Which Kentucky players are available to play in NCAA Tournament opener versus Providence?

The Kentucky men’s basketball team has only played 13 of its 32 games so far this season with a full roster of players available.

That number will remain 13 for the biggest game of the Wildcats’ season.

Of the quartet of players that were considered potential injury concerns for Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament opener against Providence, only senior point guard Sahvir Wheeler will be unable to play on Friday night in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Freshman guard Cason Wallace, senior forward Jacob Toppin and redshirt senior guard CJ Fredrick will all be options for head coach John Calipari against the Friars.

While all four players took part in pregame warmups Friday night at the Greensboro Coliseum, Kentucky head coach John Calipari said on UK’s pregame radio show that Wheeler was only at 70% to 75%, and that Wheeler wouldn’t be available to play.

Back on Selection Sunday, Calipari said he planned to institute a new rule stating his players would have to practice all three days earlier in the week to play substantial minutes Friday night in the NCAA Tournament.

Both Wallace and Toppin will start against Providence.

Wheeler hasn’t played since Feb. 4 due to a right ankle injury. Two weeks ago, Calipari announced that Wheeler underwent a minor medical procedure prior to UK’s Senior Night game against Vanderbilt.

On Thursday, Wheeler told reporters he would be available to play against Providence.

“Well, he is trying his hardest, and he is doing great stuff, but, you know, I’ve got to really feel that he is going to be, maybe not 100 percent, but he can’t be 80 (percent),” Calipari said Thursday during a pre-NCAA Tournament press conference. “Not in a game like this.”

Wheeler is averaging 7.7 points and 5.6 assists per game this season. He led the SEC in assists the past two seasons and was atop that leaderboard again this season before being sidelined with the ankle injury. Wheeler was also leading the league in assist-to-turnover ratio before his injury.

Wallace has battled several injuries during his freshman season, largely playing through them. He’s only missed two games this season, including UK’s regular-season finale at Arkansas. Wallace returned and played 37 minutes in Kentucky’s SEC Tournament loss last week to Vanderbilt.

Toppin suffered a hamstring injury before the SEC Tournament that limited his practice availability, but he still played 39 minutes in the loss to Vanderbilt.

Fredrick suffered two cracked ribs against Florida on Feb. 4 and has missed considerable time since that injury. Fredrick has played in UK’s last four games, but he hasn’t played more than 28 minutes in any of those contests.

Fredrick has only attempted 10 combined shots in those four games after returning to the court.

GAME-BY-GAME KENTUCKY STARTING LINEUPS

Here’s a look at the starting lineups that UK has used for all 33 games so far in the 2022-23 season.

The Cats have used 11 different starting combinations.

Howard: Cason Wallace, CJ Fredrick, Chris Livingston, Jacob Toppin, Lance Ware.

Duquesne: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Ware.

Michigan State: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Ware.

South Carolina State: Sahvir Wheeler, Wallace, Fredrick, Toppin, Ware.

Gonzaga: Wheeler, Wallace, Fredrick, Toppin, Oscar Tshiebwe.

North Florida: Wheeler, Wallace, Antonio Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Bellarmine: Wheeler, Wallace, Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Michigan: Wheeler, Wallace, Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Yale: Wheeler, Wallace, Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

UCLA: Wheeler, Wallace, Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Florida A&M: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Ware, Tshiebwe.

Missouri: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Ware, Tshiebwe.

Louisville: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

LSU: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Alabama: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

South Carolina: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Collins, Tshiebwe.

Tennessee: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Georgia: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Texas A&M: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Vanderbilt: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Kansas: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Ole Miss: Wheeler, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Florida: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Arkansas: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Georgia: Wallace, Reeves, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Mississippi State: Wallace, Reeves, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Tennessee: Wallace, Reeves, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Florida: Wallace, Reeves, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Auburn: Wallace, Reeves, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Vanderbilt: Wallace, Fredrick, Canada, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Arkansas: Reeves, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Vanderbilt: Wallace, Reeves, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

Providence: Wallace, Reeves, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

KENTUCKY’S WIN-LOSS RECORD BY STARTING LINEUP

Here’s a look at Kentucky’s win-loss record this season by starting lineup for all 33 games.

Lineups are listed in order of total games played.

5-2: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

4-2: Wallace, Reeves, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

▪ This is the starting lineup for UK’s NCAA Tournament opener against Providence.

4-1: Wheeler, Wallace, Reeves, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

2-1: Wallace, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Ware.

2-1: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

1-1: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Ware, Tshiebwe.

1-0: Wheeler, Wallace, Fredrick, Toppin, Ware.

1-0: Wheeler, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

1-0: Reeves, Fredrick, Livingston, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

0-1: Wheeler, Wallace, Fredrick, Toppin, Tshiebwe.

0-1: Wheeler, Wallace, Livingston, Collins, Tshiebwe.

0-1: Wallace, Fredrick, Canada, Toppin, Tshiebwe.