The Kentucky Wildcats are favored to once again take care of business in the SEC and will begin their conference march on the road against the Ole Miss Rebels. Kentucky lost to Louisville last time out but is still one of the most talented teams in the country.
Kentucky should be able to overwhelm Ole Miss athletically and take care of business in a hostile environment. The Rebels should get some points and will aim to cover the spread so check to see how many they are given in this matchup.
At 8 p.m. ET, tune into ESPN2 for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Thursday, December 29, 2016, at the Pavilion at Ole Miss.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Thursday schedule.
Odds at BookMaker.eu
Kentucky is 10-2 straight up and 8-4 against the spread this season. The Wildcats have played one game on the road and failed to cover in it. Kentucky is 8-4 against the spread as the favorite this year and will definitely play that role again in this one.
Ole Miss is 9-3 straight up and 6-6 against the spread. The Rebels have covered in three of eight attempts as the underdog this year but have been better as the underdog, going 2-0 against the spread. Ole Miss has yet to face a team as talented as Kentucky but will aim to stay close.
Player to Watch
Sebastian Saiz - If Ole Miss has the capacity to keep up, it will be on the back of its senior forward. Saiz has contributed in all four years on the team but has really reached star status in 2016-17. Saiz is averaging 15.2 points and 12.1 rebounds per game while shooting a robust 53.9 percent from the floor.
He had 23 points and 16 rebounds last time out against South Alabama to lead the team to victory, but will have to work much harder for his points against a tough Kentucky frontcourt in this one. The Wildcats have the talent advantage but Saiz is experienced, and he should be able to use that to his advantage.
Saiz will need to demand the ball and score a lot to give Ole Miss a shot at the upset.
Key Stat
93.1. That’s the number of points per game Kentucky averages, as they are one of the most potent offensive teams in the country. Ole Miss has had trouble slowing down opponents this year which could be a real concern in this one.
The Wildcats are led by star guard Malik Monk, who is averaging 21.4 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from three-point range. De'Aaron Fox is another key piece as he is averaging 16.3 points, 6.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds per contest.
Isaiah Briscoe is adding 15.1 points per game and Edrice Adebayo is the other player on Kentucky averaging in double figures, scoring 12.5 points per game while adding 8.0 rebounds.
The Wildcats have to reload every year since they always lose so much talent to the NBA, and it will sometimes take a little bit of time to jell. Kentucky should be able to dominate in conference play and will start it here with a big-time offensive explosion.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Kentucky has lost to Louisville and UCLA recently but both games were close and came to a pair of top-10 teams. The Wildcats recently knocked off North Carolina to show they are among the best teams in the country.
Ole Miss has started out nicely but is not on the same level. The Rebels should have an enthusiastic crowd backing them but that won’t be enough to make up for the talent gap. Kentucky will take control early and cruise to the win.
College Basketball Odds: Kentucky 90, Ole Miss 77
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