Getty Kentucky standouts Ashton Hagans and Tyrese Maxey.
After knocking off top-ranked Michigan State in their season debut at the Champions Classic, the Kentucky Wildcats face Eastern Kentucky on Friday.
The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET and will be televised on the SEC Network. If you don’t have cable or don’t have that channel, you can watch the game live on your computer, phone, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Xbox One, PS4 or other streaming device via one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
AT&T TV Now (formerly DirecTV Now) offers six different channel bundles. Of those, the “Max,” “Choice,” “Xtra” and “Ultimate” bundles all include the SEC Network.
You can start a free trial of any AT&T TV Now package right here, and you can then watch a live stream of Kentucky vs EKU on your computer via the AT&T TV Now website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast or other compatible streaming device via the AT&T TV app. You can also watch the game on ESPN.com or the ESPN app if you sign in using your AT&T TV Now credentials.
If you can’t watch live, AT&T TV Now–no matter what channel package you choose–comes with included cloud DVR.
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand library of TV shows and movies, Hulu With Live TV comes with 60-plus live TV channels, including SEC Network.
You can sign up for Hulu with Live TV right here, and you can then watch Kentucky vs EKU live on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Echo Show, or other streaming device via the Hulu app. You can also watch on ESPN.com or the ESPN app by signing in with your Hulu with Live TV credentials.
If you can’t watch the game live, Hulu With Live TV comes with 50 hours of cloud DVR space, as well as the option to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of space and the ability to fast-forward through commercials.
The SEC Network is included in Sling TV’s Sling Orange plus Sports Extra bundle.
You can sign up for a free trial of Sling TV right here, and you can then watch Kentucky vs EKU live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or other streaming device via the Sling TV app. You can also watch on ESPN.com or the ESPN app by signing in with your Sling TV credentials.
If you can’t watch live, you can get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage for an additional $5 per month.
Eastern Kentucky vs Kentucky Basketball Preview
Kentucky sent a message to the rest of the nation and has the No. 1 ranking in sight with a strong performance in their opener, knocking off Michigan State 69-62.
“We’re coming off a game where people who watched it are saying, ‘Did you see their energy? Did you see their spirit? Did you see how hard they play?'” Kentucky coach John Calipari said Thursday. “Well, just be that team. We gotta do the same this game.”
It was a nice change of pace from the Wildcats’ opener a year ago, when they were shellacked by Duke by 34 points. Sophomore Ashton Hagans has dubbed the opening month of the season “No Smile November.”
“If you walked into the locker room before the game, it was silent,” he said. “Everybody was serious and locked in and ready to go.”
The talk of the game was guard Tyrese Maxey, who came off the bench for 26 points — the highest total for a Kentucky freshman in his debut.
“What I saw today was what I saw in high school,” Calipari said of Maxey’s scoring prowess. “I had not seen it before today.”
Maxey said he had never come off the bench in his life — which he probably won’t find himself doing much after his performance — but is all about getting the W for his Wildcats.
“I want to win at all costs,” Maxey told the Lexington Herald-Leader. “Whatever it takes.”
Calipari knows his team can’t let their guard down against Eastern Kentucky, which also enters with a 1-0 record thanks to a 79-68 victory over Chattanooga in their opener.
“Now, this is going to be a hard game because this team is pressing for 40 minutes,” Calipari said. “They’re gonna scramble and do stuff that this team has not seen.”
The Wildcats will have to contain Darius Hicks, who recorded 18 points and 12 rebounds in the Colonels win. However, Calipari is confident in his team’s defense.
“What I saw defensively for this early — this is my 11th year — I’m not sure if there’s a couple of teams that were better defensively at this point than we were that game,” Calipari said.
Kentucky is a whopping 28.5-point favorite for the game, with a total of 149. According to the Associated Press, Kentucky limited its 16 non-conference opponents last year to an average of just 65.9 points per game.