NCAAB: KENTUCKY FAVORED IN SEC BATTLE
The Kentucky Wildcats are the only undefeated team in the SEC as they get ready to play at Mississippi tonight.
Sportsbook.com has Kentucky (16-4, 10-4 ATS) as a nine-point favorite with a Total of 142.5. ESPN will have the coverage starting at 7 pm ET.
After another sluggish start to the regular season, the duo of Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson has sparked the Wildcats, and the rest of the team has found a rhythm in being role players and doing their respective jobs.
Kentucky is ranked for the first time in 15 months and their unmerciful half-court defense can really bottle up the opposition, with teams shooting 36.4% against them. The ‘Cats are 16-6 ATS in conference conflicts the last two years.
Mississippi is 8-2 and 4-2 ATS at Tad Smith Coliseum, despite losing their three best backcourt players before the turn of the calendar. In the first two weeks of this season, the Rebels lost a pair of guards, sophomore Trevor Gaskins and junior Eniel Polynice, to knee injuries.
Chris Warren, the team’s leading scorer last season as a freshman, tore the ACL in his left knee on December 18th.
Mississippi (10-9 and 9-6 ATS) doesn’t impress anyone, other than the coach by hustling and giving everything they have, being stripped of so much talent. The Rebels are 9-0 ATS in home games when playing against teams with a win percentage of 60-80% after 15 or more games.
Coach Billy Gillispie’s Wildcats are 8-2 ATS after playing a game as a favorite and 6-0 ATS in road games after one or more consecutive wins this season.
Mississippi has lost three SEC games in a row, though has covered the latter two on the road. The Rebels are 7-0 ATS in home games after two or more consecutive Overs over the last three seasons.
Kentucky has beaten Ole Miss nine straight times (6-3 ATS) and has taken four of five at Oxford with three covers, with the Wildcats owning the all-time series lead 95-11.
