Mount St. Mary's @ Kentucky preview

Shorthanded Kentucky rebounded from its first loss and the 10th-ranked Wildcats continue their long homestand against non-conference opponents Friday night when they take on Mount St. Mary’s. The Wildcats followed up a shocking defeat against Evansville by outlasting Utah Valley 82-74 on Monday, but the team was down to seven available scholarship players with sophomores EJ Montgomery (ankle) and Immanuel Quickley (chest) out.

“We are who we are right now,” Kentucky coach John Calipari told reporters. “We are what the score says we are. … We got to get (Montgomery) back, got to get (Quickley) back and figure out what we are.” Both are day-to-day approaching Friday’s matchup, but 6-11 junior Nick Richards posted his second double-double in the win over Utah Valley and the Wildcats also received a career performance from sophomore point guard Ashton Hagans, who scored 26 points in the triumph. “I was just staying focused,” Hagans told reporters. “I was just staying in the gym and shooting and when I got a chance, I attacked the basket. If my teammates are open, I got them some shots, got everybody involved and played my role.” Mount St. Mary’s has lost all four of its road games to start the season, but the team was competitive with Washington (56-46) and Georgetown (81-68) before losing 58-51 at UAB on Wednesday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT MOUNT ST MARY’S (1-4): Junior guard Jalen Gibbs matched his team-high average with 15 points in Wednesday’s win over UAB and is shooting 54.8 percent from the field in three games. Sophomore guard Vado Morse is the only other player averaging in double figures scoring (12.2) despite making just 1-of-9 from the field (0-of-4 from 3-point range) to score just two points the last time out. Sophomore forward Nana Opoku had a season-best 13 points against UAB while sophomore guard Damian Chong Qui leads the team in assists (3.0) and sophomore forward Malik Jefferson tops the Mountaineers in rebounds (8.8).

ABOUT KENTUCKY (3-1): Richards has recorded exactly 21 points and 10 rebounds in two of the last three games and is third on the team in scoring (13.8) while connecting on 62.9 percent from the field. “You know, that’s the (Richards) that we need,” Hagans told reporters after Monday’s victory. “He just has to keep on bringing it. You know how (Calipari) just kept on telling us to feed him and let him shoot the jumper, he had it and he was knocking it down. He just opened it up for us.” Freshman guard Tyrese Maxey leads the team in scoring (16.0) after making just 4-of-14 from the field against Utah Valley.

TIP-INS

1. Kentucky senior F Nate Sestina, a transfer from Bucknell, is averaging nine points and a team-high 8.5 rebounds.

2. The Mountaineers, who lost their only prior meeting with Kentucky, were picked seventh in the preseason Northeast Conference poll.

3. The Wildcats are connecting on just 21.3 percent from 3-point range in the first four games of the season.

PREDICTION: Kentucky 84, Mount St. Mary’s 58