The No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats have been playing terrific basketball to start the season, which is expected of a team brimming with elite talent. They’ve been undefeated so far in four games, which include a win against Duke on Tuesday and Wright State on Friday. With a pesky Boston University Terriers team up ahead on their schedule, will the Wildcats continue to win in impressive fashion? Or will the Terriers expose some of the flaws in John Calipari’s team? Boston University hasn’t won against a Top 25 team since 1959, but can it pull off a November miracle?
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[sc:MarchMadness ]Boston University Terriers vs. Kentucky Wildcats Preview
Where: Rupp Arena, Lexington
When: Tuesday, November 24, 9:00 PM ET
Line: Boston University Terriers vs. Kentucky Wildcats – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Boston University Terriers (2-2, 0-0 Patriot League)
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]All hands should be on deck for the Terriers when they meet Kentucky for the second time since last year. Unfortunately for Boston University, two of its top gunners from last season won’t be there to help the team with Eric Hankerson out with an injury and Eric Fanning still serving a suspension. The duo combined for 36 points when the Golden Terriers lost to Kentucky last season, 89-65.
The score from that game, however, doesn’t exactly reflect how effective Boston University was at some portions of the contest, particularly in the first half when the Terriers trailed Kentucky by only five.
With Hankerson and Fanning out, the Terriers will look to get much of their scoring from their three-guard combo of John Papale, Cheddi Mosely, and Kyle Foreman. Papale paces the team with 17.8 PPG this seaosn, while Mosely and Foreman are putting up 14.0 PPG and 13.8 PPG, respectively. The trio should give Kentucky’s guards some challenge, particularly because of their shooting, as they have combined for 39 of the team’s 45 total threes this season.
Without a solid option in the paint to matchup with the bigs of Kentucky, the Terriers may very well use their remarkable outside shooting to the hilt just like theu did in their 78-66 win over South Florida on Saturday, when they went 10-for-22 from beyond the arc. Altogether, the Terriers are 10th in the nation with 11.2 threes per game.
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Betting on the Kentucky Wildcats (4-0, 0-0 SEC)
It was just another day at the office for the Wildcats last Friday, when they beat Wright State, 78-63. Kentucky failed to cover its 25-point spread as faves for the second time this season, but the Wildcats have a chance to win more convincingly in Lexington later tonight against BU. The Wildcats are 2-1 ATS in their last three home games.
Kentucky was led by Tyler Ulis’ 21 points against Wright State, but the diminutive guard was hardly the only one to come up big. Prized freshman recruit Jamal Murray had 13 points, though most of it came from the foul line, where he went 10-for-10, while Isaiah Briscoe had 15 points. Ulis and Briscoe both lead the team with 14.0 PPG average each. The Wildcats also clobbered Wright State on the glass, outrebounding the Raiders, 37-27.
Rebounding has been a strong suit of Kentucky this season, as it garners 41.0 per game. With BU likely to launch tons of shots from the perimeter, the Wildcats should have another busy night on the boards.
Boston University is averaging 76.8 PPG this season, but the Terriers would be hard-pressed to reach that mark against Kentucky’s defense that has allowed just 62.0 PPG, tied for 36th in the nation.
The Wildcats will have to take better care of the leather, though, after committing 12 miscues against Wright State.
Writer’s Prediction
Kentucky wins, 85-60.
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