It’s the worst-case scenario. For the second straight year, Kentucky suffers a first-round knockout in the NCAA Tournament. Last year, Saint Peter’s. This year, Bryce Hopkins.
You remember Hopkins, the 6-foot-7 sophomore forward from Oak Park, Illinois, considered one of John Calipari’s top recruits a year ago. For whatever reason, Hopkins never made his way into Calipari’s rotation. By season’s end, Hopkins had placed his name in the transfer portal.
He ended up at Providence, who coincidentally is Kentucky’s opening Big Dance opponent at 7:10 p.m. Friday in Greensboro, N.C. Not so coincidentally, Hopkins averaged 16.1 points and 8.5 rebounds for the 21-11 Friars. He’s one of five finalists for the Karl Malone Award for the nation’s best power forward.
