Kentucky and Kansas State were able to avoid first-round upsets in the 2023 NCAA Tournament’s East region. Now, the two will engage in an all-Wildcats battle to get to the Sweet 16.
Kentucky (22-11, 12-6 SEC) is the lower seed in the matchup (No. 6), but the John Calipari-coached squad is a popular pick to upset Kansas State. The Wildcats are coming off a 61-53 win over Providence, a game during which they dominated on the glass thanks to a whopping 25 rebounds from Oscar Tshiebwe.
Tshiebwe will once again be a key player to watch for Kentucky in this matchup, as his rebounding prowess — he averaged an NCAA-best 13.5 per game — will be important in competing with Kansas State, which has more size than Providence. Pure scorer Anthony Reeves (14.6 points per game) and versatile forward Jacob Toppin will also play a critical role in executing Kentucky’s offense, as Toppin will help Tshiebwe crash the offensive glass.
As for Kansas State (24-9, 11-7 Big 12), the No. 3-seed Wildcats will have a chance to withstand Kentucky’s relentless glass-crashing and interior-scoring ability thanks to their size. That said, forward Kenyontae Johnson and guard Markquis Nowell, both seniors, will be the team’s top players. Each averages more than 34 minutes per game and they contribute 34.5 points per contest combined.
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Johnson’s name will be familiar to most, as he suffered a scary collapse that led to a medically-induced coma two years ago while playing at Florida. He has successfully come back from that and will now look to help first-year head coach Jerome Tang lead his Wildcats to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018.
The winner of this contest will earn a date with the winner of the Marquette vs. Michigan State in the wide-open East region bracket. With No. 1 seed Purdue already out thanks to Fairleigh Dickinson, the winner of the Wildcats clash should have an easier-than-expected path to the Final Four.
The Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights from Kentucky vs. Kansas State on Sunday. Check out the latest news and updates from the NCAA Tournament game.
Kentucky vs. Kansas State score
| H1 | H2 | F | |
| Kentucky | |||
| Kansas State |
Kentucky vs. Kansas State live updates, highlights from 2022 March Madness
(All times Eastern)
1:20 p.m. — In case you’re wondering, Kentucky will be in blue for today’s game while Kansas State will wear their white jerseys with purple trim. Below is a look at each uniform.
For Kentucky. #GoBigBlue pic.twitter.com/x65GsBqMZ6
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) March 19, 2023
GAME DAY
🆚 Kentucky – 1:40 PM CT
😼 NCAA Second Round
📺 https://t.co/m1jjBqcez6 (CBS)
🎙 https://t.co/GN6HY6yInu
📊 https://t.co/Y7UaW4hzsH#KStateMBB x #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/MhcRdUAI7V— K-State Men’s Basketball (@KStateMBB) March 19, 2023
What channel is Kentucky vs. Kansas State on today?
- TV channel: CBS
- Live stream: NCAA March Madness live
Basketball fans hoping to watch the battle of Wildcats can find it on CBS. There will also be a live stream of the game available on NCAA March Madness live.
MORE: Watch NCAA Tournament games live with Sling TV
Kentucky vs. Kansas State start time
- Date: Sunday, March 19
- Time: 2:40 p.m. ET
The second-round game between Kentucky and Kansas State will tip off at 2:40 p.m. ET from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. on Sunday.
March Madness schedule 2023
Sunday, March 19
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| (11) Pitt vs. (3) Xavier | 12:10 p.m. | CBS |
| (6) Kentucky vs. (3) Kansas State | 2:40 p.m. | CBS |
| (7) Michigan State vs. (2) Marquette | 5:15 p.m. | CBS |
| (5) Saint Mary’s vs. (4) UConn | 6:10 p.m. | TNT, Sling TV |
| (6) Creighton vs (3) Baylor | 7:10 p.m. | TBS, Sling TV |
| (16) Fairleigh Dickinson vs. (9) Florida Atlantic | 7:45 p.m. | TruTV, Sling TV |
| (5) Miami (Fla.) vs. (4) Indiana | 8:40 p.m. | TNT, Sling TV |
| (6) TCU vs. (3) Gonzaga | 9:40 p.m. | TBS, Sling TV |
Sweet 16
Thursday, March 23
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| TBD vs. TBD | 6:15 p.m. | TBS, Sling TV |
| TBD vs. TBD | 7 p.m. | CBS |
| TBD vs. TBD | 8:45 p.m. | TBS, Sling TV |
| TBD vs. TBD | 9:30 p.m. | CBS |
Friday, March 24
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| TBD vs. TBD | 6:15 p.m. | TBS, Sling TV |
| TBD vs. TBD | 7 p.m. | CBS |
| TBD vs. TBD | 8:45 p.m. | TBS, Sling TV |
| TBD vs. TBD | 9:30 p.m. | CBS |
Elite Eight
Saturday, March 25
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| TBD vs. TBD | 6 p.m. | TBS, Sling TV |
| TBD vs. TBD | 8:30 p.m. | TBS, Sling TV |
Sunday, March 26
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| TBD vs. TBD | 2 p.m. | CBS |
| TBD vs. TBD | 4:55 p.m. | CBS |
Final Four
Saturday, April 1
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| TBD vs. TBD | 6 p.m. | CBS |
| TBD vs. TBD | 8:30 p.m. | CBS |
National championship
Monday, April 3
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| TBD vs. TBD | 9 p.m. | CBS |