Amid a nine-game losing streak in conference play, LSU prepares to face its biggest challenges yet this season: Malik Monk, De’Aaron Fox and the No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats.
Both freshmen have earned the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week title three times in the 2016-17 season. Monk leads the SEC in scoring, averaging 21.9 points per game, and making three-point shots, shooting 41 percent this season.
Tip-off for the game is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN.
Monk is attempting to become the first freshman to lead the SEC in scoring since LSU’s Chris Jackson averaged 30.2 points in 1989.
Fox is averaging 16 points and 5.5 assists per game and is coming off of a 19-point performance in Kentucky’s 66-88 upset loss to No. 24 Florida on Saturday.
“It should bring it out of you to want to compete against some of the best players in the country and one of the greatest teams in the country at the highest level in [one] of the greatest stages in the country at Rupp Arena,” coach Johnny Jones said following LSU’s 73-85 home loss to Texas A&M on Saturday.
“It’s not something that we can shy away from. We’ve certainly got to embrace it and go in there and play our butts off. It’s a great opportunity for our guys.”
LSU is 2-7 against Kentucky after the past five seasons.
LSU’s leading scorer Antonio Blakeney averaged 12.5 points per game against the Wildcats last season. Sophomore guard Blakeney is averaging 15.6 points and five rebounds per game for the Tigers this season.
Junior forward Duop Reath is averaging 13.5 points and 6.4 points per game. Reath posted a career-high 16 rebounds against Texas A&M on Saturday en route to his fifth double-double of the season.
“If we approach it the right way, then we’ll just have to see what happens,” Jones said.