The Kentucky Wildcats are coming off a win over Mississippi State, but a real test awaits them this Saturday, as they take on the suddenly struggling but still very potent West Virginia Mountaineers on the road. Read on for a preview of this intriguing SEC-Big 12 collision. Register to bet and wager with your pick.
Betting Preview for the Kentucky Wildcats vs West Virginia Mountaineers NCAA Basketball Game on January 27, 2018
Where: WVU Coliseum
When: Saturday, January 27, 2018, 7:00 PM EST
Line: Kentucky Wildcats (n/a) vs West Virginia Mountaineers (n/a) –view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Kentucky Wildcats (14-5)
The Wildcats made a return in the win column following a convincing 76-65 win to the Mississippi State Bulldogs at home on Tuesday. If they beat No. 7 West Virginia this Saturday, though, the Wildcats can say hello again to the Top 25 after sliding out of it last week. For Kentucky to do that, head coach John Calipari will have to ask for freshman Kevin Knox (14.6 PPG) to duplicate, if not better, his performance in the Bulldogs game, when the 6-foot-9 forward scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds while hitting a perfect 4-for-4 from the arc. West Virginia has a target on Knox’s back but Knox is barely the only Wildcat the Mountaineers will have to worry about. Kentucky also has Hamidou Diallo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who are averaging 12.7 and 12.1 points per game this season. As a team, Kentucky is putting up 77 points per game. The Wildcats are 3-2 ATS in their last five road games.
Betting on the West Virginia Mountaineers (16-3)
After absorbing yet another loss lats Monday, 82-73, at the hands of unranked TCU Horned Frogs, the Mountaineers head back home looking to pick the pieces up. The Mountaineers’ defense was unusually ineffective versus TCU. West Virginia is allowing just 65.8 points per game this season, but the Horned Frogs repeatedly punched the Mountaineers in the proverbial mouth. That said, WVU forced TCU to commit 16 turnovers, and the result would have likely been different if they shot the ball better and controlled the rebounds. The Mountaineers went just 33.3 percent from the field and were outrebounded 46-40. Kentucky is another high-scoring team, but the Mountaineers should fare better at home, where they are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games there. WVU opponents make 19.1 turnovers per game, second most in all of Division I basketball. This plays well against Kentucky’s roster that is littered with freshmen, most of whom have probably never seen the kind of frenetic defense the Mountaineers are about to give them this Saturday.
Writer’s Prediction:
West Virginia regains its footing with an 81-76 win over Kentucky.
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