Louisiana State @ Kentucky preview

Louisiana State at Kentucky

Last Meeting ( Jan 4, 2022 ) Kentucky 60, Louisiana State 65

Kentucky is learning to play without injured guards Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington.

The No. 6 Wildcats (22-5, 11-3 SEC) hope it's a short-term necessity, but the short-handed team's performance in a 90-81 home victory against then-No. 25 Alabama on Saturday was encouraging.

They might be undermanned again when they meet LSU (19-8, 7-7) on Wednesday night in Lexington, Ky.

"We've got great depth," Kentucky coach John Calipari said, adding that Wheeler and Washington both wanted to play Saturday but weren't physically ready.

"They may be out another couple games," Calipari said. "I need them healthy before March. We don't need them to play hurt."

Kellan Grady stepped in at point guard and made seven 3-pointers on nine attempts while scoring a season-high 25 points.

"In my experience in college, this was probably one of the most rewarding wins I've ever been a part of just knowing what we were up against," Grady said.

Oscar Tshiebwe had his usual double-double, finishing with 21 points and 14 rebounds. It was his ninth-straight double-double and 21st of the season.

All five Wildcats starters played at least 35 minutes.

"I said, ‘Look, we're riding this group,' " Calipari said of his pregame message.

Alabama held a 41-28 lead in the first half, but Kentucky finished it on a 13-0 run that started a 46-17 blitz.

"It's big for us to know that we have the players to play when people are either injured or out," said Jacob Toppin, who scored 13 points while playing 40 minutes.

Kentucky's first experience playing without Wheeler and Washington didn't go as well. Both suffered leg injuries in a game at LSU on Jan. 4. Wheeler missed more than 36 minutes and Washington missed much of the second half.

In their absence, the Tigers went on a 20-2 second-half run to take a 65-60 victory.

But LSU has been inconsistent of late, losing six of seven, then winning three straight before losing at South Carolina 77-75 on Saturday despite leading by 11 points in the second half.

While second-place Kentucky is focused on first-place Auburn, which leads the SEC by one game, LSU is in fifth place and tied with four other .500 teams -- South Carolina, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi State.

"This game was kind of to help us create some separation," said Tari Eason, who had 21 points and 10 rebounds against the Gamecocks. "Unfortunately, we couldn't."

The Tigers hurt themselves by making just 13 of 22 free throws. LSU entered Saturday's game second-to-last in the SEC in free-throw shooting (65.7). The only team worse was the Gamecocks (63.7), who made 17 of 22.

"The free throws were the difference," LSU coach Will Wade said.

The Tigers missed 4 of 7 free throws in the final 8:40.

"We have got to be better at the line," said Eason, who took responsibility for the loss because of a turnover that helped South Carolina take a three-point lead with less than two minutes left. "That's something we're going to have to really focus on with four games left."

--Field Level Media