Exciting Early Matchup: No. 8 Miami Heads to No. 12 Kentucky

On November 28th, No. 12 Kentucky will face a significant test as they take on No. 8 Miami (Fla.) at Rupp Arena in the debut of the SEC/ACC Challenge. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.

Miami, who made it to the Final Four in the 2023 college basketball season, comes into the game with a perfect 5-0 record, presenting a formidable challenge to Kentucky’s 5-1 record this season.

“Miami is a dangerous team,” said UK assistant coach Chuck Martin. “They’ve got four guards on the floor at any time, and their five-man is a hybrid, modern big man. Miami plays with confidence and has experienced players.”

Wooga Poplar, a 6-foot-5 junior guard, leads Miami in scoring with an average of 18 points per game, while Matthew Cleveland, a 6-7 guard, scores an impressive 16.8 points per game. The team also boasts Norchad Omier, a 6-7 junior who contributes 15.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

Meanwhile, Kentucky is coming off a dominant 118-82 win over Marshall, where they scored a record-breaking 69 points in the first half. D.J. Wagner led the scoring for Kentucky with 28 points, while Antonio Reeves and Tre Mitchell added 23 and 18 points, respectively.

With Miami shooting close to 46% from 3-point range, Kentucky will need to be prepared for long rebounds.

Furthermore, there was some positive news on Aaron Bradshaw, who has been recovering from an ankle injury. UK head coach John Calipari mentioned on his radio show that Bradshaw had a promising practice. Although Bradshaw won’t play against Miami (Fla.), his full participation in practice is a positive sign for the team.