Something I've referenced multiple times over the past year on the Eye On College Basketball Podcast is how @CBKReport — which is an account on X, formerly known as Twitter — highlighted in February how teams that brought in seven or more transfers in advance of last season were largely not good.
Could Kentucky run counter to that trend this season?
It's looking that way.
As you likely know, not a single person who played for John Calipari at Kentucky last season is playing for Mark Pope at Kentucky this season. The first-year Wildcats coach was forced to start from scratch upon being hired in April, which led him to the transfer portal, where he added -- deep breath -- Otega Oweh from Oklahoma, Lamont Butler from San Diego State, Jaxon Robinson from BYU, Koby Brea from Dayton, Andrew Carr from Wake Forest, Amari Williams from Drexel, Ansley Almonor from Fairleigh Dickinson, Brandon Garrison from Oklahoma State and Kerr Kriisa from West Virginia.
Right now, those nine players represent UK's top nine scorers. Right now, those nine players have the Wildcats off to a 9-1 start this season following Saturday night's 90-89 overtime victory against Gonzaga in Seattle.
"Jaxson put on his cape," Pope answered when longtime college basketball insider Andy Katz asked him how UK came from 18 down to upset the Zags. "He just put on his cape and said, 'Listen, I'll go do this.'"
Then he went and did it.
The fifth-year player who followed Pope from BYU to Kentucky took 15 shots, made seven of them and finished with 18 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal. His big performance was needed given that Butler, the Wildcats' second-leading scorer, was sidelined with an ankle injury.
The come-from-behind victory pushed Kentucky up to No. 5 in Sunday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings, which caused Kansas to be pushed down one spot, no fault of its own. UK's next game is Wednesday against Colgate. After that, next Saturday, it's the Wildcats' annual showdown with in-state rival Louisville.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
| Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | -- | 8-0 | |
Chaz Lanier finished with 26 points and four rebounds in Tuesday's 96-70 win over Syracuse. The Vols' next game is Tuesday against Miami.
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| 2 | -- | 7-1 | |
Denver Jones was 0 of 4 from the field in Wednesday's 84-78 loss at Duke. The Tigers' next game is Sunday against Richmond.
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| 3 | -- | 6-1 | |
Keshon Gilbert finished with 24 points and seven assists in Wednesday's 81-70 win over Marquette. The Cyclones' next game is Sunday against Jackson State.
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| 4 | -- | 9-1 | |
Kam Jones finished with 32 points and six assists in Saturday's 88-74 win over Wisconsin. The Golden Eagles' next game is Saturday at Dayton.
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| 5 | 1 | 8-1 | |
Andrew Carr finished with 19 points and seven rebounds in Sunday's 90-89 overtime win over Gonzaga. The Wildcats' next game is Wednesday against Colgate.
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| 6 | 1 | 7-1 | |
Hunter Dickinson was held to four points in Wedesday's 76-63 loss at Creighton. The Jayhawks' next game is Sunday at Missouri.
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| 7 | -- | 6-2 | |
Cooper Flagg finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds in Wednesday's 84-78 win over Auburn. The Blue Devils' next game is Sunday at Louisville.
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| 8 | 1 | 9-0 | |
Jackson Shelstad finished with 24 points and two rebounds in Wednesday's 68-60 win at USC. The Ducks' next game is Sunday against UCLA.
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| 9 | 1 | 7-2 | |
Mark Sears finished with 20 points and seven assists in Wednesday's 94-79 win at North Carolina. The Crimson Tide's next game is Dec. 14 against Creighton.
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| 10 | 2 | 7-2 | |
Khalif Battle had three turnovers and one assist in Saturday's 90-89 overtime loss to Kentucky. The Zags' next game is Saturday against UConn.
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| 11 | -- | 7-1 | |
PG Haggerty finished with 23 points and six assists in Wednesday's 81-71 win over Louisiana Tech. The Tigers' next game is Sunday against Arkansas State.
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| 12 | -- | 7-2 | |
Fletcher Loyer scored 15 points, but was 3 of 10 from the field in Purdue's 81-70 loss to Penn State on Thursday. The Boilermakers' next game is Sunday at home vs. Maryland.
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| 13 | -- | 8-2 | |
Jaden Akins finished with 18 points and two rebounds in Saturday's 89-52 win over Nebraska. The Spartans' next game is Tuesday against Oakland.
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| 14 | -- | 8-1 | |
Sean Pedulla finished with 19 points and six rebounds in Saturday's 86-53 win over Lindenwood. The Rebels' next game is Saturday against Southern Miss.
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| 15 | -- | 8-1 | |
Ja'Kobi Gillespie finished with 23 points and four assists in Wednesday's 83-59 win over Ohio State. The Terrapins' next game is Sunday at Purdue.
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| 16 | -- | 8-1 | |
Vladislav Goldin finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday's 85-83 win over Iowa. The Wolverines' next game is Tuesday against Arkansas.
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| 17 | 1 | 9-0 | |
Will Richard finished with 27 points and four assists in Wednesday's 87-69 win over Virginia. The Gators' next game is Dec. 14 against Arizona State.
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| 18 | 1 | 7-1 | |
Michael Nwoko finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds in Wednesday's 90-57 win over Pitt. The Bulldogs' next game is Sunday against Prairie View A&M.
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| 19 | 2 | 8-2 | |
John Tonje was 3-of-11 from the field in Saturday's 88-74 loss at Marquette. The Badgers' next game is Tuesday at Illinois.
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| 20 | -- | 6-2 | |
Ben Humrichous was 1 of 9 from the field in Friday's 70-66 overtime loss at Northwestern. The Illini's next game is Tuesday against Wisconsin.
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| 21 | -- | 7-1 | |
Tre Johnson finished with 18 points and two rebounds in Wednesday's 63-59 win at NC State. The Longhorns' next game is Sunday against UConn.
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| 22 | -- | 5-4 | |
Seth Trimble finished with 19 points and seven rebounds in Saturday's 68-65 win over Georgia Tech. The Tar Heels' next game is Saturday against La Salle.
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| 23 | -- | 8-2 | |
Nate Santos finished with 24 points and four rebounds in Saturday's 86-62 win over Lehigh. The Flyers' next game is Saturday against Marquette.
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| 24 | -- | 6-2 | |
Nick Boyd finished with 17 points and six assists in Saturday's 74-57 win over San Diego. The Aztecs' next game is Wednesday against Cal Baptist.
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| 25 | -- | 5-3 | |
L.J. Cryer finished with 20 points and three assists in Saturday's 79-51 win over Butler. The Cougars' next game is Tuesday against Troy.
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| 26 | -- | 9-0 | |
Jalon Moore finished with 20 points and five rebounds in Saturday's 94-78 win over Alcorn State. The Sooners' next game is Saturday against Oklahoma State.
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