Oklahoma Sooners vs Kentucky Wildcats Picks and Predictions February 26th 2025

Oklahoma Hunting Another Upset as No. 17 Kentucky Visits

Oklahoma seeks a second straight upset when it hosts No. 17 Kentucky in a pivotal late-season Southeastern Conference showdown on Wednesday in Norman, Okla.

The Sooners (17-10, 4-10 SEC) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 93-87 home win over No. 21 Mississippi State on Saturday. Jeremiah Fears tallied 27 points and a career-high 10 assists, while Sam Godwin also recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

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Oklahoma coach Porter Moser emphasized the importance of the inside presence provided by Godwin and Mohamed Wague, who contributed five points, two rebounds, a block, and a steal off the bench.

“We talked about needing more from our five spot,” Moser said. “Between Mo and Sam, we got a lot of production from that spot.”

Despite their struggles through much of February, Moser said the Sooners remained resilient. They are currently projected as one of the last teams in the NCAA Tournament, with senior forward Jalon Moore leading the team with 17.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

“We were all going through struggles,” Moser said. “I’ve been through it. I’m a big boy and can handle a lot. But for them to keep fighting through it, the crazy thing about it is to keep believing. The NCAA Tournament is right there. That’s the belief you have to keep telling the team.”

Kentucky Looking for Defensive Improvements

Kentucky (18-9, 7-7 SEC) is coming off a 96-83 loss at then-No. 4 Alabama on Saturday. Senior guard Koby Brea led the Wildcats with 20 points, including four three-pointers.

Brea said that improving on the defensive end will be the key to success in Kentucky’s final four games of the regular season.

“Our main focus has been guarding the ball,” Brea said. “We focus more on the defensive end, and when we do that well, the offense takes care of itself. When we come and guard, we are going to win games.”

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First-year Kentucky coach Mark Pope has seen growth from his team but acknowledged that costly mistakes against top-tier competition remain an issue.

“We have to get way better. I’m proud of our young guys’ effort, but we have to keep improving faster,” Pope said. “We have to play some perfect basketball in terms of only making our mistakes and not making unforced ones.”

Otega Oweh leads five Wildcats averaging double figures with 15.7 points per game, while Amari Williams contributes 11.0 points and a team-high 8.8 rebounds.

Will the Sooners Pull Off Another Upset?

With Oklahoma fighting for a tournament spot and Kentucky looking to regain form, this matchup has major implications. Can the Sooners capitalize on their home-court advantage again, or will the Wildcats bounce back?

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