In the highly anticipated match of week 7 of the 2025-26 NCAA season, the Kentucky Wildcats will lock horns with the No. 22-ranked St. John’s Red Storm in just a few hours. But this game has more to it than just two big empires of the league playing against each other, as when the Red Storm head coach, Rick Pitino, looks down the sideline, he’ll see a ghost of his own creation – the Wildcats head coach, Mark Pope, who once played as an athlete under Pitino.

But as we get closer to tip-off, speculation about the return of forward Jayden Quaintance has left everyone wondering: is he going to play?

As per reports, nine months after tearing his ACL, Quaintance is finally back where Kentucky always believed he would be – on the brink of a debut, not a comeback story forced by urgency, but one earned by patience. Sources indicate the decision was made Friday for Quaintance to suit up against Rick Pitino’s No. 22 St. John’s on Saturday in Atlanta. And for Mark Pope, the timing isn’t poetic. It’s deliberate.

If this were about headlines, fans would have seen Jayden Quaintance in action way earlier. If it were about desperation, Kentucky wouldn’t have waited almost a year before putting him back in the game. But since the beginning, Pope has been clear: no matter who the opponent is, his return to the court was going to be about Quaintance and Quaintance only, and he would only suit up when he was ready.

As per On3, Pope said, “Yeah, we’ll see. He’s been out of basketball for nine months and crossed half-court for the first time in a drill two days ago. So, we’ll see. It literally is — he’s done an unbelievable job on his rehab, and he’s kept up with everything in terms of having an off-the-court concept of what we’re trying to do.”

So for the coach, Saturday’s decision will come down to final checks rather than emotion. Whether Jayden Quaintance logs minutes or takes the floor for the first time in blue and white, his availability alone adds another layer to a matchup already heavy with history.

With tip-off fast approaching in Atlanta, here’s everything fans need to know about Kentucky vs. St. John’s.

How to Watch St. John’s vs. Jayden Quaintance’s Kentucky?

Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025

Time: 12:30 p.m. ET

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

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TV Channel: CBS

Announcers: Play-by-play, Brad Nessler; analysis, Bill Raftery, Bruce Pearl; sideline, Jenny Dell

Livestream: Paramount+

Radio: UK Sports Radio Network, WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1 (Lexington); WHAS-AM 840 (Louisville)

St. John’s vs. Kentucky: Injury Report

With the Wildcats already gaining stability before Jayden Quaintance’s return. His comeback will give Pope the much-needed depth in the game. But he is not alone who is looking to make a comeback!

Junior guard Jaland Lowe is back after missing five games with a shoulder injury, while Alabama transfer Mouhamed Dioubate recently returned from an ankle sprain. The duo combined for 27 points and 17 rebounds in the Wildcats’ win over Indiana, giving their team stability.

On the other hand, St. John’s will enter the matchup without injury concerns.

Projected Starting Lineups

St. John’s Red Storm:

Current Standings & Form

• Kentucky Wildcats: 7-4, all losses to ranked opponents (No. 11 Gonzaga, No. 16 UNC, No. 17 Michigan State, No. 12 Louisville). Currently on a two-game winning streak. Yet to begin SEC play.

• St. John’s Red Storm: 7-3 overall, 1-0 in Big East play, ranked No. 22 nationally. They’ve won three straight games after losses to No. 15 Iowa State, Alabama, and No. 21 Auburn.

St. John’s vs. Kentucky: Preview and prediction

The CBS Sports Classic matchup sets up as one of the more intriguing nonconference tests remaining before league play, with Kentucky and No. 22 St. John’s arriving in Atlanta from very different emotional paths, yet standing almost identical on paper. For Coach Pope, this game carries emotional weight alongside competitive intrigue.

St. John’s enters as the more explosive offense, averaging 87.9 points per game, compared to Kentucky’s 84.3. The Red Storm also shoots 48% from the field, matching the Wildcats’ efficiency, while playing at a faster tempo that has helped fuel their current three-game winning streak.

However, Kentucky’s edge shows up on the other end of the floor. The Wildcats are allowing just 66.4 points per game, nearly six fewer than St. John’s 72.3, reinforcing their identity as a defense-first group.

That gap alone explains why this matchup is expected to tighten significantly in the half-court.

Rebounding could be the swing factor. Kentucky holds a clear advantage on the glass, pulling down 41.4 rebounds per game to St. John’s 39.9, and that edge becomes even more meaningful in a game where perimeter shooting is unlikely to decide the outcome.

Extra possessions, kick-outs late in the shot clock, and second-chance points could tilt a one-possession game.

Ball movement also favors Kentucky. The Wildcats average 18.3 assists per game, comfortably ahead of the Red Storm’s 16.2, especially late in the games, when defenses tighten.

While St. John’s protects the rim better (5.7 blocks per game vs. Kentucky’s 4.4), the Wildcats compensate with stronger interior positioning and rebounding discipline.

With both teams boasting experienced coaches and talented rosters, Saturday’s showdown is expected to be a game that will keep the fans on edge. However, neither team enters this game as a threat from behind the arc.

With both teams shooting the same percentage from the field and entering on modest winning streaks, the deciding factors narrow to defense, rebounding, and composure.

Kentucky’s ability to suppress scoring, combined with its advantage on the glass and the potential return of Jayden Quaintance to reinforce the interior, gives them a slight edge in what projects as a physical, possession-by-possession battle.

Prediction: Kentucky controls tempo late and edges it out behind defense and rebounding.
Final score: Wildcats 73, Red Storm 72.