At the onset of the Mark Pope regime, the entire College basketball betting roster departed. Namely, freshmen Rob Dillingham (15 ppg, 4 apg), Reed Sheppard (13 ppg, 4 rpg, 5 apg), DJ Wagner (10 ppg), Justin Edwards (9 ppg), Zvonimir Ivisic (6 ppg), Aaron Bradshaw (5 ppg), and Jordan Burks (2 ppg). Also, sophomore contributors Adou Thiero (7 ppg, 5 rpg) and Ugonna Onyenso (4 ppg, 5 rpg) found new homes in the transfer portal. Seniors Antonio Reeves (20 ppg, 4 rpg) and Tre Mitchell (11 ppg, 7 rpg) round out the list, both running out of eligibility.
2024-25 Kentucky Wildcats Basketball Preview
| Kentucky Wildcats | Odds |
|---|---|
| National Championship Odds: | +2000 |
2024-25 Kentucky Wildcats Basketball Outlook
Indeed, There was plenty of online wagering change in the Kentucky basketball program this offseason. John Calipari left for Arkansas after another disappointing first-weekend exit in the NCAA Tournament. Now, alum Mark Pope steps in as the head coach for the Wildcats. He returns to the program after being a vital piece for the 1995-96 national championship squad. Pope has a brand-new roster to work with for the Wildcats. Correlate that there are zero players and bringing just one player with him from his time at BYU.
Initially, the battle for the starting point guard position should be interesting for the Wildcats. Transfers Lamont Butler (9 ppg at San Diego State) and Kerr Kriisa (11 ppg, 5 apg at West Virginia) are both talented enough to start. But they are two different players. Butler played a huge role in San Diego State’s success over the last three seasons. Including his game-winner against FAU in the 2023 Final Four.
Butler’s NCAABB betting strength is his defense. In turn, he is one of the top on-ball defenders in the country and averaging over 1.5 spg for each of the past three seasons. Kriisa is a three-level scorer who also has a knack for creating for others. Although his biggest downfall is his extreme inconsistencies. Some nights, he’ll go for 25 points, six assists, and a turnover. But on other nights, he’ll finish 20% from the field with four points and four turnovers. We chose Butler to start over Kriisa because of his defensive ability and more consistent performances. That allows Kriisa to be seen as a sparkplug off the bench for the Wildcats.
Three off-ball guards transfer into the backcourt for the Wildcats. First is Jaxson Robinson (14 ppg at BYU), who follows Mark Pope over from BYU. Last season, Robinson broke out as the top scorer for the Cougars. And he has a solid chance at leading the Wildcats in scoring in 2024-25.
Meanwhile, Otega Oweh (11 ppg, 4 rpg at Oklahoma) is the pick to start alongside Butler and Robinson in the backcourt. Oweh is a physical 6-5 guard who loves to attack the rim. He has proved to be a good athlete and defender at the power conference level.
Koby Brea (11 ppg, 4 rpg at Dayton) should have a big impact off the bench. Last year, he was the best three-point shooter in college basketball (100-201, 49.8% 3P). With Robinson, Oweh, and Brea as options at the two and three spots, the Wildcats have plenty of experience. And there are a lot of different looks to throw out at opponents.
Senior forward Andrew Carr (14 ppg, 7 rpg at Wake Forest) transfers in after two successful seasons at Wake Forest. Overall, At 6-10, Carr can play the four or the five. And he can be an efficient inside scorer and defender.