Just a few weeks ago, Kentucky fans were dreaming big after the Wildcats stunned No. 1 Purdue in a preseason scrimmage. It looked like Mark Pope’s debut season might take off faster than expected. But the last week has brought a harsh dose of reality, as Kentucky has been humbled in back-to-back losses to Power Four opponents — Louisville and Michigan State — deflating some of that early optimism.
Kentucky fell to No. 12 Louisville on the road, 96–88, and then dropped another one to No. 17 Michigan State in New York during the Champions Classic. Suddenly, the Wildcats are sitting at 3–2 with no official marquee wins, and their early-season momentum has stalled.
Still, the season is young, and the path forward is very much in Kentucky’s hands. That turnaround effort starts tonight when the Wildcats return to Rupp Arena to face Loyola Maryland at 7:00 PM EST on SEC Network+.
Loyola enters the matchup at 2–4 and represents the Patriot League. Kentucky and Loyola have met only once before — during the 2011–12 season — when the Cats cruised to an 87–63 victory.
Up next, Kentucky will host Tennessee Tech on November 26th in their final tune-up before a brutal two-game stretch against North Carolina and Gonzaga in early December. These next two non-conference games matter more than they might seem. They give Kentucky a chance to:
1. Rebuild confidence after two frustrating defeats.
2. Strengthen their résumé, especially with an SEC slate that, even in a down year, will be unforgiving.
The Cats are still dealing with injuries, though. Point guard Jaland Lowe remains out with a shoulder injury, and forward Mouhamed Dioubate is a game-time decision due to an ankle issue. Freshman big Jayden Quaintance also remains sidelined.
On the floor, there are a few areas Kentucky needs to address — and tonight is the perfect opportunity to start. Increasing the tempo could be key. While fans were once worn out from John Calipari’s constant calls to “GO!”, this roster might benefit from that same pace. More transition offense, fewer sluggish half-court possessions, and a commitment to limiting turnovers could go a long way toward unlocking this team’s full potential.
Loyola averages 75.0 points per game and is led by Jacob Theodosiou, who is scoring 17.2 per night — more than any Kentucky player so far. The Greyhounds are shooting 46.3% from the field and 32.9% from three across six games.
Even with Kentucky missing two or three rotation players, the Wildcats should still handle this matchup comfortably. My prediction: Kentucky 91, Loyola 62, just shy of covering the 35.5-point spread they opened with Friday morning.
