It is not the same ballgame for the Kentucky Wildcats as it has been in the past. Yes, John Calipari once again get himself some blue-chip recruits, but they haven’t all worked out as well as he thought.
They aren’t going to any post-season tournament unless they pull off a major upset in the SEC tourney. But they could have a couple of “last hurrahs” before at least some of them move on to what they hope is going to be a career in the NBA.
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That opportunity presents itself on Tuesday night as Kentucky visits the Ole Miss Rebels at Oxford.
We think we can turn an angle in your favor so you can make a nice payday at BetOnline.
Kentucky Wildcats at Ole Miss Rebels Picks
Tip-off: 9 PM ET (Tuesday)
NCAA Basketball Lines: Ole Miss -2 (-105), Total 130
This game brings together two teams who, on balance, have had an awful lot of difficulty shooting the ball. So who is worse? Well, Kentucky is outside of the top 300 in Effective Field Goal Percentage, which makes it tough to win. But that goes without question.
When you shoot badly, it helps if you’re able to clean the offensive glass. And both of them do a good job of it. So who’ll be better? That might provide some clues as to who will win.
The Wildcats are the team that brings more size to the table. So potentially they can get the second-chance points. At the same time, they can put seven-foot Olivier Sarr and 6-10 Isaiah Jackson on the floor. But Jackson’s ability to STAY on the floor is something that is always questionable. He can block shots. He is one of the better rebounders in the SEC. But he gets himself in foul trouble all too often.
We know this – the ‘Cats usually have a clear advantage over their foes when they have Jackson out there.
Ole Miss’ problem on offense is that the Rebels can’t hit three-pointers. They are one of the worst in the nation at 28.5%. We say this because if they can’t make inroads in the lane or in mid-range jumpers, they’ve got a big mountain to climb. Devontae Shuler, the 6-2 guard, scored 25 points against Vanderbilt last time out, but he has been inconsistent enough that he went 1-for-15 against Mississippi State ten days ago and hit just three of 19 shots in a two-game period against LSU and Auburn in early January.
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Kentucky hasn’t had a lot of success on an overall basis from beyond the arc. In fact, they are below 33%. But they might be able to get something out of Davion Mintz, a rare senior in the UK rotation (meaning he was one of the few honored on Senior Night this past weekend). Mintz, a transfer from Creighton. He’s gone 16 of 38 (42%) from tripleville over the last five games. And if handicappers look at the ‘Cats objectively, they’ll see that they have nailed 40% or better in five of their last eight contests.
In the latest game against Florida (a 71-67 loss), the team had a lapse, making just four of their 20 attempts from downtown. So yes, maybe that’s what might make a difference for them.
As it stands, Kentucky’s biggest challenge might be to endure Ole Miss pressure that forces turnovers on 24% of the other team’s possessions.
In a game between two squads that can play some defense – and in fact both rank in the nation’s top 25 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency – we’re giving Kentucky an edge in outside firepower. And what comes with having a lot of size.
The Play: KENTUCKY +3 (-115)
