The Kentucky Wildcats take on the Auburn Tigers. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Kentucky Auburn prediction and pick. Find how to watch Kentucky Auburn.
The Kentucky Wildcats needed a win in the worst way earlier this week. They got it against the Ole Miss Rebels. Kentucky had lost three straight home games for the first time in the history of Rupp Arena, its storied home building. Kentucky lost at home to Florida, then Tennessee, and then Gonzaga. The team won at Arkansas and Vanderbilt, but its home-court woes continued to get deeper and deeper. Finally, UK was able to make its fans happy with the win over Ole Miss. The Wildcats finally played good defense, holding an opponent in the 60s after playing matador defense against other opponents and allowing scoreboards to light up like a Christmas tree.
Kentucky's big men have been the main problem on defense. Kentucky has struggled to rebound the ball on defense. Boxing out has been an area where the Wildcats were not very attentive. Opposing teams have collected a lot of extra possessions, and the margin for error has been small enough that Big Blue has been victimized by many of its failures on the glass. We will see if the much more airtight and disciplined performance against Ole Miss is a sign that this team is ready to engineer a turnaround.
Here are the Kentucky-Auburn College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Kentucky-Auburn Odds
Kentucky Wildcats: +8.5 (-102)
Auburn Tigers: -8.5 (-120)
Over: 164.5 (-110)
Under: 164.5 (-110)
How To Watch Kentucky vs Auburn
Time: 6:00 pm ET / 3:00 pm PT
TV: ESPN
Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Kentucky Could Cover the Spread
This is a large point spread. Yes, Auburn is very good at home, but this is still Kentucky, a team with a lot of talent and an ability to score quickly and in bunches. Even if Kentucky doesn't play great defense, it should score a lot of points. If the Wildcats score 85, they are unlikely to lose against the spread. Auburn would have to score 94 points to cover if Kentucky is able to reach 85. The Wildcats have a lot of options on offense and can hit opponents with different looks. As long as Auburn doesn't play its best offensive game, Kentucky should feel confident about covering an 8.5 number against the spread. Vegas seems to be reacting to the fact that Auburn beat South Carolina by 40 at home earlier this week. That result was an outlier, and Auburn — one could argue — should be a 7.5-point favorite in this game.
Why Auburn Could Cover the Spread
The Tigers are dynamic on their home floor. Beating a good South Carolina team by 40 points shows how amazing this team is when everything comes together. Auburn has had some struggles on the road this season, but at home, this group has been a high-flying force loaded with athleticism which is imposing and strong. Kentucky just does not play elite defense. The Wildcats were dominated by a Gonzaga team which is on the NCAA Tournament bubble and is not a lock to make March Madness. Kentucky has size and length, but its players do not have high basketball IQs. That will matter on the road in a daunting environment.
Final Kentucky-Auburn Prediction & Pick
Kentucky is a bad defensive team, but 8.5 is a lot of points. Stay away and consider a live play.
Final Kentucky-Auburn Prediction & Pick: Kentucky +8.5
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