The Auburn Arena is going to be in a frenzy early Saturday evening when the No. 13 Kentucky Wildcats come a calling looking to stockpile a third straight impressive win on the road after tasking down Arkansas and Texas Tech in their two most recent treks away from Lexington. That’s something Bruce Pearl’s No. 17 Auburn Tigers will attempt to prevent when they return home off winning a third straight after fighting back to defeat Ole Miss in overtime. John Calipari’s kids swept the regular season rivalry from the Tigers a season ago, but Auburn had the last laugh when the team’s met up in the Final Four and survived in overtime to punch the program’s first-ever ticket to the National Championship Game. Online sportsbooks are without a doubt bracing themselves for the copious amounts of action set to be booked on this grudge match!
This SEC tussle will take place on Saturday, February 1, 2020. Tip-off will be at 6 p.m. ET from Auburn Arena in Auburn, AL. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. So make sure to fill out your March Madness Bracket today!
CBB Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
Things look to be coming together for the Wildcats. Since dropping successive matchups to Utah and Ohio State at the tail end of December, the Wildcats have come out on the right side of the scoreboard in all but one of their last nine played games; the lone defeat came at South Carolina on a half court heave at the buzzer. Though it just failed to cover the impost at home against a terrible Vanderbilt squad, it was to be expected with the Commodores invading Rupp in a prime lookahead spot. Still, CBB bettors were able to make some money backing Kentucky -14 on the 2H line after it battled back from a 7-point halftime deficit to pull out the 71-62 win and non-cover for the full game. The Wildcats are 3-1 SU and ATS on the true road to date.
Auburn has been hemorrhaging units for those backing them on the spread all season evidenced by their 9-11 ATS record. It’s been really bad of late with Samir Doughty and company logging just one pointspread cover in their last five games; that being an 80-67 win and cover at home against South Carolina. It likely should’ve logged a second straight cover last Saturday at home against Iowa State, but the defense decided to take the second half off and surrender 45 points after only conceding 31 in the first stanza. An effort like that will undoubtedly see its unblemished 12-0 record at home go up in smoke as hot Kentucky has been in recent weeks. The Tigers have been horrendous in the home dog role under Pearl managing just seven wins in 24 tries and covering the closing number nine times.
Player to Watch
Nick Richards has been playing like a man possessed in recent weeks. His 25 points and 14 rebounds was one of if not the main reason why Kentucky was able to get out of Lubbock with a win last Saturday. He then went on to log a second straight double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds to help the Wildcats pull off the comeback on the Dores. He’s set up to have a field day in this one running up against an Auburn defense that’s conceded 76 or more points in three of its last five games. The Tigers have proven to be susceptible to points scored on the interior with it ranked No. 290 in 2-point defense. Kentucky can’t shoot the 3-ball to save its life (No. 235), but hasn’t had to rely on it as readily able it’s been able to score closer to the hoop evidenced by it being ranked No. 36 in 2-point offense. That’s led to 24.4 percent of its points being scored from the charity stripe (No. 8). Guess who’s by far the better of the two free throw shooting team? You guessed it, good ‘ol KY Jelly!
Prediction
Though these teams rank out similarly at KenPom with Kentucky checking in at No. 32 and Auburn No. 36, my eyes tell me the Wildcats are the more complete package. Auburn’s defense leaves much to be desired, and it’s not very efficient at the offensive end of the court either (No. 48). Kentucky is the team with something to prove here, and it enters this tilt vengeful knowing it was the Tigers that prevented them from having a shot to cut the nets down last season. Should Tyrese Maxey actually step up and be a solid contributor unlike last week against Texas Tech, I simply can’t envision Auburn keeping this one close. Not with Richards eating in the paint all game long!
College Basketball Pick: Kentucky 80, Auburn 70
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