NFL Tickets
TV Schedule: Tuesday, Jan. 12, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Arena: Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
The Kentucky Wildcats bounced back from their disappointing road loss to the LSU Tigers with a solid road win over the Alabama Crimson Tide. They will head into their next matchup against the Mississippi State Bulldogs with a ton of confidence.
Mississippi State, however, will be desperate to get its first major win under new head coach Ben Howland. After falling just one point short against the Texas A&M Aggies, the Bulldogs have lost four games this season by two possessions or less. Winning those games would take Mississippi State from an SEC bottom-feeder to an NCAA tournament team. In fact, Mississippi State could catch Kentucky a little bit off guard in the first half.
That being said, the Bulldogs are going to get crushed by the much more talented Wildcats.
Skal Labissiere has yet to become the player many expected him to be, but the Wildcats proved last week that they can be fine without him. Labissiere played just four minutes due to foul trouble and the success of other players, but the important takeaway was just how good Kentucky looked with an aggressive – and healthy – Alex Poythress. Isaiah Briscoe, Jamal Murray and Tyler Ulis are extremely important to the overall success of the Wildcats, but Poythress’ play takes Kentucky from an Elite Eight team to a genuine national title favorite.
Mississippi State should not stand a chance in this one at Rupp Arena, so expect a good one to watch if you’re a UK fan and probably a one you won’t have to pay too much attention to if you’re a casual college basketball fan.
Prediction: Kentucky 76, Mississippi State 62
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