College hoops action returns tonight and the No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats are hungrier than ever to win it all this season after falling short last time around. Their first game is an intriguing matchup with the reigning America East champions, Albany Great Danes, at Rupp Arena, Lexington. Can the Wildcats kick off their 2015-16 campaign on a strong note? Or will the Great Danes shock them?
Read on below for a comprehensive breakdown of this game, and while you’re at it, check out our other previews of the North Carolina vs. Temple and Northern Colorado vs. Kansas.
[sc:MarchMadness ]Albany Great Danes vs. Kentucky Wildcats Preview
Where: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky
When: Friday, November 13, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Albany Great Danes vs. Kentucky Wildcats – view all NCAA Basketball lines
Betting on the Albany Great Danes (0-0)
Coming off a 24-9 season which included an America East conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth, the Albany Great Danes will strive to make a big leap forward again this year. They’ll be tested right off the bat when they open up their 2015-16 campaign opposite the second-ranked Kentucky Wildcats. The Great Danes are only 2-6 in their last eight season-opening games.
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]The Great Danes, who were tabbed to finish second in the conference’s preseason poll, are big underdogs in this matchup but they still have some weapons in the team who can help them pull off the improbable upset. That’s because they boast a talented backcourt duo in Peter Hooley (13.7 PPG) and Evan Singletary (13.0 PPG), who were two of the team’s main offensive threats last year.
But Hooley and Singletary alone won’t be enough to overcome a Kentucky team that owns such an intimidating frontcourt lineup. The Great Danes no longer have Sam Rowley, their leading scorer and rebounder, to stand up with these giants. And so, that puts more pressure on Mike Rowley, who posted 3.8 PPG and 4.6 RPG in his sophomore season, to provide his team a solid inside presence on both sides of the court.
Still, the Great Danes will need every single ounce of offense that they can muster later. They’re up against a breathtaking Kentucky defense that limited opponents to just 54.3 PPG in 2014, the third-best in the nation.
Albany is 8-2 SU in its previous 10 games overall.
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Betting on the Kentucky Wildcats (0-0)
The Kentucky Wildcats fell two wins short of an undefeated record and a national championship title last season. That bitter ending has certainly got them even more motivated to win it all this 2015-16 season and their journey begins tonight versus the visiting Albany Great Danes.
The reigning SEC champions will be putting on a different look this season. They lost seven key players to the NBA which includes their twin towers, Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein. Head coach John Calipari is now left with his sophomore Tyler Ulis, junior Marcus Lee and senior Alex Poythress to provide the experience and leadership especially for their star-studded class of newcomers.
Speaking of the newcomers, Kentucky’s going to expect a lot from them immediately. Five-star point guard Isaiah Briscoe and shooting guard Jamaal Murray will solidify and add depth to their backcourt. Meanwhile, the pair of 6-foot-11 Skal Labissiere and 7-footer Isaac Humphries should fill the void left by Towns and Cauley-Stein in the frontcourt.
This combination of young talent and experience could be what Kentucky needs to not just emerge triumphant against the Great Danes but ultimately win it all this year. In the beginning though, expect some early struggles as the team adjusts to one another and tries to build some chemistry. But that process probably won’t take too long under Calipari’s guidance.
Kentucky is 9-1 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in its last 10 games at home.
Writer’s Prediction
Wildcats win by double-digits.
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