Nov 11, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope calls out instructions during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville defeated Kentucky 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Preview: Kentucky Wildcats take on Loyola Maryland

Originally posted on Kentucky Wildcats on SI
By Andrew Stefaniak | Last updated Nov 21, 2025 4:04 PM ET

Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats are excited to get back on the floor after their ugly loss to the Michigan State Spartans. The Wildcats are going to be shorthanded in this game as it looks unlikely that Mo Dioubate will play.

The shorthanded Wildcats will be able to have some role players get extra minutes in this ball game, which should help players like Kam Williams and Andrija Jelavic see more minutes.

Kentucky is set to host the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds this evening in what should be a blowout in favor of the Wildcats.

Let's take a look at how to watch the Wildcats take on the Greyhounds.

How to watch Kentucky host Loyola Maryland

Tipoff between the Kentucky Wildcats and Loyola Maryland Greyhounds is set for 7:00 PM ET in Rupp Arena, and this game can be watched on SECN+. The line for this game currently sits at -37.5 in favor of the Kentucky Wildcats.

Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Obviously, Kentucky has been struggling, which has led to some former Wildcats talking about the struggles of this team.

Let's take a look at what Jamal Mashburn had to say about this team when asked on a scale of one to five how panicked he is about the start of the season.

Here is what Mashburn had to say in response: "I would say three at this particular point. The reason why is how they're playing. They're not shooting the ball well from three, they're not guarding the three, and they're not rebounding. They look like kittens more than Wildcats. At the end of the day, when you spend 22 million in NIL, there has to be some accountability, and why are you going out there, and not to say all these guys are not good players. When I look at 22 million, you gotta find a stud you can play off of. Usually, the alpha is the one who takes control of the locker room. I'm hearing Coach Pope is taking control of the locker room. When it's not player-led, that's going to be difficult from a head coaching standpoint to get the guys to come on."

Hopefully, the Wildcats will play well this evening and give themselves some confidence with the North Carolina game coming up in about two weeks. Jelavic is the player BBN should keep their eye on this evening, as a big game from him would be a big boost for the rest of the season.

This article first appeared on Kentucky Wildcats on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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