Kentucky’s vs. South Carolina on Saturday at the Rupp Arena was set for a midday tip on ESPN.
Saturday’s game is rescheduled from the original date of 29 December. That game was postponed due to a combination of positive tests, contact tracking and subsequent quarantine of individuals within the South Carolina men’s basketball program. The decision to postpone was consistent with SEC COVID-19 management requirements.
The rescheduled game will close the UK’s regular season schedule. The Wildcats’ previously postponed game against Texas A&M on February 23 will not be rescheduled, nor will their previously postponed conference game against the Detroit Mercy, which was originally set for November 27. Kentucky will end with 24 regular season games with 17 in league play.
The Wildcats play at Ole Miss on Tuesday at 9 pm ET for their last road game of the season.
Tickets purchased for the original December 29th date with South Carolina will still be valid for the rescheduled game against Gamecocks on March 6th. UK ticket holders will receive an email communication if additional changes are made to the Kentucky schedule.
Given the unusual nature of this season – specifically, the current unknowns regarding postponed games being rescheduled or canceled games being replaced – UK Athletics appreciates the continued support, flexibility and understanding of its ticket holders. If circumstances change during the season and games are canceled and not rescheduled, UK Athletics will evaluate the credit and refund options for the portion of the ticket payment at the end of the season.
The UK will play Gamecocks for the first time this season. South Carolina enters the final week of the regular season 6-12 overall and 4-10 in the SEC game.
Kentucky has a 52-13 record against Gamecocks, including 28-2 at the Rupp Arena. South Carolina defeated Wildcats 81-78 last season in a hoot in Columbia, South Carolina.
The Wildcats are playing their best basketball of the season towards the 2020-21 final stretch. The UK won three consecutive games – including an impressive 70-55 victory last weekend at No. 19/20 Tennessee – going to Saturday’s game against Florida before losing a heartbreaker 71-67.
The United Kingdom has an average of 76.2 points per game and 40.0% of 3 and 79.8% of the free-throw line in the last five games. Kentucky scored 80 or more points in three consecutive games against Arkansas, Auburn and Vanderbilt after doing this just twice before that period.
Advance Isaiah Jackson, who was named SEC’s freshman on Monday, has an average of 13.8 points and 7.0 rebounds in the last five games and graduated from guard Davion Mintz leads the team with an average score of 14.8 and 16 points out of 3 points.
The South Carolina game was the first of four UK games affected by the COVID-19 security protocols. In addition to the South Carolina and Texas A&M games, the November 27 game of the Wildcats against the Detroit Mercy was postponed – and now canceled – due to a combination of positive tests, contact tracking and subsequent quarantine of individuals within the program. Detroit Mercy and the SEC / Big 12 Vs. Texas on January 30 was canceled after the UK was put on a break after a combination of positive tests, contact tracking and subsequent quarantine of individuals within the program.