The Alabama Crimson Tide take on the Kentucky Wildcats. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Alabama Kentucky prediction and pick. Find how to watch Alabama Kentucky.
Kentucky coach John Calipari is feeling the heat. He has shown signs of beginning to get Kentucky to play better basketball, particularly on defense, but when this UK team takes one step forward, it then takes a step backward. Kentucky played a great defensive game against Ole Miss and another strong game versus Auburn, but it then stumbled at LSU after blowing a 15-point lead. Kentucky is playing better defense than it did three weeks ago, when the Wildcats were getting absolutely shredded. Recall that they allowed 103 points to Tennessee at home and 89 to Gonzaga at home. UK is better than it was in late January. However, the loss to LSU showed that the Wildcats have not turned the corner. Calipari hasn't made the Final Four since 2015. That's nearly a full decade, a disaster for Kentucky basketball fans. The Wildcats' loss to LSU was a real setback not only on its own terms, but in the pursuit of a high NCAA Tournament seed and a realistic chance of making a deep run in March Madness. Kentucky might not be able to do any better than a No. 4 seed right now, and it is probably in line for a No. 5 seed, which is not what Big Blue Nation expects before each season.
Calipari has to find some bigger, better answers, and with SEC-leading Alabama coming into Rupp Arena on Saturday, we will see if Kentucky is ready to pass the bigger tests which await in the coming weeks.
Here are the Alabama-Kentucky College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Alabama-Kentucky Odds
Alabama Crimson Tide: +1.5 (-115)
Kentucky Wildcats: -1.5 (-105)
Over: 178.5 (-115)
Under: 178.5 (-105)
How To Watch Alabama vs Kentucky
Time: 4:00 pm ET / 1:00 pm PT
TV: ESPN
Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Alabama Could Cover the Spread
The Crimson Tide are thriving under coach Nate Oats this season. Alabama was picked to finish outside the top four in the SEC before the season. Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Kentucky comprised the top four. Alabama took that personally. The Tide were supposed to be noticeably worse, given that superstar Brandon Miller — a lottery pick — left for the NBA. Yet, here is Bama, in position to win the SEC championship with Tennessee fighting the Tide for the trophy. Alabama is maximizing its talent and resources. The same cannot be said for Kentucky. Nate Oats is coaching a lot better than Calipari, and when you boil this game down to its essence, that might be the reason Bama wins.
Why Kentucky Could Cover the Spread
The pressure attached to this game and the coming month of March for John Calipari should propel Kentucky to a higher level of defensive intensity and urgency. Kentucky knows this is a put-up-or-shut-up moment. Expect the Cats to rise to the occasion, much as they did a week ago at Auburn. They will also bounce back from their collapse at LSU. They will be mad and motivated, and it will help them here.
Final Alabama-Kentucky Prediction & Pick
The over-under is an eye-grabber. The number assumes one team will score at least 90, and both teams will score in the upper 80s or higher. That's a ton of points, even with these teams' defensive flaws. Take the under.
Final Alabama-Kentucky Prediction & Pick: Under 178.5
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