The No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats are still very much in contention for the SEC regular season title, and they will look to improve on their chances to win the tournament when they go up against the Mississippi State Bulldog in Starkville this weekend. Kentucky is +1,200 to win the national title, while the Bulldogs are +10,000 to do it.
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Betting Preview for the Kentucky Wildcats vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs College Basketball Game on February 9, 2019
Where: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville
When: Saturday, February 9, 2019, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Kentucky Wildcats (odds) vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Kentucky Wildcats (18-3 Overall / 7-1 Conference)
Although they are currently not the toast of the SEC, the Wildcats are seemingly gaining plenty of ground in the conference, thanks to their scary form that has given them eight victories in a row. Kentucky will look to win their ninth straight game at home on Tuesday against the visiting South Carolina Gamecocks before taking on the Bulldogs – a team John Calipari’s boys have defeated before. Kentucky won on Lexington against Mississippi State on Jan. 22, 76-55, with PJ Washington and Tyler Herro leading the way for the Wildcats. Washington had 21 points in that game, while Herro chipped in 18 points with a 3-for-3 line from deep. It was Kentucky’s defense that was truly the one that starred for the Wildcats in that game, though. They limited the Bulldogs to only 31.1 percent shooting from the field and outrebounded Mississippi State, 43-36. Kentucky has the best defense in the SEC per KenPom, with 90.6 points allowed per 100 possessions.
Kentucky, which beat the Florida Gators on the road last Saturday 65-54, is 5-1 against the spread (ATS) this season in six road games.
Betting on the Mississippi State Bulldogs (16-5 Overall / 4-4 Conference)
Despite the earlier loss to Wildcats, there’s at least one Bulldogs player from that game who can’t hang his head low, and that’s senior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon, one of the best players in the conference this season. Against the Wildcats, Weatherspoon was the only starter for the Bulldogs who scored in double figures, going 8-for-17 from the field for a team-high 19 points to go with five rebounds. He is third in the SEC as of this writing in scoring with 17.6 points per game. Although it was mentioned above that they were outrebounded by the Wildcats, the Bulldogs had as many offensive boards as Kentucky with the two teams grabbing 15 apiece. Also, Mississippi State’s defense must have led an impression on the Wildcats, which committed 16 turnovers to 15 by the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are loaded with pesky defenders, with five players from the team averaging at least 1.0 steal per game, with Weatherspoon pacing the team with 1.5 per contest. As a team, Mississippi State is second in the SEC with an 11.0 steal percentage.
The Bulldogs are 3-1 ATS in their last four home games against Kentucky.
Writer’s Prediction
Kentucky wins, 73-70.
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