The University of Kentucky hosted the 50th Anniversary Celebration for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Tuesday at the Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall.
The event hosted a dynamic celebration with live entertainment and a panel discussion to recognize King’s work as a civil rights leader in the United States.
UK Vice President for Institutional Diversity Katrice Albert, introduced the choir “Uniting Voices Chicago,” organized around efforts of global leadership and uniting a diverse community.
The choir does so through the power of music. One of the songs performed at the event was with the repeated chorus of “We Are United.”
Albert said music “has (a) unifying impact on people.”
This was reflected in the 50th anniversary celebration of the federal holiday Martin Luther King Jr. Day where people stood in unity for racial and social peace.
The panel featured former NAACP KY representative John Johnson, civil rights and social justice activist Mattie Jones and civil rights leader and Freedom Singer Charles Neblett, all of whom share a background in civil
rights activism.
An additional featured panelist Aaron-Ann Cole Funfsinn, a board member of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, spoke with journalist and moderator Betty Baye. The two shared their experiences and stories in a segregated USA, as well as their hopes and motivations.
Some of the other featured guests spoke on personal stories of discrimination and segregation as well.
Jones told a story of being denied a work-study position while attending university in the 50s and the time spent devoting her life towards civil rights activism and social justice.
She later joined the Black Workers Coalition and worked alongside Neblett and Johnson to continue their ongoing fight against segregation and inequality.
“Freedom is not free, it costs,” Jones said. “We have not killed racism.”
Neblett agreed and said society must continue to make chang-
es against present-day acts of white supremacy.
Johnson joined his calls for action where he encouraged the audience to get involved and said the movement continues.
The panelists were awarded with a standing ovation and the choir concluded the event with a final performance.
This is Humans of UK, inspired by the Humans of New York Instagram series by photographer and autho Brandon Stanton. This series dives into the individuals of UK as well as their stories, strifes and passions.
Aaron Williams was on his way to pick up his girlfriend in 2015 for his junior year homecoming, a moment he should’ve remembered forever.
Forty-eight days later, Williams woke up from a coma in a hospital bed at the Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital with no recollection of how he got there.
“I don't remember the crash,” he said.
Williams later learned his car hydroplaned from the pouring rain, hit a tree and caught on fire before he ever got to his girlfriend’s. Two strangers pulled him out of the car, saving him from the fire.
“The next point I remember was waking up, the first day I woke up from my coma,” he said.
The first night in the hospital, the neurologist told his parents he had only a 10% chance of living through the night and, later that week, a 90% chance of being mentally or physically handicapped for the rest of his life.
Due to the crash, he was left with a traumatic brain injury affecting the left side of his brain and the right side of his body. This impacted motor skills such as the rate of speed he can write with his right hand.
Nonetheless, Williams defied such odds, walking out of the hospital 60 days after the accident. In his words, he is now living his everyday life with no handicaps, only difficulties.
However, the process of getting there was far from easy.
“I had to relearn everything,” he said.
During the three years following the accident, Williams underwent multiple forms of therapy to be where he is today, including speech, physical, occupational, visionary and even some musical.
Williams's vision became impaired afterwards, causing him to see double and wear glasses with special prisms to prevent him from seeing such.
He said he had to relearn all of his motor skills like walking, talking and eating, actions he took for granted prior to the accident, humbling him into the better version of himself today.
The simplest of tasks were challenging, like being able to swallow liquids again. While in treatment, Williams had a tracheostomy to help him with his breathing, as well as a feeding tube that affected the overall strength of his throat. A thickener was added to his liquids to allow for easier swallowing.
Despite the challenges, he found silver linings through the process.
One day while he was still in the hospital, a friend texted him “(G)oing to Cane’s, what do you want?” where he responded with “chicken and a sweet tea.” The nurse later walked in to check his vitals and became mad once she saw the sweet tea.
Williams laughs at the story now and shares how once she had added the thickener into his tea, the flavor was ultimately ruined.
As he got closer to his release date, the amount of visitors slowed down, but his parents were always there for him as well as his faith.
“Faith has always been important in my life, and I would say … my recovery and the car wreck and everything just made my faith stronger,” he said.
Williams is now enjoying life as a college student, studying civil engineering, and is back to his favorite hobbies of hunting, fishing and spending time outdoors.
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Panelists Betty Baye, Aaron-Ann Funfsinn, Mattie Jones, John Johnson and Charles Neblett, left to right, raise their fists during the Civil Rights Leader Panel at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 50th Anniversary Celebration on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, at the Singletary Center in Lexington, Kentucky.
ISABEL MCSWAIN | STAFF
Kentucky Wildcats forward Oscar Tshiebwe (34) celebrates a play during the Kentucky vs. LSU mens basketball game on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
Members of the Lexington community rallied for the annual Freedom March to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday afternoon.
This year’s march was the 50th anniversary of Lexington’s MLK Day observance. Participants made their way through
downtown Lexington, singing and holding posters that read “Black Lives Matter,” “My Brother’s Keeper” and “Stop the Violence.”
The march started on West Vine Street, traveled a few streets of downtown and eventually returned to Rupp Arena.
Many organizations also walked with posters and banners representing their institution. The
Justice Resource Center, Lexington African American Sports Hall of Fame and The Lexington School made an appearance.
Lexington’s fire chief, Jason Wells, has participated in the Freedom March for several years and said the community can be the change that society needs to see to live out Dr. King’s dreams.
“The Lexington Fire Department is proud to be a part of this
event,” Wells said. “We’re proud to hopefully help set the standard in our community for what diversity, equity and inclusion can look like.”
The Freedom March is a tradition for other members of the community as well. Roger Holsey, a representative for the Justice Resource Center, has been marching for over 20 years. This year he was carrying a sign that
said “No justice, no peace.” He said that he has had the sign for years and has used it for protests in both Lexington and Frankfort.
James Pelfrey, a veteran from Eastern Kentucky, has lived all over the United States and said Lexington is the most racist and prejudiced city.
“I was evicted from my house because I had a Black guy named Moses living there,” Pelfrey said. “I’m here to represent all of the Black people that have been mistreated over the years.”
Pelfrey has been homeless for nine months and said he has his mind set on bettering his community.
Wanda Wallen, a local Lexingtonian, has been marching for five years, and this year she spent her time chanting in her megaphone.
“(The march means) a bunch of people of many, many colors walking and marching together for the same reason, which is equality, freedom and justice for all,” Wallen said.
The march brought participants from across the state. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear walked at the front of the crowd alongside UK president Eli Capilouto.
“This is an incredible event of people coming together trying to live out what Dr. King preached every day: being together, standing up for equality, walking arm and arm towards justice and that better day,” Beshear said.
As a result of a mother’s carelessness, many families spent the first days of the new year in fear for their children’s safety.
“Our children shouldn’t have to live like this in our schools,” user Deanna James-Blackburn commented in a Facebook group against gun violence.
In Newport, Virginia, a sixyear-old shot and severely wounded first grade teacher Abigail Zwerner in the middle of her lesson. The boy brought the handgun to school. It was purchased by his mother.
Let’s break this down: A sixyear-old child brought a gun to school with him. A first-grader was able to obtain and use a firearm. Furthermore, a gun and ammunition were left in reach of a child.
It’s difficult to put into words, but it is extremely alarming for the safety of our nation that a child can reach and shoot a gun.
The ease of access of guns for adults is disturbing enough. But children with easy access to guns due to their guardians’ negligence is unbelievably shocking.
The 26 lives lost in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, should have served as a catalyst for change, but 10 years later, 21 lives were taken
in Ulvade, Texas, in an alarmingly similar situation at Robb Elementary School.
It shouldn’t take thousands of children dying for the nation to understand the effects of firearm carelessness and the ease at which firearms can be obtained in the U.S.
Despite the severity of a parent losing their child, certain far-right conspiracists have decided to use these shootings as
over a billion dollars after Sandy Hook families sued him for defamation. The lawsuit resulted in him eventually filing for bankruptcy.
The right to bear arms has become so deeply entrenched in some people’s minds that freedom has become more important than a child’s safety.
I don’t think that all guns should be taken away. It doesn’t need to be that radical. People with adequate personal and mental health background checks who keep their firearm far away from children should be able to own a handgun if they choose to. But the fact that it is easier for a child to obtain a firearm than certain cold medicines is simply outrageous.
Something has to change or nothing ever will. The pernicious advocacy for more firearm freedom and less restrictions continues to cause these devastating shootings that leave children and families living in fear.
an opportunity to twist the narrative for their own gain.
Alex Jones, far-right radio host and conspiracy theorist, wasted no time creating conspiracies surrounding the Sandy Hook shooting just hours after it took place.
Jones theorized that the shooting was planned by the government as a way to take away the freedom of firearms. He added that the families of the chil-
dren and adults who were shot were involved.
Jones’ lies caused the families to become vulnerable to online threats and harassment by other conspiracists.
Jones was so concerned with his rights being taken away that, in his thirst for freedom in bearing firearms, he damaged every family or person affected by gun violence.
Jones’ ignorance cost him
Gun violence should not be on a political agenda. The safety of children cannot be equated to social and political hierarchy.
So I ask this to those who support loose gun laws without any consideration for others: how many children have to die before the nation as a whole realizes the gravity of carelessness? Is your political gain more important than the life of a child?
The University of Idaho murders highlight America's love, deep-seated obsession and desensitization towards everything macabre and dark.
The town of Moscow, Idaho, is facing international attention in the wake of the murders of four of its U of I students: Kaylee Gonglaves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen.
The murders, which occurred on Nov. 13, 2022, have become a hot topic on TikTok. Numerous amateur true crime sleuths took to the app, trying to pick apart the case. They pointed out chilling facts about the alleged killer, Bryan Kohberger, as well.
Because of the immense interest and the possibility of cracking the case, many of these TikTok users spread misinformation regarding the night of the murder, the possibility of multiple suspects (before Kohberger was arrested as the sole suspect) and questioned the stories of the two surviving roommates.
Some users criticized the roommates' reaction to the killings and questioned how they survived the horrific night.
Others found fault with the way the victims' families
grieved at the vigil held for the four.
This case also shows the way in which many users on TikTok see the murders as an opportunity to put in their two cents, raise popularity on their individual accounts or act out their desires of being true crime investigators and detectives to help solve the murders.
With the release of the affidavit provided by Brett Payne of the Moscow Police Department, avid TikTok creators took to the platform to call into question how one of the survivors, D.M, as addressed in the document, opened her bedroom door and saw the perpetrator walk by her and out of the house.
Many questioned how D.M could have seen the perpetrator and survived, and others criticize her for not calling for help and instead locking herself in her room.
The criticism of D.M shows the disconnect of humanity and the visceral way in which those behind a screen get the courage to say harmful things or give their unwanted opinions in the comfort of their homes.
In all honesty, we have no right to criticize the way in which the survivors managed to stay alive. In situations like these, you have no idea how
ILLUSTRATION BY AKHILA NADIMPALLIyou will react to immediate danger, and fight or flight is a very real response to immediate danger.
Freezing and becoming stuck
in fear or shock in response to a threat on your life is also commonplace, and we should be giving these victims grace, not debating the methods of
their survival.
In many cases, social media can help in solving a case or finding a suspect, but the gravity in which people took to solving this case and adopting it as their own shows the way many Americans enjoy watching true crime play out in real time and treating it like a Netflix documentary series.
They are entertained by the murders, the manhunt and the uncovering of the night Kaylee Gonglaves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen’s lives were taken by Bryan Kohberger.
And yes, this case is important to follow — it is unbelievable that the behaviors and actions of Kohberger were not monitored sooner or looked upon as suspicious even more so, but this case is not a true crime documentary about a murder from years ago; it’s not fictionalized like “Law and Order” nor meant for our entertainment.
This is a real case, with real loss of life, victims and families still grieving over the deaths of their loved ones taken just three months ago. Be sensitive, be respectful and most of all do not treat this case as a form of entertainment, the legacy of their lives is worth more than that.
Famed writer, director and producer Ryan Murphy was granted the Carol Burnett Award at the 80th Golden Globes on Jan. 10.
The award, which was created and first given at the 78th Golden Globes, was created in order to “honor excellence in television” both on-screen and off. As Murphy’s acceptance speech touched the lives of many and his work continues to inspire, the legacy of his career is important to reflect upon.
Murphy, best known for creating series like “Glee” as well as the “American Horror Story” and the “American Crime Story” anthologies, began his career in journalism. His foray into film began in the late 1990s when his script for “Why Can’t I Be Audrey Hepburn?” was purchased by legendary director and producer Steven Spielberg.
He kicked off his own career when he wrote and directed “Nip/Tuck,” for which he earned his first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.
Murphy gained the most notoriety for the hit comedy/musical series “Glee,” which earned him his first Emmy award for directing. Following the success of
“Glee,” Murphy would go on to direct the “American Horror Story” and “American Crime Story” anthologies, which also gained cult-like followings and skyrocketed his career to new heights.
Though these are all great accomplishments, Murphy’s acceptance speech at the Globes highlighted the underlying issues he has both faced and overcome during the course of his career.
Murphy began his speech by giving backstories of several LGBTQ figures he has worked with and become familiar with during his time in the industry.
The director highlighted names like Billy Porter and Niecy Nash as well as some lesser-known figures like MJ Rodriguez, the first transgender woman to win a Golden Globe for Murphy’s series “Pose” in 2022, in his speech. These individuals all overcame significant struggles with their career, family, background and sense of self due to their gender identity or sexuality.
Murphy can relate. He was born in 1965 to a Catholic family in Indiana and struggled with his own sexuality. He found LGBTQ representation in film and media to be sparse, which led to struggles throughout his childhood and career.
“When I was a young person at home in the 70s watching ‘The Carol Burnett Show,’ I never,
ever saw a person like me getting an award or even being a character on a TV show,” Murphy said in his acceptance speech.
Since then, LGBTQ representation has become somewhat of a norm in many media productions. The members of this community can now express themselves through characters in shows and movies as well as create better examples of what true representation can look like in the arts.
Though much has changed since Murphy’s childhood in the 1970s, there is still a lot of work to be done. However, he has looked on the bright side and worked his hardest to make LGBTQ children today feel loved and represented in their favorite TV series and films.
“My mission was to take the invisible, the unloved, and make them the heroes I longed to see but never did in pop culture,” Murphy said of his
inclusive content.
Throughout his career so far, Murphy has made this possible. He offers his own story and the story of his friends and colleagues as a sort of “North Star” to all kids struggling with their own identities and situations.
Because of this, Murphy is able to inspire so many and continue the work that is most important in the entertainment industry: telling the stories that matter.
The “Across the (By)Line” series will give Kentucky basketball fans an in-depth look at their opponent for this week — from the mind of the opposing school’ssportseditor.
Thisweek:TheBattalion,GrantGaspard,TexasA&M
After a thrilling end to last season, how do you think this season has gone so far based on expectations?
It’s safe to say that the first half of the season did not meet our expectations after the run Texas A&M had in the SEC Tournament and then the run in the NIT before losing in the championship to Xavier. With additions such as transfers Julius Marble, Dexter Dennis and four-star freshman Soloman Washington, fans were hoping that these athletes would fill (the holes left by key departures) and pick up exactly where they left off. However, that wasn’t the case. They lost must-win games against Murray State, Colorado, Boise State and even Memphis. Coach Buzz Williams realized that his players weren’t aware of what it took to win at the Division-1 level and the team dialed in and went to work. Dennis has finally brought the defensive intensity and the outside scoring that they needed, JMarble became the menace in the paint offensively and defensively that A&M had desired him to be at the start and after starting the season as a starter, Washington has been more valuable coming off the bench and has been a problem to opposing teams defensively. Wade Taylor IV has done a great job at getting others involved, hitting his shots from deep and creat-
ing significant turnovers on defense and leading the charge on fastbreaks. He leads the team in points per game, assists per game and steals and that doesn’t even come close to defining the impact he makes on this team. Tyrece Radford had a rough start to the season, however, after their last loss at home against Wofford, he has averaged 15.3 points per game and A&M has not lost a game since. The team has finally filled out and the team is playing how the fans expected them to play and the nation has seen that with their current 4-0 start in conference play.
It was a close contest last season between these two teams. Do you expect another tough battle this season or do you expect one team to have the advantage?
With the current run of the Aggies, I believed that this game on the road to Kentucky would be a cakewalk. With the loss away to Missouri and the loss at home to South Carolina, I saw a weakness in the heavy armor that Kentucky carries. However, this was until I watched its past two games against Tennessee on the road and Georgia at home. After Kentucky’s recent struggles throughout the season, I believed that the SEC was A&M’s for the taking, or Alabama’s, but Oscar Tshiebwe’s leadership and his willingness to gather the troops and remind his teammates what it means to wear blue and white (changed that). I expect another tough battle, this time in Rupp Arena.
Both teams currently have something to prove, what is it about this Aggies team that is going to give Kentucky trouble? What is the key to a potential TAMU victory?
As I mentioned under the question
above, if A&M doubles Oscar in the paint and forces him to get rid of the ball, that will be one of the keys to victory. Win the rebound battle and continue to be a pest defensively like they have been the past four games. I would force Toppin to take over the game and prevent Sahvir Wheeler from making an impact offensively. Wheeler is one of the best guards in the nation and is capable of getting his teammates open as he averages over six assists per game. Antonio Reeves is also one of the better scorers for Kentucky this season so forcing him to take difficult shots will be key. Wheeler, Tshiebwe and Reeves are Kentucky’s game-changers, so if A&M has any chance of winning, prevent those guys from making an impact and force Jacob Toppin to beat them alone.
I believe that A&M will get off to an early lead at the beginning of the game and will hold this lead throughout the matchup until the end. However, controlling leads against teams with talented guards has been a weakness, including against Missouri, where they allowed multiple runs and an almost comeback win. This time, especially on the road, they can’t allow this to happen. I believe A&M will lead the majority of the game and that Kentucky will catch fire and keep it close before A&M runs away with the five-point victory. Kentucky has always been the team to beat in the SEC, however they have only shown glimpses of this a couple of times this season. This will be a revenge game for the Fightin’ Farmers.
If there was any question regarding the resolve and determination of Oscar Tshiebwe, Tuesday night’s performance showed why no one should write him off.
The winner of the 2021 Wooden Award, Tshiebwe was a force on both the offensive and defensive end last season, averaging 17.4 points per game and 15.2 rebounds per game, but after struggling in the early games this year, Tshiebwe’s dedication was called into question.
Now, with hindsight, his lack of production may have stemmed from his offseason knee surgery and, despite missing a handful of preseason and early games, having featured in every game since the Champions Classic.
Looking back to the present, Tuesday night’s game against Georgia was a statement for the 6-foot-9 forward.
Being criticized by head coach John Calipari for slacking off in the gym prior to the game, Tshiebwe proved why he is the focal point of this Wildcats team and picked up a career-high 37 points that were complemented by 24 rebounds — the first time a Wildcat recorded 35 points and 20 rebounds since February 1976.
The big man was an unstoppable force that, at times, seemed to single-handedly lead the Cats to a second half comeback and defeat Georgia 85-71.
Calipari was pleased with how Tshiebwe battled back after a handful of subpar games.
“For the last two weeks, he and Adou (Thiero) have lived in the gym,” Calipari said. “That’s how you build your confidence, that’s how you build your stamina. You know what I told him? Dunk every ball. Quit laying balls in. Jump up. But he had to get in the gym to be that way.”
JACK WEAVER | STAFFKentucky Wildcats forward Oscar Tshiebwe (34) shoots the ball during the No. 19 Kentucky vs. Florida A&M mens basketball game on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
Despite sporting an eyebrow-raising record of 12-6, including shocking losses against South Carolina at home and a blowout defeat against Alabama, Calipari felt that his squad just needed the right motivation to be the team he knew they could be.
“I told them prior to the game, did you like the taste in your mouth 10 days ago or the one after Saturday? Well, then let’s get that taste back in our mouth,” Calipari said. “After the game, I said, ‘When are you going to start believing what I’m telling you,’ because I believe in these guys. I really do.”
While Tshiebwe’s stat line was impressive in its own right, what was potentially even more impressive was his development into a consistent free throw shooter.
Last season Tshiebwe averaged 69% from the stripe, but his dedication to improving upon that number has shown, especially in the last four games.
Since the defeat at Alabama, Tshiebwe has shot 25 for 34 from the line, averaging 73% and consistently capitalizing on his trips.
“It helped us a lot (making free throws). Free throws helped us in the
game against Tennessee. If we were not making free throws, we had no chance to win,” Tshiebwe said. “I like how the defense was playing. They just locked in and just tried to stop the ball. That’s what everybody is now in the gym.”
Tshiebwe’s improvement over the last two weeks has impressed his teammates, notably guard duo Cason Wallace and Antonio Reeves.
“He was a beast today, that is the Oscar (Tshiebwe) we have been waiting for,” Reeves said. “He just went out and was the old Oscar. He rebounded, got put backs and dunked it. That is what we needed.”
Reeves, who is second on the team in points per game, is a consistent 3-point shooter and helps to spread the floor, which has likely contributed to Tshiebwe’s many one-on-one looks he saw against Georgia.
Wallace was also more than pleased to see Tshiebwe’s dominant performance, but knows that he never wants his individual performance to take away from team success.
“I don’t even think he knew. He’s just team-oriented, he’s not worried about himself,” Wallace said. “He looked up and he was like ‘Dang, I’m doing pretty good,’ but I don’t think he was trying to force it and chase those stats.”
Without Tshiebwe’s impressive performances, it’s hard to imagine the Wildcats would be in the position they are now, having won back-to-back conference games and seeming to be on an upward trajectory.
The team and Tshiebwe will have another opportunity to prove themselves on Saturday, Jan. 21 against the Texas A&M Aggies. Tipoff against the Aggies is currently scheduled for 2 p.m. EST and will air live on ESPN.
Kentucky mens basketball earned a hard-fought 85-71 win over Georgia on Tuesday night, notching its second-consecutive conference win for the first time all season.
While there were plenty of highlights in the win, including Oscar Tshiebwe’s thrilling 37-point-24rebound double-double that was critical in paving the way to victory, it also marked the first time this season in which Kentucky was able to claim victory after trailing at the halfway point.
Kentucky shot an abysmal 33% from the field in the first half, leading the team to enter the halfway point trailing the Bulldogs 42-34.
Tshiebwe, to his credit, had scored 14 points by the break, but the rest of the team was severely lacking in offensive production, making just 11 total shots as a team and seven total shots excluding “Big O.”
The second half was a completely different story for the Cats, though, surging on offense to shooting 54% from the field and 43.9% cumulatively.
Two Wildcats recorded double-digit point totals in the second half alone, most notably Tshiebwe, who scored 23, with four Cats finishing the game with double-digit point totals.
The reigning consensus national player of the year was critical for the surge, making Kentucky’s first nine points of the half, and the first five points of the half at all, and go -
ing 8-9 from the field in the final 20.
Freshman point guard Cason Wallace also found his rhythm, scoring 11 points with five made field goals after finishing the first half with six points.
As a team, the Wildcats recorded a staggering 51 points in the second half alone while limiting the Bulldogs to just 29 for an eventual 8571 victory.
Heading into the game, Kentucky was 0-6 when trailing at halftime, having found themselves down at the break in every single loss of the season.
In their first loss of the season, an 86-77 double-overtime loss to Michigan State in the Champions Classic, the Wildcats trailed by just two points at the half, finding themselves down 36-34.
The team was able to out-score the Spartans 28-26 in the second half to go into overtime but was only able to muster 15 total points in extra time compared to MSU’s 24.
Moving on to Kentucky’s loss to then No. 2 Gonzaga, the Wildcats were abysmal in the first half, entering the break trailing 41-25. The team was able to battle back to almost take the lead but ultimately lost their footing at the end and were unable to overcome the deficit, losing 88-72.
Looking at the CBS Sports Classic, Kentucky once again failed to score 30 in the first half, trailing the No. 16 UCLA Bruins 35-27 after 20 minutes. Once again being out-scored in the second half, the Cats were ultimately defeated 63-53.
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Kentucky’s next loss cme in its SEC opener against Missouri in Columbia, which saw the Cats finally score 30 in the first half of a loss again but give up 42 in the process. The Kentucky offense then surged to score 45 in the second half, but poor defending gave up 47 points for a cumulative 8975 loss.
In the next loss, the throttling in Tuscaloosa at the hands of current No. 4 Alabama, Kentucky entered the break trailing 35-24 after, yet again, a poor offensive performance. Somehow the second half would be even worse for Kentucky, being out-scored 43-28 for the final score of 78-52.
In UK’s most recent loss, a shocking home loss to South Carolina that ended a 28-game home winning streak, Kentucky entered the break trailing 42-32. Despite beating the Gamecocks in the second half, the 10-point hole was too much to overcome as the Cats were bested 71-68.
Finally overcoming the hump of being unable to dig out of halftime deficits, Kentucky now looks to continue its recent resurgence, now standing at .500 in conference play.
The Wildcats will have an opportunity to earn a winning record in SEC play for the first time all season on Saturday, hosting Texas A&M inside Rupp Arena. Tip off against the Aggies is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST and will air live on ESPN.
Kentucky womens basketball (9-9) won its first SEC game of the season this past Sunday, defeating Florida 81-75.
With the win, the Cats now seek consecutive SEC victories as they travel to Starkville to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs are also looking for consecutive conference wins for the first time this season after knocking down Texas A&M on Monday night.
Mississippi State, led by Sam Purcell, currently sits at 13-5 overall and 2-3 in the SEC with wins over the Aggies and Vanderbilt.
The Bulldogs had lost three in a row prior to the victory against Texas A&M to Ole Miss, Tennessee and South Carolina.
Offensively, the Bulldogs average 73.1 points while only allowing opponents to score 52.5, a scoring margin of 21.2.
Purcell’s squad is also currently shooting 45% from the field while drilling 35% of attempts from beyond the arc.
Jessika Carter is the biggest threat on offense for the Bulldogs, averaging 14.8 points on 56.9% shooting from the field. She also averages 8.4 rebounds per
game.
JerKaila Jordan is also one to watch as she currently averages 10.9 points per game while shooting 43.1% from the field. Jordan has also proven to be very capable from deep as she shoots 35.8% from the 3-point range.
Debrasha Powe is also capable of causing trouble for the Cats, currently averaging 10.6 points a game while shooting 43.8% from the field.
Going further down the roster, Ahlana Smith is currently shooting 41.7% from beyond the arc, while Asianae Johnson joins her as a threat from deep, going 10-20 from three so far this season.
If they hope to secure victory, the Cats will need to have a better shooting performance than they did against Florida.
In Gainesville, Kentucky shot 40% from the field and just 12.5% from beyond the arc but managed to hit 82% of its free throws to claim the first victory in the SEC for Kyra Elzy’s squad.
Now with that win under their belt and confidence likely restored, the Cats will look to build on their momentum and earn consecutive victories in the SEC for the first time since the team won 10 straight games to finish the regular season
Kentucky Wildcats guard Maddie Scherr (22) shoots a free throw during the Kentucky vs. No. 7 LSU womens basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
and win the SEC Tournament last season with eventual No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick Rhyne Howard. Kentucky and Mississip -
pi State are set to tip off at 1 p.m. EST in Starkville, Mississippi, with the game set to air live on the SEC Network.
After making school history last season, finishing as the runner-up to the NCAA Championship, Kentucky mens tennis now looks to rekindle the magic in the 2023 season.
Kentucky’s run last year was the furthest the Cats had ever gone in the tournament, receiving a plethora of recognitions for their efforts including four Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) regional awards with seven different players reaching an ITA ranking at some point during the season.
Although the sweeping loss to Virginia in the NCAA Men’s National Championship put an abrupt end to the Wildcats’ season, it did not take away from the successes the Cats returned home with.
Kicking off the 2023 season, Kentucky earned its highest ever preseason ITA ranking, standing at No. 4 in the nation under head coach Cedric Kauffmann, who is in his 11th year with the Wildcats.
The Cats kicked off the spring season on Jan. 18, sweeping a home double header against Dayton, but the new year also brought a lot of chang-
es to the roster.
Kentucky returned 2021 ITA National Player of the Year Liam Draxl, who is likely to continue leading the Wildcats as the No. 1 singles position just as he has for the past three seasons.
In 2022 Draxl finished with a 16-7 singles record and finished the season at No. 6 in the ITA singles rankings.
Joshua Lapadat is another familiar face on the roster this season.
Lapadat also appeared in the final ITA singles rankings at the end of the season at No. 14 and now hopes to build off that success in his junior year.
Joining Draxl and Lapadat at the top of the roster for the Wildcats are transfers Alafia Ayeni from Cornell and Taha Baadi from Wake Forest.
Ayeni, a 6-foot-3 fifth-year from California, wrapped up last season at No. 48 in the ITA singles rankings, being named to the All-Ivy-League first-team in singles – finishing 19-6 – and doubles.
Baadi also adds more depth to the Wildcats’ roster, having an undefeated 5-0 doubles record last year and a 15-7 singles record, even finishing the regular season on a six-match win streak.
A pair of international freshman will also make an appearance in Lexington this season with Charlelie Cosnet from France and Jaden Weekes from Canada both set to start their collegiate careers with ATP rankings points already to their names.
While the new season brings much excitement to Kentucky, fans will no doubt miss former stars Mllien Hurrion, Gabriel Diallo and Francois Musitelli, all of whom helped lead the Cats on their historic postseason run.
Looking at where the former Wildcats are now, Diallo announced his decision to pursue professional tennis after the conclusion of the 2022 fall season.
a 38-8 record.
Former team captain Hurrion graduated from UK in May 2022 and has since returned home to the United Kingdom to pursue his professional career, while former international teammate Musitelli, from France, went down a similar path as he continues to play professionally across Europe.
Looking back to the current Wildcats’ squad, the stacked roster opened the season on Wednesday morning with the aforementioned sweep of Dayton at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
With final scores of 5-0 and 4-0, Kentucky achieved the doubles point in both matches and shut down the Flyers in singles as well, not allowing Dayton to walk away with a single point.
Draxl in particular shined in the second match against Dayton, finishing with a pair of 6-0 wins in the singles matchups.
The rest of the season includes high-profile matchups against No. 10 South Carolina on March 2, No. 7 Georgia on March 31, No. 6 Tennessee on April 2 and a revenge match against the reigning national champions No. 1 Virginia on Feb. 3.
JACK WEAVER | STAFFLast year, Diallo was named to the ITA 2022 All-American Team for singles, finishing with
While the team will have a lot of work to do to live up to the historic run of last season, the 2023 season couldn’t have had a better start for the Cats. Kentucky returns to play on Saturday, Jan. 21, when it hosts Illinois at 1 p.m. EST.