Kentucky basketball returns home this week. That doesn’t mean the schedule is easier.

After splitting a two-game SEC road swing last week, the Kentucky basketball team returns to Rupp Arena for a pair of home conference games this week.

The Florida Gators are in town on Wednesday for an 8 p.m. game on ESPN. The No. 5-ranked Tennessee Volunteers visit Rupp on Saturday for an 8:30 p.m. tipoff on ESPN.

Wednesday could be a high-scoring affair. Kentucky defeated the Gators 87-85 in Gainesville on Jan. 6, the league opener for both teams. And Florida is coming off a 102-98 overtime win over Georgia at the O’Connell Center on Saturday. The Gators average 90.5 points per game. UK averages 88.5. Todd Golden’s offense should be another test for a Kentucky defense that appeared improved during last Saturday’s 63-57 win at Arkansas.

Meanwhile, Florida center Micah Handlogten could be a test for Kentucky’s bigs. The Marshall transfer scored just six points but grabbed 12 rebounds in the first meeting with the Cats, but he produced 23 points and 17 rebounds in the Gators’ victory over Georgia. Florida is 4-3 in SEC play.

Saturday brings not just Tennessee to town, but the Vols’ scoring machine in Dalton Knecht. The transfer from Northern Colorado has scored 160 points in UT’s last five games, an average of 32 per game. He scored 32 points in Tennessee’s 75-62 win at Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Leftovers from UK’s win over Arkansas

Some leftovers from Kentucky’s nose-to-the grindstone victory at Bud Walton:

▪ Just prior to tipoff last Saturday, it was announced that Arkansas guard Devo Davis had “stepped away” from the Razorbacks’ program. That doesn’t mean he stepped away Saturday.

Instead, Davis might have been upset that he did not play in the second half of Arkansas’ 73-51 loss at Ole Miss on Wednesday. That was the latest low point in what had been a disappointing season for the four-year veteran. Picked on preseason All-SEC teams, Davis was averaging just 6.3 points per game on the year.

After the loss to Kentucky, Arkansas coach Eric Musselman declined to discuss Davis’ departure. “I’m just going to stick to (the press release),” he said.

▪ In his postgame press conference, UK coach John Calipari issued a defense of Musselman, with Arkansas now 1-6 in SEC play.

“I know everybody out here will be panicking and all that other stuff,” Calipari said of Arkansas. “Last year, (Eric) Musselman, they were 1-5 (in the SEC) and they went to the Sweet 16. If (Arkansas) chooses, they’ve got enough talent, if they choose to come together, they’ve got a coach whose proven, he’s done it. They’ve just got to come together. Do we have to play them again? (Yes). Alright, let’s hope they come together after they come in and we play them again.”

▪ Nearly lost in the win was another double-double from UK’s Tre Mitchell. The senior scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. That’s the sixth game this year that Mitchell has been credited with double digits off the glass.

UK players with double-digit rebounds this season: Mitchell (6), Bradshaw (1), Onyenso (1), Thiero (1).

▪ Calipari couldn’t help but mention that South Carolina’s Meechie Johnson went 0-for-9 in the Gamecocks’ 72-64 win over Missouri on Saturday. Johnson scored 14 points and made two three-pointers in Carolina’s victory over Kentucky last week in Columbia.

More SEC basketball notes

Some SEC notes after Saturday’s games:

▪ After a 5-0 start, Auburn dropped two straight last week — 79-75 to Alabama and 64-58 to Mississippi State. Both losses came on the road. Here are the road records of SEC teams heading into this week’s play:

• Alabama 2-1

• S Carolina 2-1

• Tennessee 2-1

• Auburn 2-2

• Kentucky 2-2

• Georgia 2-2

• Florida 1-2

• Texas A&M 1-2

• LSU 1-3

• Ole Miss 1-3

• Arkansas 0-3

• Miss State 0-3

• Vanderbilt 0-3

• Missouri 0-4

▪ Alabama’s 109-88 win over LSU on Saturday marked the sixth game this season the Crimson Tide has reached the century mark. Nate Oats’ team ranks tied for sixth nationally at 90.4 points per game.

Updated SEC men’s basketball standings and schedule

▪ Meanwhile, Georgia has given up 100 or more in two of its last three games. It lost 105-96 to Kentucky on Jan. 20, then that 102-98 overtime thriller at Florida on Saturday. To be fair, Florida did not reach 100 in regulation. The Bulldogs are 53rd in kenpom’s adjusted defensive efficiency rankings.

▪ In a losing cause, Georgia got 35 points from RJ Melendez off the bench. The 6-foot-7 junior from Puerto Rico was 13-of-19 shooting from the floor, including 6-of-10 from 3-point land. His previous high point total this season was 18.

▪ Now in his fifth season, Vanderbilt coach Jerry Stackhouse is now 24-52 in SEC play. The Commodores were 11-7 last season. They’re 0-6 this year.

▪ Mark your calendar for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. when South Carolina (5-2) plays at Tennessee (5-1). The SEC Network has the coverage.

Kentucky state school notes

Some notes from state schools:

▪ If you missed it, Louisville scored all of 13 first-half points in a 69-52 loss to Virginia on Saturday. U of L trailed 41-13 at the half before outscoring the Cavaliers 39-28 in the second.

Currently 6-14 overall and 1-8 in the ACC, Louisville plays at Clemson on Tuesday before returning home to play Leonard Hamilton and Florida State on Saturday.

▪ Western Kentucky’s Dontaie Allen scored 30 points in the Hilltoppers’ 105-91 win over Florida International on Thursday. The former Kentucky Wildcat is shooting 39.5% from 3-point range.

▪ Currently 14-6 overall and 3-3 in C-USA play, Western Kentucky plays Sam Houston on Thursday and Sam Houston on Saturday this week. Both games are in Bowling Green.

▪ Currently 11-9 overall and a perfect 7-0 in the A-Sun, Eastern Kentucky is at Queens University in Charlotte on Thursday, then at Kennesaw State on Saturday.

▪ Currently 16-5 overall and 7-1 in the OVC, Morehead State is at Tennessee State on Thursday and Tennessee Tech on Saturday.

▪ Currently 8-13 overall and 5-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference, Murray State plays host to Illinois State on Thursday before traveling to Northern Iowa on Saturday.

▪ Currently 5-17 overall and 1-6 in the A-Sun, Bellarmine is at Kennesaw State on Thursday and Queens University on Saturday.

Some national notes

A few notes from around the country:

▪ Kansas lost its fourth game of the season Saturday, 79-75 at Iowa State. More Hilton Magic for the Cyclones, who had beaten Kansas State 78-67 in Ames on Wednesday. ISU is 16-4 overall and 5-2 in the Big 12.

▪ Rick Pitino update: St. John’s was off over the weekend. Currently 13-7 and 5-4 in the Big East, the Red Storm is back in action on Wednesday at Xavier.

▪ Richard Pitino update: New Mexico improved to 18-3 overall and 6-2 in the Mountain West with a 89-55 win over visiting Nevada on Saturday. The Lobos were ranked No. 25 before Monday’s AP Top 25 announcement.

▪ More “Horns Down” controversy. BYU students were asked to remove their lettered T-shirts that spelled “Horns Down.” That followed Texas coach Rodney Terry objecting to “Horns Down” gestures from UCF players in the Longhorns’ 77-71 loss to the Golden Knights on Jan. 17.

On Saturday, BYU coach and former Kentucky star Mark Pope said of his school’s students, “That’s not who we are.” BYU won the game 84-72, by the way.

The win at Arkansas was a step forward for Kentucky’s defense and its potential ceiling

John Calipari wants more from Rupp fans. ‘Don’t just stand there and try to analyze.’

John Calipari’s star of the Kentucky-Arkansas game? He might be ready for a bigger role.

Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s win over the Arkansas Razorbacks

Kentucky eked out an SEC road win, but should the Cats now be worried about their offense?