2:03 pm
December 29

#16 Kentucky @ Louisville

Who will WIN this matchup?

#16 Kentucky Wildcats (9-2)

@ Louisville Cardinals (9-3)

 

Current odds:

Kentucky Wildcats: (-130)

Louisville Cardinals: (+110)

 

• The line for this game is Kentucky by 2.5 points.

• No. 15 Kentucky looks to continue its recent control of the series against Louisville when it visits the Cardinals on Saturday. The Wildcats have won five of the past six meetings and are 9-2 against Louisville during coach John Calipari’s nine-plus seasons at the school. Kentucky appears to be finding its groove after last weekend’s solid 80-72 victory over North Carolina and hopes to carry the momentum into the contest against its fierce in-state rival.

• The Cardinals have won three straight games and the contest will also represent the first taste of the rivalry for first-year coach Chris Mack.”I don’t worry about all the extraneous stuff, the pageantry surrounding the game,” Mack told reporters. “I think that blurs your focus and I’m much more concerned about getting our guys ready to win the game.”

• Freshman point guard Ashton Hagans was all over the court in the win over North Carolina and matched the school record of eight steals shared by Wayne Turner (1997) and Rajon Rondo (2005). “His defensive presence is amazing,” freshman guard Keldon Johnson told reporters. “You seen it all, he was locking up, making plays, big stops and you could just see it rubbing off on everybody.” Johnson is averaging a team-best 16.5 points while senior forward Reid Travis (15.1), sophomore forward PJ Washington (13.3 points, team-best 8.5 rebounds) and Herro (12.4) also are scoring in double figures.

• Sophomore forward Jordan Nwora has recorded double-doubles in three of the past four games and leads the Cardinals in scoring (17.8) and rebounding (8.5). He is the lone Louisville player averaging in double digits, has 11 double-figure scoring outings and is averaging 11.5 rebounds over the past four games. Senior point guard Christen Cunningham (8.6 points, 3.1 assists) missed the last contest against Robert Morris due to a concussion but returned to practice earlier this week and is expected to play against the Wildcats.

• Kentucky rolled to a 90-61 home victory in last season’s meeting as Louisville went 3-of-25 from 3-point range.

• Travis has scored in double digits in six straight games.

• The Cardinals have won 37 of their last 39 home nonconference games.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
#16 Kentucky Wildcats
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