Kentucky vs Richmond: 2020-21 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
Richmond looks to pull off a giant upset this weekend against top-10 Kentucky.
TV schedule: Sunday, November 29, 1:00 pm ET. ESPN
Arena: Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky
The Richmond Spiders opened the season with a strong 82-64 victory over Morehead State. In terms of production, things went as expected, with four players scoring in double figures. Those four are all seniors (Nathan Cayo, Grant Golden, Blake Francis, and Jacob Gilyard), who combined to score 65 of the 82 points.
Of the four, it was the forward Cayo who stood out. He went a perfect 10/10 from the field to score a game-high 23 points. But the fifth starter, sophomore small forward Tyler Burton also played well. He had seven points, as well as a game-high 12 rebounds.
As the replacement for Nick Sherod, who is out for the season with an injury, Burton being able to produce at a high level is very important for Richmond’s chances not only to win the Atlantic 10 Conference but also in big matchups like this one.
Kentucky also faced Morehead State as part of a multi-team event they’re hosting. The result was expected, with the Wildcats winning, 81-45. It was a collective effort, with seven players scoring at least eight points. Freshman guard Brandon Boston Jr. led all players with 15 points and seven rebounds in what was a strong college debut. Devin Askew and Terrence Clarke each had 12 points and four rebounds, while Creighton grad transfer Davion Mintz reached double figures as well.
Wake Forest transfer Olivier Sarr’s debut was much quieter, producing just eight points and three rebounds in 21 minutes. He wasn’t needed for the contest with Morehead State but will have his hands full in the frontcourt with Golden and Cayo.
This is the classic talent vs experience, with one of the most experienced rosters in college basketball taking one of the purest talented. On paper, Kentucky would have the edge but considering that this is just the second college game for many of these Wildcats, this is a major opportunity for the Spiders to pull off the big upset. This would be the ultimate resume-builder for both Richmond and the Atlantic 10 as a whole.
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Considering San Francisco’s shocking upset over Virginia earlier this week, expect other top-10 teams to be on high alert. And with Richmond already being respected coming into this season, Kentucky isn’t going to take them lightly. It’ll be close and make Wildcat fans nervous but they’ll pull it out in the end.