Kentucky Basketball just emptied the tank to smother St. John’s in Atlanta, and now comes the game that can sneak up on you if you let it.
A weekday afternoon tip, the last game before the holiday break,
and a Bellarmine team that is just dangerous enough to make things uncomfortable if the Cats come out sleepy.
The Knights are 5- 6 and still trying to figure out exactly who they are, but they have a legit scorer that cannot be ignored.
What to watch for in Kentucky vs. Bellarmine
Standout wing Jack Karasinski has been on a heater to start the season. Through nine games, he is averaging 20.8 points in 31 minutes, while shooting 57.7 percent from the field, 36.7 percent from 3, and 75.9 percent at the line. He adds almost 6 rebounds per game and does it without hijacking the offense.
If Kentucky treats this like a walk-through, Karasinski has the scoring punch to keep Bellarmine hanging around.
The good news for Kentucky is that this matchup plays right into what this roster does best when locked in. The Cats have size and length with Otega Oweh, Mo Dioubate, and Kam Williams that can be thrown at Karasinski in waves. They can body him up on drives, chase him off the line, and make every catch a chore.
Coming off a game where they held St. John’s to 33 percent shooting and just 20 points in the paint, there is no excuse for letting Bellarmine’s star get comfortable.
Offensively, this should be a chance for Kentucky to sharpen habits more than chase highlights. Bellarmine is not going to overwhelm anyone physically, so this becomes about ball security and shot quality. The Cats just coughed it up 16 times against St. John’s. Cleaning that up, moving the ball side to side, and letting the offense flow through paint touches for Jayden Quaintance, Malachi Moreno, Mo Dioubate, and Brandon Garrison will matter more long term than the final margin.
It is also a chance to keep building toward whatever this rotation is going to look like once everyone is healthy. Jayden Quaintance finally got on the floor and immediately changed the geometry of the game at the rim. A home date with Bellarmine is a perfect setting to sneak in a few more minutes, test different frontcourt pairings, and let him find his timing without throwing him into a storm.
The backcourt will again be the storyline to watch. With Jaland Lowe battling a shoulder injury, Kentucky has had to get creative with ball handling and playmaking. Any time on the floor where the Cats can feel out reps with Denzel Aberdeen, Jasper Johnson, or even Oweh acting as a primary initiator is gold before SEC play hits.
This game is set in a weird window.
Tip is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. That is a workday afternoon when a lot of people are either traveling or trying to sneak away early. It also means the team can finish, get the win, then scatter for Christmas Eve before everyone comes back to gear up for the SEC opener on January 3.
Kentucky’s job is simple. Respect the opponent, lock in defensively on Karasinski, play through the paint, and treat this as a dress rehearsal for the grind that is coming.
If the Cats take care of business, they head into Christmas riding a four-game win streak, feeling as good as they have all year, with a chance to reset before the games that will really define their season.
How to watch Kentucky Basketball vs. Bellarmine Knights
Date: Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky
TV Channel: SEC Network+ (yes, another stream-only game, but good news, it’s the last one of 2025)
Online Stream: Watch ESPN, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Sling TV (Blue & Orange Plan)
Radio: Stream live at UKAthletics.com or on iHeartRadio via WLAP 630.
Local FM/AM Stations: Lexington: 98.1 FM / 630 WLAP – Louisville: 840 AM WHAS – London: 103.9 FM WWEL – Hazard/Pikeville: 101.1 WSGS – Madisonville: 93.9 FM WKTG
Replay: Watch ESPN
Odds: FanDuel Sportsbook does not have an official spread yet, so check back later for that. EvanMiya gives Kentucky a 99.4% chance of winning, BartTorvik is at 98%, KenPom is at 99%, and ESPN is at 99%.
Predictions: EvanMiya has Kentucky winning 91-63, BartTorvik has the Cats winning 92-61. Haslametrics is going with an 87-60 victory for Kentucky. KenPom has the Cats winning 89-63. I’m going with a 90-69 victory, Kentucky!
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