Kentucky snapped a 3-game losing skid by grinding out a win at South Carolina. Can the Cats use that to build momentum in the penultimate game of the season at Rupp Arena? Vanderbilt comes to Lexington on Saturday, and the last time we saw these two teams on the hardwood, things got ugly.
The best stretch of Mark Pope‘s second season happened early in SEC play when the Wildcats won eight of nine. The one loss was a non-competitive drubbing at Vanderbilt. The Dores’ led the whole in an 80-55 win.
Despite the previous margin, oddsmakers believe this one is a toss-up, giving a slight edge to the home team. Kentucky opens as a 1.5-point favorite over Vanderbilt. The total is 156.5, giving us a projected final score of 79-77.5.
The computer rankings produce a mixed bag of results. KenPom gives Vanderbilt a one-point edge, Bart Torvik makes it two points, but ESPN’s BPI gives the Wildcats a 56.4% chance to win at Rupp Arena.
"Ongoing conversation" but still undecided
What's your section's color, baby?
Will UK avenge early loss to Vandy?
An update from Will Stein.
by a small number over Vandy.
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Kentucky is 3-4 Against the Spread (ATS) as a home favorite in SEC play, but the Cats have covered in six of their last seven games. Vandy is fresh off a win over Georgia, where they covered by a half-point. The Dores have been road dogs three times in SEC play, with the lone cover coming as an outright win at Auburn. After starting the season with 16 straight wins, Vandy is 7-8 ATS in SEC play.
It’s a Quad 1 game for both teams. The Cats have a 5-8 record in those contests, while Vandy is 7-5. Duke Miles, Vanderbilt’s second-leading scorer, will be in action after missing the first game against the Cats. Hopefully, the final score looks much different than the one we saw when these two teams played at Memorial Gymnasium.
You can also follow along on the KSR LIVE BLOG, which will start a few hours before tipoff, and join the conversation on KSBoard.
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"Ongoing conversation" but still undecided
What's your section's color, baby?
Will UK avenge early loss to Vandy?
An update from Will Stein.
by a small number over Vandy.
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