Kentucky is heading into a hostile environment at Auburn, and there’s one name Big Blue Nation needs to circle in bold: Keyshawn Hall.
When Mark Pope was asked about Hall, his tone said everything. This isn’t just another solid SEC scorer — this is a matchup problem.
Pope compared Hall’s game to a little “Paul Pierce juice,” and it makes sense. Hall isn’t going to blow by you with jaw-dropping speed. He doesn’t rely on flash. Instead, he plays at his own tempo — slow, deliberate, physical — and then suddenly he’s at the rim or rising up for three. When he decides to attack, he really goes.
Hall is a true three-level scorer. He can step out behind the arc, bully smaller defenders in the mid-post, and finish through contact at the rim. He leans into defenders, creates space with his body, and lives at the free-throw line. That patient, methodical style can be frustrating to guard — especially for a Kentucky team that has struggled with physical wings at times this season.
The numbers back up the concern.
Hall is averaging:
21.9 points
5.8 rebounds
2.7 assists
1.0 steal
He just dropped 29 against Mississippi State, and he’s done damage against some of the best defenses in the country. Even in losses, he gets his.
And that’s what makes this tricky.
Auburn has lost five straight. On paper, that might look like opportunity. In reality, it’s dangerous. A desperate team at home, playing for its season, is never comfortable — especially in the SEC. Kentucky learned that lesson the hard way against Georgia, a team that had also been struggling before catching fire against the Cats.
So what’s the “one major problem” Kentucky has to fix?
It’s not just stopping Hall. It’s letting multiple players get comfortable at the same time.
You’re probably not holding Hall to five points. He’s too polished and too confident. But you can’t allow Hall to get 30 while someone like Tahaad Pettiford chips in 20. Mississippi State did — and it took 46 from Josh Hubbard just to survive.
Kentucky doesn’t have a Josh Hubbard waiting to bail them out in a shootout.
That means the Wildcats must:
Be physical from the opening tip
Stay locked in defensively
Force Hall into contested looks
Limit Auburn’s supporting cast
Most importantly, Kentucky can’t start slow. That has been a season-long issue. Against a desperate Auburn team with a scorer who can control tempo, that’s a recipe for another backbreaking loss.
If the Cats don’t fix that one major problem, Keyshawn Hall could turn this into a long night for Big Blue Nation.
