The Kentucky Wildcats have done a fantastic job this season responding to losses. Outside of when they lost back-to-back games to Kansas and the Tennessee Volunteers, they've bounced back from their defeats to post victories of 18+ points four times this season. For the first time in 2016 though, they've got a shot to avenge a loss against a team which beat them earlier in the campaign when Tennessee comes to Rupp Arena.
You can bet on college basketball odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
HOW THE TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Points in the paint, particularly in the second half were massive for the Volunteers against Kentucky the first time around. Not only did the team hit seven shots from inside the paint, but all of the aggressiveness to the hoop caused the Wildcats to commit 26 fouls resulting in 34 foul shots. UT isn't the best free throw shooting team in the land, but it did go a stunning 30-of-34 that night to pick up the victory.
Big players have to come up big in big games, and Kevin Punter did just that. He scored 27 points, including hitting 10 of his 11 free throws to lead the way, and he's going to have to be huge in this game once again. Armani Moore, who has quieted in recent games, had a double-double as well. With Alex Poythress not quite ready to return from a knee injury yet, there's definitely going to be a big void in the already weak Kentucky frontcourt. If the Vols can exploit that, they'll have a shot to not just cover this game, but perhaps to pull off the massive upset once again as well.
HOW THE KENTUCKY WILDCATS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
There's such a thing as playing angry, and Kentucky is starting to play that way. When John Calipari got ejected over the weekend against South Carolina, the Wildcats played like rabid dogs and absolutely whooped up on the Gamecocks on both ends of the floor. That's quietly three straight wins and covers for a team which felt like it was underachieving prior to that in SEC play.
The guard play is clearly superior for UK. Tyler Ulis and Jamal Murray combined for 53 points, while Ulis had a dozen dimes in the win in Columbia, and if these two guys play like that, the Wildcats can make up for a lot of problems they've got in their frontcourt easily.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
We just get the feeling the Wildcats are starting to peak at a really good time, and the Calipari ejection less than three minutes into the game at South Carolina might've been a tactical play by the mastermind coach. His team needed the boost on the road, and it got it in a big time way.
Now, Kentucky gets to come back home to face a NCAAB team which beat it in Knoxville. Throw in the fact that the Wildcats have absolutely mutilated teams here at Rupp Arena much of this season and parlay that with Ulis and Murray playing out of their minds, and you've got the making of a game which is going to be over at halftime.
The Wildcats aren't going to play around in this game like they did in Knoxville, and we think the end result is going to be an early run to discourage a Tennessee team which has a ton of long lapses on the defensive end.
Kentucky 89, Tennessee 68
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The Tennessee Volunteers and Kentucky Wildcats will square off Thursday, February 18, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. ET at Rupp Arena. The matchup will be televised live on ESPN.
