An SEC throwdown is expected to attract all eyes of the college basketball world when the sixth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats collide with the South Carolina Gamecocks! Let's check out our college basketball odds series where our Kentucky-South Carolina prediction and pick will be revealed.
Heading into this matchup with a 14-3 overall record including a 4-1 mark in SEC play, it has been the Wildcats that are already proving why they have a case to be a serious tournament contender come March. Outside of a gut-wrenching overtime loss to Texas A&M back on Jan 13th, UK has managed to come out victorious in eight of their last nine contests.
On the other side of things, South Carolina is also stringing together a very worthy NCAA Tournament resume with 15 wins under their belts. As it stands, the Gamecocks are 3-2 in conference play but have alternated wins and losses over the course of their previous four games. Does South Carolina have what it takes to defend home court and win their second consecutive SEC matchup?
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Kentucky-South Carolina Odds
Kentucky: -5.5 (-105)
Moneyline: -194
South Carolina: +5.5 (-115)
Moneyline: +160
Over: 155.5 (-110)
Under: 155.5 (-110)
How to Watch Kentucky vs. South Carolina
Time: 7:00 ET/4:00 PT
TV: SEC Network
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Kentucky Will Cover The Spread/Win
For starters, these Wildcats boast a multitude of ways that they can hurt you. Indeed, this offense is arguably one of the most efficient in all of America. In fact, they have managed to score 90 points in four straight games and recently accumulated a whopping 105 points in the nine-point victory over Georgia at home. To make matters worse for this Gamecocks defense, it is the Wildcats that average the most points in college basketball with 91.6 per contest. But wait, there's more. Kentucky also ranks within the top ten of the nation in field-goal and three-point percentage.
At the end of the day, be on the lookout for Kentucky to generate high-percentage looks while taking extreme care of the basketball. If the Wildcats get sloppy with their turnovers, then that will only leave the door open for the Gamecocks to strike while the iron is hot.
However, the one cause for concern has been on the other side of the floor. While the Wildcats are scoring at a feverish pace, their defense has left much to be desired. Remember, this does happen to be a team that has surrendered 90 or more points in two of their last three contests. Nevertheless, fear not UK fans, as this appears to be an effort issue. As a matter of fact, the defense is at least holding opponents to only 31.3% shooting from deep and a 42.1% mark from the floor as a whole. While they are not known for their defensive prowess, a few stops during crunch time could be all she wrote for Kentucky's chances to cover the spread.
Why South Carolina Will Cover The Spread/Win
At the moment, South Carolina is 9-1 at home and aren't planning on losing on their home floor anytime soon.
Alas, the biggest thing to keep an eye out for regarding the Gamecocks and their ability to slow down the pace of the game no matter what the situation is. With Kentucky being an insanely high-paced team, there is no doubt that the Gamecocks will want to take their time each offensive possession down the floor. Most importantly, taking care of the basketball will be critical for their upset chances at home. The second Kentucky is able to translate South Carolina's mistakes into points off of turnovers, then the Gamecocks will be facing an uphill climb.
Not to mention, this team also isn't afraid to get their nose dirty and do whatever it takes to make it to the free-throw line at an abundant rate. On paper, South Carolina converts on roughly 71% of their trips to the charity stripe. In a game where every single point will be of the utmost importance, capitalizing on their free throws ultimately may be the difference between covering and not covering. Above all else, South Carolina is +4.7 in the rebounding department and must keep Kentucky off the glass at a consistent rate.
Final Kentucky-South Carolina Prediction & Pick
In this clash between the SEC's best offense and defense, expect this one to come down to the very end. However, South Carolina's strong home-court advantage to go along with their swarming defense will end up being the deciding factor.
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final Kentucky-South Carolina Prediction & Pick: South Carolina +5.5 (-115)
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