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The Kentucky Wildcats have a tough road test coming up against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
In SEC play, the Wildcats haven't played well on the road, losing in overtime to Texas A&M and barely escaping Gainesville with a win over the Florida Gators. This is to be expected as Kentucky is a young team and playing on the road in the SEC is a difficult thing to do for freshman heavy teams. Kentucky will play away from Rupp Arena twice this week, heading to Columbia, South Carolina, to take the Gamecock and Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the Razorbacks. If Kentucky is able to go 2-0 this week, it would be huge for this team's chances of winning the SEC Regular Season Title.
One person standing in the way of Kentucky starting the week 1-0 is South Carolina star guard Meechie Johnson. He is averaging 16.7 points per game and shooting 37% from deep. Kentucky fans might remember this name as last season in Rupp Arena, Johnson scored 26 points on 9-16 shooting while going 6-10 from three en route to a 71-68 South Carolina win. Johnson is a player who can light up the stat sheet and Kentucky can't let that happen on the road.
Johnson believes in his team and implored the fan base to "Keep staying with us" after their loss to Georgia last Tuesday.
Statistically, this South Carolina team isn't great but isn't bad either, so in a challenging environment, the Wildcats need to play well. This game could get stressful. Kentucky also needs to play good defense against Johnson since he can get hot and beat you, as he proved last season in Rupp Arena.
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UNC Men’s Hoops Breakdown: NC Central
When it comes to the all-time record between these two schools, North Carolina leads with three victories against NC Central, having yet to be successful while facing the Tar Heels. Although the Eagles will have a chance at changing the outcome during the 2025-2026 campaign when they visit Chapel Hill on November 14 inside the Dean E. Smith Center. However, it is an opportunity for UNC and Head Coach Hubert Davis to continue the streak and make it four in a row. The last matchup being on December 12, 2020 (the COVID-19 season), the Tar Heels won 73-67. UNC was up by just two points facing a 1-3 NC Central team at the time, but scored 43 points throughout the last 20 minutes of game action. Former big man, Armando Bacot, led with 19 points and 11 rebounds, with former guard, Caleb Love, scoring 12 points of his own. Former Tar Heels Day'Ron Sharpe and Andrew Platek added 12 and 11 points each, respectively. RJ Davis, one of UNC's latest to head to the pro level, had six points. NC Central was led by C.J. Keyser with 19 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Justin Whatley, Nicolas Fennell and Jamir Moultrie added 13, 11 and 10 points each, respectively. The Eagles went 26-58 from the field goal range, 8-19 from the three-point line and 7-8 from the charity stripe that night. How Did NC Central Perform Last Season? Last season, NC Central finished with an overall record of 14-19 and went 6-8 in conference play. The Eagles at home went 10-4, 2-13 on the road, plus 2-2 at neutral sites. Some of its notable wins come against Williams Mary, Gardner-Webb, Howard and Norfolk State. Head Coach Levelle Moton will be without his leading scorer, Po'Boigh King, who averaged 16.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists as a junior. He shot 43.7% from the field to go along with 33.6% from beyond the arc and 78.4% at the free throw line. Perry Smith Jr. also decided to move to the next school of his basketball career — after scoring 11.4 points and grabbing six rebounds this past year. Coach Moton will need to find new players to step into scoring roles along with other needs in preparation for the matchup with the Tar Heels in November. Please
Cubs catcher lost to horrific-looking injury on same day he returns from IL
After working to return to the Chicago Cubs' lineup following an oblique injury, Miguel Amaya suffered a gruesome-looking injury in his first game back with the Cubs on Wednesday night. Running to first base, Amaya just beat out an infield single on a slow dribbler to shortstop when his left foot landed forcefully on the base, causing his leg to buckle and sending Amaya flying down the first base line. Following the injury, Amaya was carted off the field in Toronto with a towel over his face. The emotions shown by Amaya as he was carted off indicated he knew already he would miss more time in a season that has been marred by injuries. After the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed Amaya would be going back on the injured list with what was diagnosed as a left ankle sprain. X-rays, however, were negative. The 26-year-old Amaya had just told reporters after being activated from the 60-day injured list that he was thankful he was healthy. Just three at-bats later, Amaya was once again injured. Amaya's three at-bats against the Blue Jays on Wednesday represented his first game action since May 24, when he recorded just two at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds before leaving the game with an oblique injury. In just 96 at-bats this season, Amaya is slashing .281/.314/.500 with four home runs and 25 RBI. Amaya's injury is another blow for the Cubs, who have seen their lead in the National League Central evaporate as the Milwaukee Brewers have now won 12 consecutive games and are 20-4 since the All-Star break. As has been the case in Amaya's absence, Carson Kelly and Reese McGuire will continue to be the dominant presences behind the plate for the Cubs. Joining with Amaya, the duo has helped the Cubs record a 2.8 Wins Above Average (WAA) at catcher, the highest mark of any MLB team. After Amaya's injury, the Cubs would go on to post a 4-1 win over the Blue Jays.
Green Bay Packers Add 16-TD Playmaker Amid Preparation For Colts Preseason Game
The Green Bay Packers made an under-the-radar move on Wednesday on offense, as the team announced that it claimed wide receiver Kawaan Baker off waivers from the Las Vegas Raiders. From the Packers’ official website: The Green Bay Packers claimed WR Kawaan Baker off waivers from the Las Vegas Raiders. The transaction was announced Wednesday by General Manager Brian Gutekunst. Baker turned pro in 2021, when he was taken off the board in the seventh round of that year’s NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints. He signed a four-year deal worth $3.56 million with the Saints, though he spent most of his rookie season on New Orleans’ practice squad. He appeared in only two games in the 2021 NFL season and never saw action in a regular-season or playoff game since. This is also not the first time that Baker got acquainted with the Packers, as Green Bay signed him to its practice squad back in 2022 before moving on to the Philadelphia Eagles and back to the Saints. In 2024, he joined the New England Patriots in the offseason and training camp but was waived before the start of the season. His most recent stop was with the Raiders, who waived him on Monday. Before he entered the NFL, Baker played four college football seasons with the South Alabama Jaguars, during which he scored 16 touchdowns on 126 receptions through 45 games. Baker could see some action this coming Saturday’s preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts. Fans react to Green Bay Packers’ move on Baker The Packers have plenty of hurt bodies on the wide receiver room, and that is not lost on Green Bay fans, who have a lot to say about the Baker signing. “Gute is always working,” said a fan on X. Another one said: “Damn, I thought for sure they were gonna pick up OBJ or Amari Cooper this time” From a commenter: “We got 30 WRs… what’s one more” “Idk but he has return experience,” a social media user posted. Via a different commenter: “Well, when there is one receiver that can catch the ball …” Said another: “Looks like a returner option. He’s been on several practice squads over the years.”
Giants force Jets' Justin Fields into familiar problem at joint practice
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields was a little more accurate on Wednesday than he was in his "alarming" performance during joint practice with the New York Giants on Tuesday. Still, the fifth-year quarterback had a familiar issue pop up. Per Dan Duggan and Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic, Fields took several sacks against a Giants defense that brought the house on a shaky Jets offensive line. Via The Athletic: "On the other field, the Giants defensive front carried over its domination from Tuesday, giving Jets quarterback Justin Fields and his offensive line plenty of problems. Camp stats are subjective, especially when it comes to sacks, but the Giants appeared to get to Fields for four sacks. "Similar to Tuesday, there were moments when it was hard to tell exactly who was causing problems as the Giants sent multiple bodies in the backfield. Fields, who went 7-of-11 on the day, had a few overthrows on plays that likely were sacks." Fields did have a couple of long runs on a Giants defense that struggled against the rush in 2024. While Fields has a unique ability to add to the running game, the Jets need the 2021 first-round pick to push the ball down the field in the passing game. Fields has always had a problem with being indecisive in the pocket, leading to his taking too many sacks since entering the league. He led the league with 55 sacks in 2022 and has taken 151 in his four-year career. The Ohio State product took 16 sacks during his six starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. In camp, Fields doesn't have to worry about taking body blows from sacks that lead to injuries. That will happen in the regular season if he plays how he practiced on Wednesday.
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