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The Kentucky Wildcats look to continue their winning ways in SEC openers when they battle the Missouri Tigers on Wednesday. The Wildcats (9-2), who are 9-0 at Rupp Arena this season, are looking to win their 11th SEC opener in 13 tries under coach John Calipari. A win would also improve Kentucky's record to 69-19 all-time in SEC openers. The Tigers (6-6), who have won just three of nine SEC openers since joining the league, are 2-13 all-time vs. Kentucky.

Tipoff from the Rupp Arena is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Wildcats are 20-point favorites in the latest Missouri vs. Kentucky odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 140. Before making any Kentucky vs. Missouri picks, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $2,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Kentucky vs. Missouri and revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's college basketball picks. Here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Missouri vs. Kentucky:

  • Missouri vs. Kentucky spread: Kentucky -20
  • Missouri vs. Kentucky over-under: 140 points
  • MIZZOU: The Over is 3-0-1 in the Tigers' last four Wednesday games
  • UK: The Wildcats are 8-17-1 against the spread in their last 26 games overall

Why Kentucky can cover

Graduate guard Kellan Grady has been spot-on from long distance for the Wildcats and has a team-best 29 3-pointers on 47.5 percent shooting. Grady has made 16-of-30 shots from deep over the last four games, and is averaging 11.2 points per contest. He is on the Jerry West Award preseason watch list and has the second-most returning points in college basketball with 2,125. 

Also leading the Wildcats is junior guard Sahvir Wheeler, a transfer from Georgia. Wheeler is second in the nation with 7.7 assists per game, and recorded 26 points, eight assists and four steals in the 98-69 drubbing of North Carolina on Dec. 18. He dished out a career-high 14 assists against North Florida and was the Dec. 20 SEC Player of the Week. 

Why Missouri can cover

The Tigers enter the game with six players averaging eight points per game or better, led by junior forward Kobe Brown, who is averaging 14.8 points per contest. Brown had a career-high 27 points in an 83-75 win over Utah on Dec. 18, and is tied for second in the SEC with four 20-plus point games this year. Brown recorded three consecutive double-doubles from Nov. 29 to Dec. 7, making him the first Missouri player to do so since Demarre Carroll in 2009. Brown is the third-leading rebounder in the conference, averaging 8.9 per game, and also ranks third in field goal percentage (52.9) and ninth in scoring.

Junior transfer guard Amari Davis has reached double figures in seven of the last nine games, including a season-high 17 points twice. Davis eclipsed 1,000 career points against Florida State on Nov. 22 and is now sitting at 1,080 for his career. He ranks 34th in Division 1 with a 15.4 career scoring average. Davis was a second-team All-Horizon League player in 2020-21 after leading Green Bay in scoring (17.1), steals (32) and minutes (34.6).

How to make Missouri vs. Kentucky picks

SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 141 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the model's picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Kentucky vs. Missouri? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.