Cats ready for a physical battle

Kentucky and Illinois are set to face off in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Sunday in Milwaukee, with tipoff scheduled for 5:15 p.m. ET on CBS. Both teams advanced after impressive first-round victories—Kentucky cruised past Troy 76-57, while Illinois handled Xavier 86-73.

The Wildcats know they’ll need to be ready for a physical battle against a tough Illinois squad. Forward Ansley Almonor emphasized the importance of controlling the boards.

“Illinois is a big, physical team,” Almonor said. “We’ve been used to that in the SEC, but we’ve got to be ready for this challenge. It’s going to be a fight in the paint, and we’ll have to crash the boards on both ends.”

Freshman guard Trent Noah echoed those thoughts, pointing out Illinois’ ability to spread the floor and attack the glass.

“They’re really talented and well-coached,” Noah said. “They get up a lot of threes, and rebounding is going to be key. We’ve got to limit their second chances.”

While defense will be critical, the Wildcats also know they need to play their brand of basketball. Noah stressed the importance of staying true to their identity.

“We just have to be us,” Noah said. “Play our game, get out in transition, take smart shots, and stay aggressive.”

Fellow freshman Travis Perry reinforced that mindset.

“We need to dictate the pace and control the tempo,” Perry said. “If we can play the way we want, that gives us the best chance to be successful.”

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope and his staff have been locked in on preparation since Friday night.

“We dove into the scout right after the game,” Pope said. “We’ve been locked in, meeting with the team, and had a good session on the floor. We’ll keep working to be ready for a very good Illinois team.”

With momentum from Friday’s dominant performance, Kentucky looks to carry that energy into Sunday’s matchup and punch their ticket to the Sweet 16.