The Kentucky Wildcats host the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday morning in an SEC college basketball matchup. The game tips off at 11:00 a.m. ET in Lexington, Kentucky. The game time was moved an hour earlier than originally planned due to the incoming winter storm.
The Wildcats are listed as 9.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 144.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this SEC college basketball matchup.
Kentucky vs. Ole Miss prediction, preview
Kentucky is a good team, but has not reached its potential yet this season. The Wildcats are 13-6 on the season and 4-2 in SEC play. However, they have yet to take down any elite team. Based on where the team was ranked at the time of the game, Kentucky has played five teams inside the top 20. The Wildcats lost all five of those games, most recently to Alabama in SEC play. However, Kentucky is in a good run of form coming into this game. They are on a four-game winning streak, including a ranked win over Tennessee. Kentucky has been solid defensively this season, ranking second among SEC teams in points per game allowed. On the offensive end, they are led by senior guard Otega Oweh, who is averaging over 15 PPG.
Ole Miss is off to a shaky 3-3 start in SEC play. After a Sweet 16 run last season, the Rebels are not the same team without Sean Padulla and a couple of other key contributors. Senior forward Malik Dia leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, but is not an elite scoring threat by any means. The Rebels particularly struggle in the paint, where they are undersized and underskilled, outside of Dia. This team has struggled to find an identity all season, and it will be a tough road test against Kentucky as they hope to get back on track.
Kentucky vs. Ole Miss pick
My best bet for this game is for Kentucky and Ole Miss to go under 144.5 points. Ole Miss really struggles to score the basketball, ranking dead last among SEC teams in points per game this season. Part of the reason for that is that they play at an incredibly slow pace, ranking 301st in the country in adjusted tempo. Kentucky has been great on the defensive end of the floor, allowing just 70.7 PPG. The Rebels will do their best to slow this game way down and take away Kentucky’s athletic advantage. The Wildcats should win in the halfcourt, but they will have to play slowly on the offensive end. Between the slow pace and the lack of offensive output expected from Ole Miss, this game should finish under the listed total of 144.5 points.
