'It's Gonna be Fun.' Calipari, Kentucky React to NCAA Tournament Matchup Against Former Wildcat Bryce Hopkins
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee sure has a knack for creating storylines.
For No. 6 seed Kentucky, the yarn that will be spun in the lead-up to its Round of 64 matchup against the No. 11-seeded Providence Friars on Friday night in Greensboro, N.C. will surround one player: Sophomore forward Bryce Hopkins.
Coming out of Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Ill., Hopkins was the No. 39 player in the Class of 2021. The 4-star recruit chose to come to Kentucky, choosing the Wildcats over eight other finalists, one of which was Providence.
While UK saw plenty of success in the 2021-22 regular season, Hopkins struggled to find playing time in his freshman season in Lexington, averaging just 6.4 minutes in his 28 games as a Wildcat.
After getting early experience during the non-conference slate, coach John Calipari didn't give the 6-foot-7, 240-pounder much run during SEC play. His only stamp late in the year came in a 71-66 win over LSU on Feb. 23, 2022, as he played 16 minutes (season-high in SEC play) and connected on five of six shots, plus a few free throws, finishing with 13 points as well as four rebounds.
Following Kentucky's disastrous loss to Saint Peter's in the NCAA Tournament — a game that Hopkins didn't appear in — Hopkins was one of three players to hit the transfer portal, where he eventually chose Providence.
What a decision it was.
In 32 games in a Friars uniform, Hopkins is averaging 34.8 minutes while pouring in 16.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists-per-game. He was a unanimous selection to the All Big-East First Team as a result.
"Bryce is such a great kid, and he's a terrific basketball player," Calipari said Sunday when speaking to reporters. "He had an unbelievable year for them. So the guys smile. We all like him. A player that we enjoyed being around. He is a wonderful person and so is his family."
Hopkins has recorded 10 double-doubles this season while shooting 45.7 percent from the field (37.8 percent from 3-point range). He also has 27 steals and 20 blocks. He'll now try and block Kentucky from earning its first March Madness win since 2019.
When speaking to local reporters after the bracket reveal, Hopkins made it known that while facing his friends will be a heart-rending experience, it's still all business:
“Both names popped up … God works in mysterious ways. Can’t wait to prepare for them. There’s going to be a lot of emotions in that game," Hopkins said. "I'll say hello after the game, but before the game, I'm going to be locked in, going to try my best to take away their primaries and come out with that dub."
Two of his former teammates, CJ Fredrick and Lance Ware, discussed on Sunday what it will be like reuniting with Hopkins in Greensboro.
"It's gonna be fun," Fredrick said. "We're really looking forward to competing against Bryce and seeing him. He was one of our teammates. We love him."
"Even though he transferred, he still has that bond with us. That's our brother for life," Ware added. "Obviously, he had a really good year. I'm a fan of his. The things that he is doing at Providence, I'm happy for him."
The Friars had a scorching start to the season, but lost four of its final five games, finishing with a 21-11 (13-7 Big East) record. They'll now try and regroup to go on another run in the Big Dance. Last season, coach Ed Cooley's team made it to the Sweet 16, where it fell 66-61 to the eventual champions, the Kansas Jayhawks.
This storyline writes itself. Tipoff between Kentucky and Providence from inside the Greensboro Coliseum Complex on Friday, March 17 is set for 7:10 p.m. EST. The game will air on CBS.
WATCH: Calipari, Fredrick, Ware react to draw
More on the bracket reveal and Kentucky's draw HERE.
Kentucky needs to get healthy, fast. More HERE.
More on the SEC Tournament loss to Vanderbilt HERE.
Everything Calipari said after the loss HERE.
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