kentucky basketball Focuses on Rebounding, Transition Defense Ahead of Georgia Clash

LEXINGTON — Kentucky will try to correct the issues that cost it at Florida when the Wildcats host Georgia on Tuesday at 9 p. m. ET at Rupp Arena. Headlined by a Bulldogs offense that averages 90. 3 points per game, the matchup shapes up as a test of Kentucky’s ability to secure defensive rebounds and get back in transition after a 92-83 road setback.

Rebounding edge and energy from the bench

The rebounding differential in the Florida game was stark: the Gators outrebounded Kentucky 45-37, including a 25-17 advantage in the second half, a shortfall the Wildcats know they must fix. Junior forward Mo Dioubate emphasized that glasswork will be a priority in practice and on the floor. “That’s been a big emphasis, ” Dioubate said. “(Georgia) is a good rebounding team, one of the top (in the conference). We’ve got to be more aggressive with that. ”

Dioubate has embraced a spark-plug role off the bench, bringing energy and defensive physicality when he’s on the floor. “I’m just trying to do what my team expects from me, ” he said. “Just bringing the energy, be the energy guy. I’ve been in this position before, so I know what it feels like to come off the bench and try to change the game. So that’s just what I try to do when I get in the game. Just try to help my teammates out as much as I can. ”

Kentucky’s resilience has been tested this season: the Wildcats are 5-7 when trailing at halftime and have work to do to close out tighter games. With regular-season play winding down, maintaining intensity on the boards is a must if Kentucky wants to protect home court and build momentum heading into March.

Stopping transition against one of the nation’s top offenses

Transition defense is the other major emphasis. Georgia is third in the league in scoring and has a history this season of breaking the century mark — seven games of 100 points or more and two outings with at least 120. “Transition defense, that’s a big emphasis as well, ” Dioubate said.

Coach Mark Pope has flagged Georgia’s versatility: the Bulldogs can throw a massive front line at opponents or go small with four guards. A unique matchup concern is Somto Cyril, the 6-foot-11 center who was once in Kentucky’s 2024 recruiting class. Cyril is an elite offensive rebounder and a rim presence—he leads the league in shot blocks at 2. 52 per game and is shooting better than 70 percent this season on limited attempts, making him a high-efficiency threat inside.

Georgia averages 90. 3 points on 46. 6 percent shooting from the floor, with 31. 7 percent from three and 74. 7 percent from the free-throw line. Jeremiah Wilkinson paces the Bulldogs at roughly 17. 1 points per game and is a consistent long-range threat; Georgia has four players with 34 or more threes this season, Wilkinson among them.

Matchups, recent form and what to watch

Kentucky leads the all-time series 132-29 and is 31-4 in Lexington, but the Bulldogs handed the Wildcats an 82-69 defeat in Athens last season. Kentucky’s last outing at No. 14 Florida featured strong perimeter shooting — the Wildcats hit 45 percent from distance (9 of 20) — but seven first-half turnovers fueled a Dawgs-style run that swung momentum and proved costly.

Individual notes: Denzel Aberdeen returned to Gainesville and led Kentucky with 19 points and four assists in the Florida loss. Otega Oweh extended his double-figure streak to 25 games with 13 points and moved past the 1, 000-career point mark. For Georgia, watch for Wilkinson’s scoring and Cyril’s work around the rim; both can drastically influence possession outcomes by creating second-chance points and altering shots inside.

The matchup will be a measure of Kentucky’s progress on two fronts: securing defensive rebounds to limit second-chance opportunities and getting organized quickly to deny Georgia easy transition buckets. With the SEC regular season approaching its stretch run, a strong showing Tuesday would give the Wildcats a timely confidence boost.