LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky men’s basketball head coach Mark Pope announced the addition of Brandon Garrison, a 6-foot-11 big, on Tuesday, adding the Oklahoma State transfer to the Wildcats’ rapidly growing 2024-25 roster. He will have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

In his freshman season with the Cowboys, Garrison appeared in 32 games, starting 29, while averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest. The Oklahoma City native also shot a team-best 57.2% from the floor in his first collegiate season, the fourth-best all-time among OSU rookies with at least 80 makes.

“Brandon’s a McDonald’s All-American and a FIBA U18 Americas gold medalist with Team USA who crushed me at BYU last year and crushed Coach [Alvin] Brooks at Baylor last year,” Pope said. “We’re unbelievably glad he’s on our team now. He’s an incredible person with a brilliant, joyful smile that BBN will fall in love with. We’re really excited about our front line and Brandon will be a key piece to it.”

Garrison elevated his play during Big 12 action, averaging 9.9 points in conference games, including three 20-point efforts. In the Cowboys’ Big 12 opener, Garrison dropped 20 points on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting vs. Baylor, while also collecting eight rebounds. The big man again scored 20 points against West Virginia, before tallying a career-high 21 points against Pope’s BYU squad in February. The freshman showed a knack for getting to the line, registering the league’s highest free-throw rate during conference play per KenPom at 71.6 (68 free-throw attempts, 95 field-goal attempts). He scored in double figures on nine occasions and collected his first-career double-double when he posted 11 points and 10 rebounds in a win over South Carolina State.

In addition to his offensive abilities, Garrison also brings a strong shot-blocking presence. He totaled 47 blocks on the 2023-24 season, the fifth-most ever by an Oklahoma State freshman. He set a personal-best with six blocks against Houston Christian in November and registered five blocks vs. UCF in the Big 12 Tournament.

Garrison attended Del City High School and was a 2023 McDonald’s All-American. He was the 2023 Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year in the state of Oklahoma and led his team to a pair of 5A state titles, the school’s first in more than four decades. Garrison also has international experience, winning a gold medal with Team USA at the 2022 FIBA U18 Americas in Mexico.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky men’s basketball roster continues to take shape with the addition of Andrew Carr to head coach Mark Pope’s inaugural roster it was announced on Monday.

Carr is a collegiate 1,000-point scorer who has also amassed more than 500 rebounds and 100 blocks in a four-year career at Delaware and Wake Forest. He will have one season of eligibility remaining.

“Andrew Carr is the prototypical college and NBA power forward,” Pope said. “He’s incredibly skilled and an elite level decision maker. He shoots the ball with terrific range and is a force inside shooting 66 percent on 2-point field goal attempts.

“Andrew understands what it means to wear this jersey and he understands the assignment and why he is coming to Lexington. He’s been a captain of every team he’s ever been associated with. He’s a steadying force and a great leader who Kentucky fans are going to love.”

Carr has averaged 11.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in 117 career contests. In two seasons at Wake Forest, Carr notched averages of 12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 blocks per outing.

As a senior with the Deacons, Carr started all 35 games and averaged 13.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He shot 52.6% from the field and 37.1% from distance. Carr registered seven double-doubles on the season, including three against league foes. The 6-foot-11 big boasted a career-high 31 points against Georgia in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament.

Carr started all 33 games and averaged 10.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game as a junior at Wake Forest. He led the squad with 32 blocks and also paced the team in field-goal percentage at 49.4%. He had a game-high 14 points in his debut with Wake Forest against Fairfiled. He was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week following consecutive 20-point scoring efforts including a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double against Boston College. Wake Forest totaled 40 wins in two seasons with Carr on the roster.

The West Chester, Pennsylvania, native began his collegiate career at Delaware. He was named to the Colonial Athletic Association’s All-Tournament Team as a sophomore after notching a double-double with 17 points and 12 boards in the title contest against UNC Wilmington helping the Blue Hens to the NCAA Tournament.

In all, Carr played in 49 games and made 44 starts at Delaware. He averaged 8.2 points and 3.6 boards as a freshman before upping his averages to 10.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game his sophomore season.

For his four-year career, Carr has amassed 64 double-figure scoring games and registered 11 double-doubles. He’s connected on 94 3-pointers at a 34.4% clip and swatted 133 shots for an average of 1.1 blocks per game for his career.

Carr was a three-year starter at West Chester East and was named to the all-state first team as a senior and the third team as a junior in high school before signing with Delaware.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Otega Oweh (pronounced oh-TEG-uh OH-way), who averaged 11.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Oklahoma, has joined the Kentucky men’s basketball program for the 2024-25 season, head coach Mark Pope announced on Saturday.

Oweh has seen action in 60 games and made 37 starts over a two-year career with the Sooners. He will have two years of eligibility with the Wildcats.

“Otega shot 37 percent from the 3-point line last year,” Pope said. “He’s elite at earning trips to the free-throw line and he brings a special physicality and intensity to the game. Otega spent his entire season last year picking up the point guard full court in the Big 12. His tenacity on the court is contagious and his humility off the court is going to endear himself to Big Blue Nation.”

During Oweh’s sophomore season, he averaged 11.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 assists per outing. He connected on 49.3% of his field-goal attempts and 37.7% from 3-point range. Oweh registered double-digit scoring efforts on 19 occasions, including a career-high 23 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 10 for 11 from the free-throw line against North Carolina. Additionally, he had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds against West Virginia. Oweh added defensive savviness to the Sooners’ lineup with 12 games of multiple steals, including a seven-swipe effort against Green Bay. He notched seven games with five or more rebounds from the guard position.

Oweh was the second-leading scorer for a team that went 20-12 overall and 8-10 in Big 12 action.

As a freshman, Oweh made nine starts in 28 appearances. He logged averages of 4.8 points, 2.1 boards and 0.2 assists per game and had four double-figure scoring efforts.

In all, the 6-foot-4 guard has scored 498 points, hauled in 179 rebounds and tallied 80 steals. He’s connected on 49.8% of his 2-point attempts and 36.8% from 3-point range. He was 20 of 53 (37.7%) from long distance in 2023-24. He ranked among the top 20 in steals in the Big 12 Conference during both seasons with the Sooners.

A native of Newark, New Jersey, he was a four-star prospect in the 2022 class and was rated as high as No. 73 by 247Sports. During his prep career, Oweh led Team Final EYBL (PA) to a 17U Peach Jam title and was named the Peach Jam Breakout Player of the Session after averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 boards, 1.8 steals and 1.3 assists per game.

Oweh has three siblings, including an older brother, Odafe, who plays linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Lamont Butler, who hit the game-winning buzzer-beater shot for San Diego State in the 2023 Final Four, has joined the Kentucky men’s basketball team for the 2024-25 season, head coach Mark Pope announced Saturday.

Butler is the reigning two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and has averaged 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in 131 games played for the Aztecs. San Diego State was 104-32 and captured a pair of Mountain West regular-season and two tournament titles with Butler on the roster. Butler will have one season of eligibility remaining.

“Lamont Butler is the definition of a winner,” Pope said. “He might be the best perimeter defensive player in all of college basketball. Lamont has helped lead championship teams for the last four years and hit one of the most epic shots in the NCAA Tournament to send his team to the championship game.

“He is an elite student who takes his academics seriously. He cares about the community and will embrace the power of wearing ‘Kentucky’ across the front of his chest. I’m extremely excited to coach Lamont and to see the influence he’s going to have on this team.”

During his senior season, Butler averaged a career-high 9.3 points per game, while shooting a career-best 48.5% from the field. He also induced 1.5 steals per game. He generated 17 double-figure scoring efforts, including a 23-point performance against Wyoming. Butler had four or more steals in five games, including four against UAB in the NCAA Tournament’s opening round. He started all 37 games and averaged 27.5 minutes per outing. 

Butler drained the most memorable shot in San Diego State history when he sank a buzzer beater in the 2023 Final Four against Florida Atlantic to send the Aztecs to the title game as a junior. He was a member of the 2023 NCAA All-Tournament Team and a member of the All-South Regional Team. Butler also garnered Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year accolades. The Moreno Valley, California, native averaged 8.8 points and 2.7 boards per game. He also contributed 126 assists and 57 steals. In addition to the buzzer beater in the Final Four, he also had one in a win over New Mexico in February of the same year.

As a sophomore, Butler started 25 of 27 games and averaged 7.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. He was a member of the Paycom Wooden Legacy All-Tournament Team after averaging 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game in the two-game tournament. Butler started a pair of games in 28 appearances as a freshman and was the only first-year player on the squad to make an appearance in every game.

For his career, Butler has scored 1,008 career points and snared 305 boards. He has added 338 assists and 183 steals. The 6-foot-2 guard, known for his defensive prowess, has recorded 43 double-figure scoring efforts, dished out five or more assists 17 times and logged 22 games with at least three steals.

Butler graduated from Riverside Poly High School where he was a four-year letterwinner and a four-star prospect. He was tabbed as one of the top-50 points guards by ESPN in the class of 2020. During his prep career, he compiled 91 wins culminating in a conference championship as a senior. He was tabbed as the Ivy League Most Valuable Player for his efforts. Furthermore, Butler passed NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller as Poly’s all-time leading scorer with more than 1,800 career points.

PRESS RELEASE:

Belfry High School is pleased to announce Brent Perry as Head Boys Basketball Coach.

Brent Perry, a native of Barbourville, KY has been an assistant coach under some of the best and most respected high school coaches in the state of Kentucky, where he has accomplished several successful seasons under outstanding administrations. Last season, Perry was head assistant at Montgomery County High School under Coach Jason Mays. Previously, Perry had been a part of Tony Patterson’s staff at Knox Central where he helped lead Knox to a 13th region championship and a KHSAA Sweet 16 appearance in 2021. After his time at Knox Central, Perry joined the staff at his alma mater- Barbourville High School and completed two seasons helping lead the Tigers to their first District Championship in nearly 10 years.

Aside from being an assistant coach on the high school level, Perry also currently holds a head coaching position for one of the state’s premier AAU programs with Griffin Elite out of Erlanger, KY. Coach Perry has been with Griffin Elite for 3 years coaching several players that have gone on to play at the collegiate level.

Prior to coaching, Perry was a standout and a 4-year varsity starter at Barbourville High School, where he completed his high school career with over 1200 points, capturing the 51st District Championship his junior season. Perry led the 13th region in scoring (24.3) and was named the 51st District Player of the Year, along with First Team All-Region honors his senior season. Perry continued his basketball career at the University of Cumberlands and later graduated from Union College.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WMDJ) - Kentucky’s reigning Mr. Basketball from state champion Lyon County High School has officially announced his intentions on staying committed to the Kentucky Wildcats this coming season.

Perry a picture with new head coach Mark Pope on X saying, "Can’t wait to wear the blue and white. Go Cats!"

Perry joins Amari Williams on the Kentucky men's basketball roster for the 2024-25 season. 

Williams, a three-time Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year, has been officially announced by UK. He's the first player Coach Pope has secured through the transfer portal.

Williams averaged 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks per game as a senior, starting all 32 games for Drexel University last season. He'll have one season left of eligibility as a graduate transfer.

CINCINNATI (WMDJ) - Christian Encarnacion-Strand smacked a 2-RBI double to break a scoreless tie in the 6th inning and the Reds clipped the Angels 3-0 to sweep the weekend series.

The Reds bullpen picked up the slack left behind by starter Frankie Montas, who left the game in the first inning after being hit by a line drive off the bat of Taylor Ward. Montas suffered a bruised right forearm.

Reliever Brent Suter allowed four hits in 3 1/3 innings. Emilio Pagan (2-1) picked up the win allowing one hit over two innings. Fernando Cruz and Lucas Sims each tossed a scoreless inning before handing over the game to Alexis Diaz to punch his fourth save of the season in five chances.

Cincinnati (12-9) will welcome the Phillies to Great American Ballpark for the start of a 4-game series beginning tonight. Hunter Greene (0-1, 4.35) will take the ball for the Reds starting at 6:40 p.m. / Inside Pitch airs 6:10 on WMDJ.

Kentucky basketball star Reed Sheppard will forego his remaining college eligibility and enter his name in this summer’s NBA Draft.

Sheppard made the announcement via a social media post Thursday.

Sheppard was named National Freshman of the Year. He averages 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game this season for the Wildcats in 33 games. He also shot 51% from 3-point range – best in Kentucky history for a single basketball season. He was the only player in the nation to enjoy 145 assists, 80 steals and 75 made 3-pointers. He’s also the second player in UK history to have 80 or more steals in a single season.

“I will be entering my name into the NBA Draft today,” Sheppard posted. BBN, you have been with me from day one, faithful and passionate. I’m asking you to go with me on this journey, I’m looking forward to taking you with me. I’ll represent you with all the characteristics that make us Kentuckians: passion, humility, perseverance, sacrifice and joy. And one day, I’ll return to family, to friends to Kentucky, my home. I love you, BBN. Thank you.”

The freshman standout had to declare his intentions before April 27th to be considered for this year’s draft. He reserved the right to withdraw his name and return to college by May 29th, yet Sheppard has announced that he has no intentions on returning to Kentucky.

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WMDJ) – Five-time 15th Region championship coach Kristy Orem has announced she is letting go the reigns of the Pikeville Lady Panthers’ basketball program.

She’ll also be stepping away from the athletic director’s position at PHS.

Orem made the announcement via social media Wednesday afternoon.

In a statement, Orem said, “Over the past 27 years, coaching young women has been a significant part of my life. Together, we have created unforgettable memories and built lifelong relationships that I will always cherish.”

“Although I am stepping away from coaching for now, I will always remain a passionate advocate for women’s sports and the positive impact it has on young athletes’ lives,” Orem stated.

Pikeville captured their fifth regional championship in the last six seasons this year. The Lady Panthers’ season ended in the opening round of the Sweet 16 Tournament.

Orem won over 500 games in a 27-year coaching career that also including a stop in Fleming County, where she won the 16th region championship prior to arriving in Pikeville.

No announcement has been made as Orem’s replacement on the sidelines or as athletic director.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – When his alma mater came calling, Mark Pope knew there was no place like home.

Pope, a captain of the University of Kentucky’s 1996 National Championship team, has returned to Lexington as the 23rd head coach of Kentucky’s storied men’s basketball program, UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart announced Friday.

Pope is a nine-year head coaching veteran with stops at BYU and Utah Valley, amassing a 187-108 career record. His squads won 20 or more games in six of the last seven seasons and he has made six postseason appearances.

“Mark Pope not only brings an impressive record in nine years as a head coach, but also a love of the University of Kentucky and a complete understanding of what our program means to the people of our state,” Barnhart said. “As a captain on the ‘96 championship team, Mark was a beloved and respected teammate. As a head coach, he is highly regarded nationally as an innovator. His teams run a unique and dynamic up-tempo offense and they get after it on defense. He is a strong recruiter with international ties and a person of integrity. 

“He fully embraces our high expectations and standards and I know that as our fans get reacquainted with Mark, they will be eager to join him on what promises to be an exciting ride.” 

Pope returns to UK from Provo, Utah, where he compiled a 110-52 record (.679) during five campaigns at the helm of BYU. He took the Cougars to three postseason appearances, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament, and missed another bid when the 2020 event was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three of his five BYU teams finished the season ranked in the top 20 of the Ken Pomeroy efficiency ratings. 

“The University of Kentucky is the pinnacle of coaching in college basketball. It’s the definition of blueblood program where hanging a banner is the expectation ever year,” Pope said. “Equally as important, UK changed my life forever as a human being. The love and passion I have for this program, this University and the people of the Commonwealth goes to the depth of my soul.

“I’m thankful to Dr. (Eli) Capilouto and Mitch Barnhart for this opportunity. I’m proud to be your next head coach and I can’t wait to do this together!”

Pope is coming off a 23-11 season in 2023-24. It was BYU’s first season in the Big 12 Conference and the Cougars’ 10-8 league record featured victories over No. 7 Kansas, No. 11 Baylor and No. 24 Iowa State. BYU’s first win in the Big 12, on January 13 at Central Florida, also marked Pope’s 100th victory as head coach of the Cougars.

The Cougars ranked third in the country with 11.1 made 3-pointers per game in 2023-24, and also ranked in the top 10 in assists per game (3rd) and assist-to-turnover ratio (6th). BYU led the Big 12 in scoring at 81.4 points per game. They were ranked as high as No. 12 in the AP Poll after going 12-1 in nonconference action, winning the Vegas Showdown, BYU’s first multi-team event title since 2011. Pope was named to the 2024 Naismith College Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List for his efforts.

Pope’s teams also hit the postseason in 2020-21, finishing with a 20-7 mark and making BYU’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2015. The Cougars were 24-11 in 2021-22 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament. The Cougars captured win No. 60 under Pope in January of ‘22, making him the fastest BYU coach to achieve the mark.

Pope began his head coaching stint at BYU in the 2019-20 season, tallying a 24-8 record, the most wins for a first-year coach in program history. He finished the season ranked No. 18 in the Associated Press poll and No. 16 in the USA Today/Coaches poll, becoming the first head coach at BYU to conclude the season with a national ranking in his first season. The Cougars finished second in the West Coast Conference with a 13-3 record. The Cougars also toppled No. 2-ranked Gonzaga, earning their best win over a ranked opponent inside their home venue in program history. The Covid pandemic prevented an almost-certain bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Pope’s Cougars were statistically among the top offenses in the nation in ’19-20. The Cougars finished the season ranked first in 3-point field goal percentage, second in assist-to-turnover ratio, third in field-goal percentage, fourth in 3-point field goals per game and fifth in assists per game.

Following his first season with the Cougars, Matt Norlander of CBS tabbed Pope as the best hire of the year. He was also awarded with the United States Basketball Writers Association District VIII Coach of the Year honor. He was a semifinalist for the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year.

Pope’s first head coaching stint was a four-year term at Utah Valley. Beginning in 2015-16, the Wolverines increased their win total during every season of Pope’s tenure, culminating in a 25-10 overall mark and a runner-up finish in the Western Athletic Conference in 2018-19. Utah Valley was 30-2 at home from 2017-19, and the 25 wins in 2019 were a single-season school record.

He began his collegiate playing career at the University of Washington, where he was tabbed the 1992 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. After his sophomore season, he transferred to Kentucky, where he appeared in every game of his two-year career with the Wildcats. UK won the 1995 and ‘96 regular-season Southeastern Conference championships, the ’95 SEC Tournament title and the 1996 NCAA Tournament. He averaged 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in 69 career games. Pope was named to the All-SEC Tournament Team in 1995, behind a pair of double-doubles in three games, including one in the title game that went to overtime.

Pope was selected in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. He played professional basketball from 1997-2005, including stints with Indiana, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets. In 2000-01, he started 45 games and helped the Bucks reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

Following his playing days, Pope enrolled in medical school at Columbia University and completed two years before returning to basketball. He joined Mark Fox’s staff at Georgia in 2009. He then spent one season as an assistant coach for Jeff Bzdelik at Wake Forest and four seasons at BYU under Dave Rose. The Cougars posted four straight 20-win seasons and advanced to postseason play in each of those four years, including three bids to the NCAA Tournament. His success as an assistant at BYU was the springboard to become head coach at Utah Valley. 

Pope and his wife, Lee Anne, have four daughters, Ella, Avery Layla and Shay. He is a 1996 graduate of Kentucky with a degree in English.

A pair of Pike County schools announced the hiring a new boys’ basketball coaches on Thursday.

East Ridge High School has named Adam Farmer as their new choice to lead the Warriors. Farmer served three seasons as East Ridge girls’ basketball coach. He also served as an assistant to Randy McCoy on the boys’ side. Farmer’s first coaching experience came as an assistant under Justin Holbrook at South Floyd High School.

Shelby Valley named Matthew Taylor as their new boys’ basketball coach. Taylor has spent three seasons leading Letcher County Central with an overall record of (51-40) and one 53rd District championship.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Spencer Steer has been named the National League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet.

Spencer Steer, Cincinnati Reds (@spenc_er22)

• The 26-year-old hit .409 (9-for-22) with three home runs, nine RBI, a double, a triple, three walks, five runs scored, and a stolen base in six games last week.
• The California native led the Majors in slugging percentage (.955) and total bases (21); tied for the Major League lead with three home runs; ranked second in the Majors in OPS (1.455); ranked second in the NL in RBI; ranked third in OBP (.500); and tied for third in extra-base hits (5).
• The University of Oregon product slugged his first career grand slam in the 10^th inning on Monday at Philadelphia. It was the Reds’ first extra-inning grand slam since Todd Frazier’s on June 17, 2015 and was the first of three go-ahead homers last week for Steer.
• The outfielder continued his tear with homers in back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday against the Mets, marking the fourth time in his career that he homered in two straight games. His Friday night home run came in the first inning to give the Reds a 1-0 lead and his three-run blast on Saturday highlighted the Reds’ five-run eighth inning in a comeback victory.
• After finishing sixth in Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, Steer is off to a blistering start in 2024, reaching safely in eight of his nine games so far and slashing .400/.500/.813 with a team-high 12 RBI. Overall, Steer recorded hits in five of his six games last week with multiple hits in three of the contests.

Multiple sources are reporting that John Calipari has reached an agreement to become the new men’s basketball coach at Arkansas.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported late Sunday night that, “Calipari's contract is expected to have an overall base salary of slightly less than the $8.5 million he's making at Kentucky. However, the deal is expected to be incentive laden with the ability to pass that number.”

Nothing has been announced by either Arkansas or Kentucky at this time and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart has told CBS Sports that he has not yet heard from Calipari about any talks with Arkansas.

The move comes less than two weeks after Barnhart appeared with Calipari on LEX-18 TV to discuss their relationship, the future of Kentucky basketball and their desire to exit well.

Coach Cal leaves with a record of (410-123) at Kentucky, six SEC championships, six SEC Tournament championships, four Final Four appearances and 1 national championship.