NFL Tickets
TV Schedule: Saturday, Dec. 12, 3:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
Arena: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky.
After their shocking loss to the UCLA Bruins over a week ago, the Kentucky Wildcats were able to grind out a win over the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, 88-67. Eastern Kentucky is a legitimate contender in the Ohio Valley Conference, so the Wildcats should feel fairly confident after beating them by 21 points.
Next up for Kentucky, however, is a difficult matchup with the talented Arizona State Sun Devils, who just knocked off the then No. 18 Texas A&M Aggies by 13 at home.
The Sun Devils have two losses on the season, but both came by a combined eight points. With solid wins over the Belmont Bruins, NC State Wolfpack and Creighton Bluejays, the worst-case scenario for Arizona State would be a trip to the NIT. With several Pac-12 teams already showing vulnerabilities, the Sun Devils have a legitimate shot at competing for the Pac-12 regular season title, and a win over Kentucky could be just the confidence boost that this team needs to carry them throughout the long college basketball season.
Kentucky is clearly the better team in this one, but it would be ridiculous to believe that the Sun Devils are incapable of pulling off the upset – especially after what UCLA did last Thursday. UCLA won by dominating the Wildcats on the inside, and Arizona State’s leading scorer, Savon Goodman, could do the same for the Sun Devils.
That being said, I do not see Arizona State pulling off the upset over Kentucky in Rupp, even if Goodman has the game of his life. The Wildcats are a legitimate national title contender that has suffered a disappointing loss in recent weeks. Expect Kentucky to dominate this matchup and win easily behind the play of their talented freshmen.
Prediction: Kentucky 78, Arizona State 65
Taylor Sturm is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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