By otakuyassine3@gmail.com 
Seven wins in seven tries for the Kentucky Wildcats to open the Mark Pope era. Can they make it eight, which would be the best start the program has seen since 2014-15? They’ll have to do it on the road, taking on the Clemson Tigers in the SEC/ACC Challenge. It’s the start of a two-game trip away from Rupp Arena, this one followed by the cross-country journey to Seattle to take on Gonzaga.
Can the Cats go 2-0 against ACC competition before starting SEC play themselves? They’ve got a tough challenge ahead of them, going in as a narrow favorite.
KSR has everything you need to know about the matchup as we wait for the late tip.
Kentucky at Clemson: How to Watch, Listen
- Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
- Television: ESPN (Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes)
- Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
- Online Radio: iHeart
- Satellite Radio: Sirius 158 or 190
- Live Stats: StatBroadcast
You can also follow the game via our new LIVE BLOG on the website, which will begin an hour before tipoff, or join the conversation on KSBoard.
Early season rewind
Kentucky: KenPom 12
- 11/4: 103-62 W vs. Wright State
- 11/9: 100-72 W vs. Bucknell
- 11/12: 77-72 W vs. No. 6 Duke
- 11/19: 97-68 W vs. Lipscomb
- 11/22: 108-59 W vs. Jackson State
- 11/26: 87-68 W vs. Western Kentucky
- 11/29: 105-76 W vs. Georgia State
Clemson: KenPom 25
- 11/4: 91-64 W vs. Charleston Southern
- 11/8: 88-62 W vs. Saint Francis
- 11/12: 75-62 W vs. Eastern Kentucky
- 11/17: 84-71 L at Boise State
- 11/21: 79-51 W vs. Radford
- 11/25: 70-55 W vs. San Francisco
- 11/26: 75-67 W vs. Penn State
- 11/29: 86-58 W vs. Florida A&M
Series History
Would it shock you to learn the Wildcats and Tigers have played 16 total times dating back to 1922? It was a regular Southern Conference matchup in the 1920s and 1930s with 13 battles between 1922 and 1939. Since then, there have been three head-to-heads in 1979, 1996 and 1997. Kentucky leads the all-time series 12-4, although Clemson has won two of the last three (’79 and ’96). The ’96 and ’97 matchups were both ranked, the Tigers winning 79-71 in overtime in the former and the Cats winning 76-61 in the latter.
Mark Pope has never taken on Clemson while Brad Brownell has never taken on Kentucky — a first for both head coaches.
Kentucky at Clemson Odds via Circa Sports
Spread: Kentucky -1.5
Total: 156
The Wildcats covered the spread in their first five games of the season before falling just short of that mark in back-to-back matchups vs. WKU and Georgia State. KenPom is projecting a 77-76 loss for Kentucky, giving Pope’s squad a 44 percent chance to pull off the win outright.
Kentucky Projected Starters
(Starting lineup based on the last game)
#1 – Lamont Butler
6-2 – 208 – GUARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
12.4 PPG, 3.7 APG, 3.3 RPG
#00 – Otega Oweh
6-4 – 215 – GUARD – JUNIOR
15.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.6 SPG
#2 – Jaxson Robinson
6-6 – 192 – GUARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
12.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.6 APG
#7 – Andrew Carr
6-11 – 235 – FORWARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
10.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.6 APG
#22 – Amari Williams
7-0 – 262 – CENTER – GRADUATE STUDENT
10.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.7 BPG
Clemson Projected Starters
#1 – Chase Hunter
6-4 – 200 – GUARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
16.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.4 APG
#11 – Jaeden Zackery
6-1 – 218 – GUARD – GRADUATE STUDENT
8.0 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.9 APG
#7 – Chauncey Wiggins
6-10 – 210 – FORWARD – JUNIOR
9.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.0 APG
#4 – Ian Schieffelin
6-8 – 240 – FORWARD – SENIOR
12.5 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 3.6 APG
#0 – Viktor Lakhin
6-11 – 245 – CENTER – REDSHIRT SENIOR
11.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.3 APG
Statistical Comparison
(via Kentucky’s game notes)
Fun stats from UK’s game notes:
- Kentucky is now 7-0 for the first time since the 2016-17 season
- The Wildcats are averaging 96.7 points per game, good for first nationally with four 100-point performances. Their 21.1 assists per game are No. 1 in the SEC and No. 2 nationally
- UK makes 11.1 3-pointers per game, good for No. 1 in the SEC and No. 12 in Division I
- Four different players have led UK in scoring in two games apiece thus far
Pregame Storylines
KENTUCKY’S FIRST TRUE ROAD GAME
We’ve seen the Wildcats handle the pressure of the big stage in the Champions Classic, but how about their first true road environment of the season? Kentucky heads to Littlejohn Coliseum to take on Clemson in the SEC/ACC Challenge, the team’s second-toughest matchup since beating No. 6 Duke. With a max capacity of 9,000 fans, it’s going to be tighter, more intimate atmosphere — but undoubtedly rowdy. UK is ready to take on that challenge. “Some places are louder than others, but having that fire to go prove them wrong and go against not only the other team, but the fan base too, is always really fun,” Amari Williams said.
ANDREW CARR IS NO STRANGER TO THE ACC
The fifth-year senior saved the day in Kentucky’s win over Duke, going for a team-high 17 points and six rebounds with some game-changing buckets down the stretch. That was after seeing the Blue Devils earlier in his career as a member of the ACC at Wake Forest. Sticking with that trend, Carr posted a 2-1 record against Clemson in his two seasons as a Demon Deacon. He started with a loss and a tough four-point, six-rebound performance personally, but followed it up with 18 points and 11 rebounds in game two and 17 points and five rebounds in game three — both wins.
SLOWING DOWN CHASE HUNTER AND IAN SCHIEFFELIN
Carr’s presence will be particularly important in the head-to-head vs. Clemson star forward Ian Schieffelin, who is one of the most skilled and versatile forwards in the ACC. Averaging a double-double and capable of beating you both inside and out, that’s the matchup to watch.
Another? Chase Hunter, the Tigers’ star in the backcourt averaging a team-high 16.4 points on 51/46/81 splits. He’s the lead guard and will likely draw both Lamont Butler and Otega Oweh throughout the game, depending on who else is out there for the home team. Those two are the players to watch for Clemson.
A FEW 1,000-POINT SCORERS ON THE LINE
Carr, Williams, Butler and Ansley Almonor have already hit the 1,000-point scoring mark in their respective careers, but two more could potentially join the list at Clemson. Kerr Kriisa is just three points away — as we learned when he launched three 3-pointers in the final minute against Georgia State — while Koby Brea is also just 12 points away from joining the club. There is a very real chance both players hit those marks for 1K against the Tigers. Jaxson Robinson is also 81 points away, so that’s upon us in the next couple of weeks, as well — barring a Kobe Bryant-level performance getting him there tonight.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAXSON ROBINSON!
If there was ever an opportunity for Robinson to go nuclear, it’s tonight on December 3. Why? Well, it’s his 22nd birthday, of course. The fifth-year senior is averaging 12.0 points per game, but has ramped up his production in the last couple of weeks with outings of 14, 19 and 20 points in his last four games. What does he have in store inside Littlejohn Coliseum on his big day? How about a season-high 22 points for turning 22? The Cats could use it.
Join The Discussion on KSBoard
Want to interact with the KSR crew during tonight’s game? Consider joining the conversation on KSBoard, where we’ll be sharing live updates as your eyes and ears inside Littlejohn Coliseum while also answering questions and providing real-time analysis (and probably complaining about the officiating).
New members can get KSR+ for seven days for just $1 and 50% off the annual price.
Rapid Reaction on the KSR YouTube Channel
Miss the game? KSR’s got you covered with a Rapid Reaction live on the KSR YouTube Channel. We’ll also have wall-to-wall postgame coverage on the website, including highlights, comments from Mark Pope and the players, stats, and takeaways.
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