Kansas (16-3) at Kentucky (15-3)
When: Saturday, January 26th, 2019
Where: Rupp Arena,
Lexington, Kentucky
Time: 6:00 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Kentucky -5/143.5
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The SEC/Big 12 Challenge features some pretty intriguing games, but none more than Saturday’s contest between the two winningest programs in history, as the Kansas Jayhawks visit the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena. The Wildcats lead College Basketball with 2,278 victories, while Kansas is second with 2,264. Much of that difference is because Kentucky owns a 22-9 edge versus the Jayhawks over their storied history. Kansas has won the last three in the series, however, after Kentucky won by 32 at the Champions Classic in Indianapolis in 2014. The last three have all been decided by no more than six points, including a 65-61 setback in Chicago early last season. Jayhawks head coach Bill Self is the only Kansas coach to own a winning record (6-3) against the Wildcats. Kentucky comes in hot with five consecutive victories including wins versus ranked foes in No. 15 Auburn and No. 22 Mississippi State. The Jayhawks avenged an earlier loss to 25th-ranked Iowa State with an 80-76 victory on Monday but have struggled away from home. Kansas is just 1-3 in true road games following last Saturday’s 65-64 defeat at West Virginia. The Jayhawks have won 13 consecutive regular-season games against top-10 opponents with the last being the 2014 loss to Kentucky. The Wildcats are a perfect 11-0 at home this season and have won 14 straight at Rupp Arena.
Dedric Lawson is having a phenomenal season for the Jayhawks with a Division I second-best 13 double-doubles after pouring in 29 points and grabbing 15 rebounds versus Iowa State. Lawson is second in the conference in scoring (19.5 points) and eighth in the country in rebounding (Big 12-best 10.9). Lagerald Vick, who averages 15.0 points a game, leads the Big 12 in 3-point field-goal percentage (47.1) and has knocked down at least two from long range in every conference game. Sophomore guard Marcus Garrett averages just 7.7 points per contest but has upped that to 17.0 a game over the last three, scoring at least 15 in each outing.
Kentucky’s win over Mississippi State saw sophomore forward PJ Washington (12.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks) break out of a mini scoring slump with his first 20-point game in over a month (21) and tied a season high with four blocks. Freshman guard Tyler Herro made all three of his 3-point tries and each of his five free-throw attempts to finish with 18 points against the Bulldogs. Ashton Hagans has at least three steals in seven of his last eight games and contributed a season-high nine assists on Tuesday.
This may seem like a lot of points, but Kansas has really struggled on the road and they haven’t look overly impressive at home either. Kentucky is rolling right now and have the talent to really put it to the Jayhawks at home. I’ll lay the points.
Pick: Kentucky -6
- Jayhawks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 vs. Southeastern.
- Jayhawks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Jayhawks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Jayhawks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
- Jayhawks are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Jayhawks are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games.
- Jayhawks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games.
- Jayhawks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Jayhawks are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
- Wildcats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
- Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Wildcats are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win.
- Wildcats are 15-6 ATS in their last 21 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Wildcats are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games.
- Under is 5-1 in Jayhawks last 6 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Over is 12-3-1 in Jayhawks last 16 non-conference games.
- Over is 7-3-1 in Jayhawks last 11 Saturday games.
- Under is 25-11-1 in Jayhawks last 37 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 20-9-2 in Jayhawks last 31 overall.
- Under is 35-16-1 in Jayhawks last 52 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 17-8-1 in Jayhawks last 26 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 60-29-3 in Jayhawks last 92 road games.
- Under is 10-2 in Wildcats last 12 vs. Big 12.
- Under is 5-1 in Wildcats last 6 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Over is 13-4 in Wildcats last 17 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Under is 6-2 in Wildcats last 8 non-conference games.
- Under is 9-3 in Wildcats last 12 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 6-2 in Wildcats last 8 home games.
- Over is 11-4 in Wildcats last 15 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Over is 19-7 in Wildcats last 26 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 10-4 in Wildcats last 14 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
- Over is 10-4 in Wildcats last 14 Saturday games.
- Under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Kentucky.
- Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
- Favorite is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
- Home team is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
