The Kentucky Wildcats (14-3) travel to face off against the South Carolina Gamecocks (15-3) on Tuesday, January 23rd. This game will be played at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia and televised on SECN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.
Kentucky Wildcats vs South Carolina Gamecocks
The Kentucky Wildcats Are Coming Off A Win
After defeating Georgia 105-96, Kentucky is now 14-3 overall and 4-1 in Southeastern Conference play. So far, the Wildcats have been favored in 13 of their 17 games and have gone 12-1 in those matchups.
On the road, Kentucky has gone 3-1 this season, and their average scoring margin in those games is +7.8. Over their last 10 road games, the Wildcats have gone 7-3.
As the favorite this season, Kentucky has an ATS record of 8-5. Over their last three games as the favorite, the Wildcats are 2-1 vs. the spread. On the road, Kentucky has an ATS mark of 3-1 this year and their last three road games vs. the spread have resulted in a 2-1 record.
Kentucky’s over/under record for the season is 14-3, and over its last three games, the over is 3-0. The average scoring total in the Wildcats’ last three games is 185 points, and their average over/under line this season is 154.9 points.
The South Carolina Gamecocks Are Coming Off A Win
South Carolina is 11-1 at home this season with an average scoring margin of +12.8 points per game. They are coming off a 77-64 win over Arkansas and have gone 9-1 in their last 10 games at home.
So far, the Gamecocks have been the underdog in seven of their 18 games, going 5-2 in those contests. They are 15-3 overall and 3-2 in Southeastern Conference play.
South Carolina has been a solid bet this season, going 13-5 against the spread. They have been especially good vs. the spread as the underdog, going 6-1. At home, their ATS mark is 8-4 and they are 2-1 vs. the spread in their last three home games.
This season, South Carolina’s over/under record is 9-9 and the average over/under line in their games is 140.4. So far, 15 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s over/under line of 155.5. In their last three games, the average scoring total is 141 points and their over/under record over their last three games is 3-0.
Kentucky Offense Breakdown
The Kentucky offense is coming off a game in which they scored 105 points vs. Georgia. Overall their field goal percentage was 61.9% while connecting on 14 threes. Tre Mitchell was the leading scorer for the Wildcats, putting up 23 points. In addition, Antonio Reeves contributed 21 points.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antonio Reeves (G) | 19.5 | 4.4 | 1.6 |
| Rob Dillingham (G) | 13.8 | 3.2 | 3.9 |
| Tre Mitchell (F) | 13.6 | 7.6 | 3.4 |
South Carolina Offense Breakdown
The South Carolina offense is coming off a game where they scored 77 points against Arkansas. They posted a field goal percentage of 51.9% and connected on 9 threes. B.J. Mack led the team in scoring, putting up 18 points. Additionally, Zachary Davis contributed 12 points for the Gamecocks.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meechie Johnson Jr. (G) | 16.7 | 4.4 | 2.4 |
| B.J. Mack (F) | 13.8 | 5.3 | 1.4 |
| Ta’lon Cooper (G) | 9.4 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
Kentucky Team Defense
Coming into today’s game, the Kentucky defense is giving up an average of 77.2 points per contest. Kentucky’s three-point defense is currently 200th in the country at 8.6 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 42.3% of their shots vs. Kentucky.
South Carolina Team Defense
At present, the Gamecocks’ defense is nationally ranked 33rd, allowing 64.6 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, South Carolina’s defense has allowed opponents to shoot 40.8% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 32.0% this season.
Wildcats vs Gamecocks Trends
- In their last three road games, Kentucky has averaged 91 points per game while allowing 86. The team’s record in this stretch was 2-1 while going 2-1 vs. the spread.
- When looking at their past five home matchups, South Carolina has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 66 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
- The Gamecocks have played well in their last five games as the betting underdog, going 3-2 straight up and 4-1 against the spread.
- The Wildcats have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 5-0 straight up and 4-1 against the spread.
Wildcats vs Gamecocks Prediction
The Gamecocks come in as the underdog at +4.5, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.
As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 155.5, and our model projects the Wildcats and Gamecocks to reach a combined total of 144 points. Our bet is on taking the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:January 23, 2024 Kentucky Wildcats, South Carolina Gamecocks, Teams