Kentucky beat Troy in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night, and that means the Wildcats’ next game will fall on a Sunday. That raises a question: Will UK freshman Collin Chandler — one of the stars in the Cats’ 76-57 victory over the Trojans on Friday — be able to play against Illinois in the round of 32?
Chandler is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and completed a two-year mission overseas — delaying the start of his college basketball career in order to serve the Mormon Church — before coming to Kentucky last spring. Prior to leaving the United States on his mission, Chandler was committed to BYU, where Mark Pope was the head coach.
BYU, which is affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has a “no-Sunday play policy” that prevents its athletics teams from playing on that day. The policy was seemingly observed last year by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, which built a 2024 bracket that would have prevented the Cougars from being placed in a situation that would involve competing on a Sunday.
Last year — Pope’s final season with BYU — the Cougars were actually ranked as the top 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament field but dropped to a 6 seed, apparently, to accommodate the policy. BYU ultimately lost to 11-seeded Duquesne in the first round. While the university has the policy to prevent BYU teams from playing on Sunday, it’s generally accepted that the decision of whether or not to participate in athletics on that day is an individual choice. And Chandler made it clear that he will be playing in the Wildcats’ game against Illinois.
“Yes, I will be playing on Sunday,” he told the Herald-Leader on Friday night.
The Cats and Illini are scheduled to play at 5:15 p.m. EDT Sunday on CBS, with the winner advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. UK has not been that far in March Madness since 2019.
Chandler explained that the decision to play on Sunday was one he made at an early age. He pointed out that — as a player on a traveling AAU team — he often was put in situations where the squad had games on Sunday.
“And so that is something that I’ve thought a lot about and prayed about,” Chandler said. “And I feel like playing basketball — my whole goal is to glorify God. And I don’t play every Sunday. When I’m home, Sundays are my day off, where I go to worship. So having a one-time thing here — to play in the tournament — yes, I’ll be playing on Sunday.”
BYU, obviously, did not have any Sunday games in Pope’s five seasons as head coach. Utah Valley, where Pope — who is also of the Mormon faith — was the head coach for four seasons, did have two nonconference Sunday games during his tenure. Kentucky did not have any games on Sunday this season, though the Cats did occasionally practice on that day.
Chandler — a freshman guard from Farmington, Utah — was actually the first player to commit to Pope after the coach was hired as John Calipari’s replacement last April. He said he’s found a supportive community in Lexington since his arrival last spring. “There’s a lot of people that have taken me under their wing, which has been nice,” Chandler said. “And I’ve found a place where a bunch of university students go to worship, as well, and so I got to know a bunch of people there. And a lot of families that have taken me in — and when my fiancée is in town, as well — they’re very welcoming.
“So, yeah, it’s been awesome. And that’s been great — because I don’t have family here — they’ve kind of been like my family, which I’m grateful for.”
Chandler, who scored nine points in less than two minutes to help put Kentucky on a path to victory in its NCAA Tournament opener Friday night, said he wasn’t quite sure what that aspect of his life would look like when he decided to follow Pope to Lexington last year.
“That was kind of like the unknown of coming here, is having that support group — who’s that going to be?” Chandler said. “And I think the biggest ones have been, first of all, the team. I feel like they’ve become my family, and so I’m grateful for their support. And that gives me a lot of comfort being here, as well as the church, and having people of your same values and beliefs. It’s great to have people like that around you. And so that’s made this year a lot easier, in that aspect.”
