball team is gearing up for their next matchup as they prepare to face off against the Oklahoma Sooners. The No. 24 ranked Commodores are looking to continue their strong start to the season and secure another victory on the road.
After a thrilling win in their last game, Vanderbilt is carrying momentum into this matchup and looking to showcase their talent on the court. Led by standout players such as Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jordan Wright, the Commodores are poised to put on a show for fans as they take on the Sooners.
This game will be a test of skill and determination for Vanderbilt, as they face a tough opponent in Oklahoma. However, with their depth and talent, the Commodores are more than capable of coming out on top and adding another win to their record.
So mark your calendars and tune in to watch the Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball team in action as they go head-to-head with the Oklahoma Sooners. It’s sure to be an exciting matchup that you won’t want to miss! Go Dores! #AnchorDown
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Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball, No. 24 Dores, Oklahoma, college basketball, game preview, SEC, Vanderbilt basketball schedule, NCAA basketball, Vanderbilt vs Oklahoma, Vanderbilt basketball news
SAN FRANCISCO — Nearly a week ago, Lakers coach JJ Redick and LeBron James spoke about the margins of the game, the things that help provide cushion and cover for a team when it’s not perfect. Both said, internally, there weren’t great options for the Lakers to extend those margins.
In some ways, only a massive roster reconstruction would fix the problem. James will always be 40. Anthony Davis will always have his issues in transition defense because of the way he crashes toward the hoop. The Lakers will always lose the mathematical battle because of their lower volume of three-point attempts.
But on Saturday, one player showed in his first 12 minutes of the season the ways he could provide the Lakers with a little more room for error.
Jarred Vanderbilt, out since Feb. 1 because of foot injuries, checked in during the second quarter of the Lakers’ 118-108 win over the Golden State Warriors and immediately made an impact, delivering a much-needed boost that his skill set can provide.
“Vando was awesome,” Redick said. “Did all the things that we need him to do.”
Vanderbilt’s only bucket came on an offensive rebound, but he had three steals and four rebounds, extending possessions on the offensive end and closing them out on the defensive side.
“I knew I might be a little rusty coming in and as far as rhythm and knowing the plays and all that stuff,” Vanderbilt said. “So my main goal was just to go in there and play hard. Bring the energy and then everything else — just control the controllable and everything else will play its hand.”
It was these little things he provided that stood out as the Lakers turned in another 48 minutes of good basketball to win their third straight game.
“It looked like he didn’t miss a beat,” James said. “I mean, he’s flying around. What he does don’t even always show up in the box score.”
Vanderbilt’s contributions proved valuable for a Lakers team that was forced to make starter Rui Hachimura a late scratch because of a calf injury.
Max Christie and Gabe Vincent, two other players tasked with helping the Lakers with the little things, defended Stephen Curry wonderfully, limiting the Warriors star to 13 points on four-for-17 shooting, Curry missing all eight of his second-half attempts.
“It’s Steph, man,” James said. “Just hope that he miss. Put bodies in front of him and just hope that he miss.”
Davis dominated the Warriors’ depleted frontcourt, which was missing Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green, for 36 points and 13 rebounds. James had 25 points and 12 assists and Austin Reaves had 16 points and seven assists.
“The last two games, our three best players have played really well and everyone else has starred in their roles,” Redick said. “And that’s what a great team is, is guys starring in their roles. And so for Vando, him starring his role, Gabe starring his role, Max Christie starring his role, Jaxson Hayes starring his role, all those guys. … That creates a margin for us to become a great team.”
The Lakers (25-18) continue their Grammys trip Monday in Charlotte.
“We have to be ready to play every single game, regardless of who we’re playing,” Reaves said. “We need to go into every game playing to continue to get better. And we can’t take our foot off the gas. We gotta do that every single game and hopefully we have a good trip.”
In a thrilling matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, Jarred Vanderbilt made his return to the court and played a crucial role in lifting the Lakers to a victory.
Vanderbilt, who had been sidelined with an injury for the past few weeks, showed no signs of rust as he made his presence felt on both ends of the court. His energy and hustle were contagious, as he crashed the boards, made key defensive stops, and provided a spark off the bench.
Despite a strong performance from the Warriors, the Lakers were able to pull away in the fourth quarter thanks to Vanderbilt’s contributions. His impact was felt all over the court, and his teammates fed off his energy to secure the win.
With Vanderbilt back in the lineup, the Lakers look like a much stronger and more cohesive team. His versatility and athleticism make him a valuable asset, and his return couldn’t have come at a better time as the team looks to make a push for the playoffs.
Overall, it was a memorable night for Vanderbilt and the Lakers as they came together to secure a hard-fought victory over a tough opponent. With Vanderbilt back in the mix, the Lakers are poised to make some noise in the postseason.
Vanderbilt entered the Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 on Monday at No. 23, its first ranking in more than a decade, while Texas returned to the top five and Ohio State and Duke both jumped back into the top 10.
Shea Ralph’s Vanderbilt team is in the poll for the first time since Feb. 10, 2014, and has two wins over ranked teams for the first time since the 2015-16 season. The Commodores topped then-No. 19 Alabama on Sunday as the Crimson Tide were one of a dozen ranked teams to lose last week.
The top four teams remained the same as UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame and USC all avoided upsets last week. The Bruins received 31 first-place ballots from the 32-member national media panel after winning their three games on an eight-day East Coast trip. They beat then-No. 25 Baylor, Rutgers and formerly eighth-ranked Maryland.
UCLA, which picked up two first-place votes this week, is the only undefeated team left in Division I basketball after then-No. 5 LSU lost to the Gamecocks. South Carolina garnered the other top vote.
Texas leapfrogged UConn to move up to fifth and the Huskies remained sixth. LSU dropped to seventh. Ohio State, which also beat Maryland, moved up four places to eighth. The Terrapins dropped to 14th after losing all three of their games last week.
TCU and Duke rounded out the top 10. The Horned Frogs split a pair of games with Oklahoma State and Baylor.
In and out
Oklahoma State and Florida State reentered the rankings this week at Nos. 24 and 25, respectively. The Seminoles were ranked in the preseason poll and topped North Carolina on a buzzer-beater by last week’s AP Player of the Week, Ta’Niya Latson. The Cowgirls have been in and out of the poll the past few weeks.
Michigan, Minnesota and Baylor all fell out.
Oh baby!
Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell gave birth to her first child a week ago and was returning for the 18th-ranked Lady Vols’ game against South Carolina on Monday night. Caldwell gave birth to Conor Scott a week earlier while dealing with the flu. She missed a single game, an 80-76 loss at No. 7 Texas on Thursday, as assistant Jenna Burdette filled in as acting coach.
Conference breakdown
The Southeastern Conference had eight teams ranked this week and the ACC has seven. The Big Ten dropped to five teams with Michigan and Minnesota exiting the poll. The Big 12 has four ranked teams and the Big East one.
Games of the week
Columbia at Harvard, Friday. The undefeated Lions will visit the Crimson in a battle for first place in the Ivy League. Columbia is undefeated while Harvard has one loss, a last-second defeat at Princeton.
No. 12 Kentucky at No. 13 Oklahoma, Sunday. The Wildcats will visit the SEC newcomer Sooners. Kentucky is currently in a tie for second in the conference standings at 6-1.
Exciting news for Vanderbilt fans! The women’s basketball team has been ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time in 11 years. This is a huge accomplishment for the team and a testament to their hard work and dedication on the court. Let’s show our support for the Commodores as they continue to make waves in the world of women’s college basketball. Go ‘Dores! #AnchorDown #VanderbiltWBB
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Vanderbilt women’s basketball, AP Top 25, Vanderbilt athletics, women’s college basketball, Vanderbilt women’s team, SEC basketball, Vanderbilt Commodores, NCAA women’s basketball, Vanderbilt sports, Vanderbilt news
Coming off arguably their best win of the season against the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers now hit the road for their annual Grammy trip, starting with a matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday evening.
This marks the second of four meetings between these two Pacific Division rivals with the Lakers also winning at Chase Center on Christmas Day. The last two matchups will be later in the year at Crypto.com Arena.
The injury report for both teams has been worth monitoring leading up to this one as Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga were both ruled out for Golden State.
On the Lakers side, their injury report was looking as clean as it has all season as Jarred Vanderbilt is back and expected to make his season debut against Golden State. The forward missed nearly a full calendar year after undergoing surgery on both of his feet.
Having Vanderbilt back can be a huge boost for the Lakers defensively, although head coach JJ Redick cautioned that they will ease him into action, perhaps not even getting him into Saturday’s game.
That was until the Lakers got some bad news on the injury front as both LeBron James (left foot injury management) and Rui Hachimura (left calf soreness) were downgraded to questionable on Saturday morning. James is able to play, but Hachimura is not, which leaves L.A. a bit shorthanded in the frontcourt.
The recent addition of Dorian Finney-Smith should help there as he is starting, but Vanderbilt could also be pressed into a larger role than expected if the Lakers want to pick up a win over the Warriors.
With Hachimura out and James potentially hobbled, it is also up to Anthony Davis to pick up the slack offensively for L.A. He has typically had his way with Golden State’s small front line in the past although has been forced to leave the last few games against them early due to injury.
On the other side of the ball, Stephen Curry is obviously at the top of the scouting report for Redick’s team. Max Christie, Gabe Vincent, Austin Reaves, Cam Reddish and perhaps Vanderbilt will all be tasked with chasing Curry around and if the Lakers can slow down the future Hall of Famer even a little bit, then they will have a chance to come away with another big road win over Golden State.
With James able to play, it marks yet another matchup between him and Curry, which fans should not take for granted.
Los Angeles Lakers (24-18) vs. Golden State Warriors (22-22)
Saturday, January 25, 2025, 5:30 p.m. PT Chase Center, San Francisco, California TV: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+/Disney+ Radio: 710 AM ESPN LA
Projected Lakers Starting Lineup:
PG: Austin Reaves SG: Max Christie SF: Dorian Finney-Smith PF: LeBron James C: Anthony Davis
Key Reserves: Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaxson Hayes
Projected Warriors Starting Lineup:
PG: Stephen Curry SG: Buddy Hield SF: Gary Payton II PF: Andrew Wiggins C: Trayce Jackson-Davis
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After missing several games due to injury, Jarred Vanderbilt has made his return to the court for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The young forward has been a key contributor for the team, especially on the defensive end, and his presence will surely be a boost for the Timberwolves as they continue their playoff push.
On the other hand, Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura will be sidelined for an extended period of time due to injury. Hachimura has been a consistent scorer and rebounder for the Wizards, and his absence will be felt on both ends of the court. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back in action soon.
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Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, NBA news, basketball updates, player injury updates, sports news, return from injury, player updates, athlete updates, professional basketball news
Kentucky nearly overcame a 14-point halftime deficit, but far too many turnovers down the stretch cost the Wildcats.
On Saturday in Nashville, the Vanderbilt Commodores (16-4; 4-3 SEC) upset No. 9 Kentucky (14-5; 3-3 SEC) inside Memorial Gym by a final score of 74-69. After playing arguably its worst half of the entire season to start this game, Kentucky’s offense set the building on fire in the second half. A 14-point hole turned into a seven-point lead until Vanderbilt locked up the ‘Cats in the final minutes and snuck out the victory.
Kentucky was without starting forward Andrew Carr due to a back injury, but UK had more than enough opportunities to win this game. Credit to them for fighting back after such a terrible opening half, but a flurry of bad decisions late mounted a pile too high. Otega Oweh is not excluded from some of those mistakes, but he was the only reason UK had a chance. He finished with 21 points (8-14 FG) and 12 rebounds for this first double-double of the season.
Ansley Almonor (12 points on 4-5 3PT) and Jaxson Robinson (11 points on 3-5 3PT) were the only other Wildcats to reach double-figures. Kentucky shot 60 percent from the field in the second half, but 17 turnovers for the game marked a season-high. Vanderbilt shot 12-33 from deep with only five turnovers.
The crowd might have been mostly Kentucky, but the first half was mostly Vanderbilt. The Commodores outhustled and outshot the Wildcats in every aspect throughout the opening 20 minutes. Vanderbilt went 7-18 from deep while forcing UK into 10 turnovers. At one point, the ‘Cats turned the ball over five times across eight possessions. They had five turnovers in the final five minutes as Vanderbilt finished the half on a 20-4 run.
Kentucky was out of sorts and completely disoriented from the opening tip. Despite 10 very quick points from Vandy’s Jason Edwards, the score was actually close early on. The ‘Cats even led with roughly eight minutes left until the break. But Vanderbilt controlled every ounce of momentum from there. The ‘Dores attempted nine more first-half shots (38 to 29) and had UK looking like a team that hadn’t played a single game together.
Vanderbilt took a commanding 41-27 lead into the intermission — the fewest points scored in a half this season by UK. The ‘Cats shot 37.9 percent from the field and 4-14 from deep. Something had to change in the locker room. Luckily, it did early on.
Kentucky opened the second half by scoring eight unanswered points in the first two minutes, forcing Vanderbilt into a timeout. It was off to the races from there. At the first media break, UK had cut the Commodore lead down to 49-44. Kentucky’s offensive onslaught continued as Robinson’s three-pointer tied the game 51-51 going into the second media timeout.
A Lamont Butler layup then gave the ‘Cats its first lead since the middle of the first half. Kentucky went up by as many seven points as the energy of this game was flipped entirely on its head. It was a 31-13 run through the first 12 minutes of the second half as Kentucky went ahead 58-54. But Vanderbilt refused to go away. Some untimely mistakes for UK allowed the ‘Dores to take a 66-63 lead into the final media timeout.
The mistakes continued to mount for Kentucky too. A scoring drought of over three minutes mixed with more turnovers to close the game ended any chance of a last-ditch comeback effort. For the first time all season, the ‘Cats have dropped two games in a row. Up next is another road game as UK faces No. 6 Tennessee on Tuesday. The SEC schedule is only going to get tougher.
In a hard-fought battle on the road, the Kentucky Wildcats fell just short in their comeback attempt against Vanderbilt, ultimately losing 74-69.
Despite a strong effort in the second half, Kentucky was unable to overcome Vanderbilt’s early lead. The Wildcats fought back with tenacity and determination, but ultimately fell short in the final minutes of the game.
Freshman guard TyTy Washington led the charge for Kentucky, finishing with a team-high 20 points. Forward Oscar Tshiebwe also put up a solid performance, recording a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
While the loss is disappointing, the Wildcats showed resilience and grit in their comeback attempt. They will look to learn from this experience and come back stronger in their next game.
Kentucky’s next matchup will be a tough test against a formidable opponent, but with their talent and determination, they have the potential to bounce back and secure a win. Stay tuned for more updates on the Wildcats’ season as they continue to push forward and strive for success.
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Kentucky basketball, Kentucky Wildcats, Vanderbilt basketball, SEC basketball, college basketball, Kentucky vs Vanderbilt, game recap, Kentucky sports, NCAA basketball, Kentucky comeback, road loss, Vanderbilt victory, SEC matchup
