If the Kentucky Wildcats are feeling unstoppable, it’s because that they are. The Wildcats will once again put their flawless record on the line this coming Friday as they take on the West Virginia Mountaineers. The Mountaineers are fresh off a mild upset win over the Maryland Terrapins in the Round of 32.
Read on below for a detailed preview of this game. You can also click here for our preview of No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 Utah.
[sc:MarchMadness ]March Madness No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats vs No. 5 West Virginia Mountaineers Preview
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland
When: Friday, March 26, 9:45 PM ET
Line: Kentucky Wildcats vs. West Virginia Mountaineers – view all NCAA Basketball lines
Betting on the Kentucky Wildcats
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]It was just another day at the office for Kentucky on Saturday, as the Wildcats defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats, 64-51. The win—Kentucky’s 36th-straight victory this season—clinched the Wildcats a spot in the Sweet 16 round, where the Mountaineers will try to put the first and last blemish on Kentucky’s clean record.
Kentucky gave Cincinnati hell on both ends of the floor. The Wildcats shot just 20-of-54 (37%) from the field, but went 20-of-28 from the free throw line. Their aggressiveness mixed with talent, was simply too much for Cincinnati, which was limited by Kentucky to just 31.7 percent shooting (20-of-63). Kentucky also scored 16 points off Cincinnati’s 14 turnovers, blocked nine shots, and had seven steals. All told, it’s obvious that Kentucky has all the tools it needs to deal with West Virginia’s offense that averages 73.9 points per game.
Willie Cauley-Stein is one of those tools. The seven-foot forward is averaging 1.7 blocks per game. He’s been even better over the last five games, wherein he averaged 2.2 BPG. Karl-Anthony Towns, meanwhile, paces the team with 2.4 BPG. Opposing teams shoot a measly 33.5 percent at the rim and just 30.9 percent on three-pointers against Kentucky.
Kentucky is 6-3-1 ATS in its last 10 games as the favorite.
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Betting on the West Virginia Mountaineers
Few people thought that the Mountaineers would be one of the two last Big 12 teams standing after the Round of 32. But here they are, ready for a Regional Semifinal clash with top-seeded Kentucky after taking down the Maryland Terrapins on Sunday, 69-59. West Virginia is 4-1 ATS in its last five games.
West Virginia’s win over the Terps was largely a result of the Mountaineers’ pestering defense that forced Maryland to commit 23 turnovers. Thirteen of those errors were from Melo Trimble and Dez Wells, the top two Maryland gunners. West Virginia’s excellent ball pressure will be pivotal for the Mountaineers against Kentucky. Look for the Mountaineers to harass Kentucky’s guards in hopes of messing up several of the Wildcats’ offensive sets. West Virginia is No. 1 in the nation in steals with 10.9 per game. West Virginia also forces its opponents to commit 19.5 turnovers per game.
On offense, West Virginia will bank on the pair of Juwan Staten and Devin Williams to deliver the goods. Staten is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 14.5 points per game. Staten, however, produced just six points against Maryland. Williams, on the other hand, continued his hot streak by scoring 16 points against the Terps. Williams has scored at least 16 points in each of the Mountaineers’ last four games, wherein he averaged 18.2 points per game—a huge improvement from his season average of 11.5 PPG.
Writer’s Prediction
Kentucky wins, 68-61.
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