Two of college basketball's biggest bluebloods, No. 8 Kentucky and No. 9 Kansas, will face off on Saturday and serve as the headliner for the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
The two teams came into the 2018-19 season as the preseason No. 1 and No. 2, and while their rankings have dipped, the luster on this matchup certainly has not. It's Kansas and Kentucky, after all.
Both KU and UK come into Saturday at 15-3 and 16-3, respectively, but the way in which both teams have gotten there is decidedly different. For the Wildcats, they started slow and have heated up. After a 7-2 record to open the season, they've won eight of their last nine, including nine straight.
Kansas, on the other hand, started hot at 10-0 and has cooled off. The Jayhawks are 6-3 in their last nine games, and haven't won a game by double digits since Jan. 2.
Viewing information
- When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
- Where: Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky
- TV: ESPN
- Live stream: WatchESPN
Game prediction, pick
Latest odds via SportsLine: Kentucky -6
Kansas has been playing with fire of late, winning by four, two, five and five in its last four wins. Kentucky, meanwhile, is mostly smoking teams in the SEC: A 21-point beatdown of Mississippi State, a 20 point beatdown of Georgia, and an impressive two-point win over Auburn sandwiched in between. The Wildcats appear to be turning a corner at the right time. At Rupp Arena with the momentum they carry, I like them to win it and keep it rolling in a tight game. Pick: Kentucky 74, Kansas 71
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