LEXINGTON — The highly anticipated debut of Zvonimir Ivišić has been postponed indefinitely.
Ivišić, a member of Kentucky‘s freshman class of eight, is not yet cleared by the NCAA to compete against teams from outside the university. However, Ivišić is eligible to practice with the team and participate in intra-squad games and scrimmages.
Standing at 7-foot-2, Ivišić, a center from Croatia, will not be able to play in the exhibition game against Georgetown College at Rupp Arena on Friday. The Wildcats have one more exhibition game against Kentucky State on November 2 before their regular season opener against New Mexico State on November 6.
Ivišić was admitted to the university in early October. While fellow UK big men Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso recover from foot injuries, other members of the team will continue to strive to make an impact in preparation for the regular season.
In last week’s Blue-White scrimmage, freshman guard Rob Dillingham put on an impressive performance, recording game highs in points (40), assists (seven), and steals (four) in a 100-89 victory for the Blue team. Sophomore Adou Thiero, also playing for the Blue team, contributed 26 points (on 10-of-13 shooting) and nine rebounds. Freshman Jordan Burks added 20 points and five rebounds for the Blue team.
On the losing White team, freshmen Justin Edwards (26 points, 10 rebounds) and D.J. Wagner (25 points, seven rebounds, six assists), as well as seniors Tre Mitchell (14 points, game-high 14 rebounds) and Antonio Reeves (17 points), stood out.
“They all want to win, you could tell — they’re diving on the floor,” said UK coach John Calipari after the scrimmage. “And this is what practice looks like: competitive. I have some very competitive players. Winning matters — it’s about the will to win.
“And it can’t just be one player. It has to be a team full of players. And it seems like that’s what we have.”
Two players with fiery personalities who are likely to lead the team this season are Dillingham and Wagner, who showcased their competitiveness during the scrimmage. Calipari had no issue with it, as he has had other competitive guards in previous seasons who enjoyed such challenges in practice.
“The thing you don’t want is for one player to get hot, and then the other player tries to do more than they should,” Calipari explained. “But I thought they did pretty well.”
Here’s everything you need to know about Kentucky’s exhibition opener against Georgetown College, including the start time, TV and streaming information, and more:
Kentucky basketball vs. Georgetown College start time
UK and Georgetown College will tip off at 7 p.m. on Friday at Rupp Arena.
What channel is Kentucky vs. Georgetown College on today?
Laura Davis covers the world of basketball with precision. Her articles explore NBA and college basketball, offering game analysis, player profiles, and highlights. Laura’s passion for hoops is evident in her comprehensive basketball coverage.
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