Kentucky Wildcats vs. Auburn Tigers Predictions, Picks, Odds

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The Kentucky Wildcats (15-3, 5-1 SEC) travel to meet the Auburn Tigers (17-1, 6-0) at Auburn Arena on Saturday in Auburn, Ala. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on CBS.

SCORE PREDICTION

Auburn 74, Kentucky 69

BEST BETS

Auburn -3.5 (-110)

Under 148.5 (-110)

KENTUCKY WILDCATS VS. AUBURN TIGERS PREDICTIONS

The Wildcats scratched out a 64-58 win at Texas A&M as seven-point favorites, just missing a cover as the UNDER connected. The 64 points were actually their lowest of the season while actually winning the game. Kentucky should feel fortunate to get the win, as it shot just 36%, or 21-of-58, from the field, while connecting on just 22%, or 4-of-18, from behind the arc. Kentucky was also sloppy with the ball, going for 16 turnovers while drawing dead-even in rebounds at 38 apiece. Surprisingly, Oscar Tshiebwe wasn't much of a factor on the offensive end, going for eight points, although he was his normal disruptive self on the defensive end with 14 rebounds (including 8 DRB), three blocked shots and three steals.

The Tigers fire into this game on a 14-game win, including an 83-60 demolition of visiting Georgia last time out on Wednesday. The Tigers covered a 21.5-point number, and they're now a perfect 7-0 ATS in the past seven games. Auburn has protected its house well, too, going 8-1 ATS in nine home games this season, including notable wins over Florida, LSU and Murray State. Believe it or not, the only team Auburn didn't manage a cover against at home is North Alabama back on Dec. 14.

KENTUCKY WILDCATS VS. AUBURN TIGERS BETTING ODDS

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KENTUCKY WILDCATS VS. AUBURN TIGERS BETTING RESOURCES

Matchup: SEC
Date: Saturday, January 22, 2022
Venue: Auburn Arena
Location: Auburn, Alabama
TV-Time: CBS - 1:00 p.m. ET

KENTUCKY WILDCATS BETTING ANALYSIS

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

SU: 15-3
ATS: 9-9
O/U: 8-10

The Wildcats have won four consecutive games, but they're just 2-3 ATS across the past five outings. They nearly had a third consecutive cover, but just missed a cover as seven-point favorites in a 64-58 win at Texas A&M. Overall they're 6-3 ATS in the past nine games overall.

Kentucky hasn't had a lot of success on the road this season, at least against the number. The Wildcats are 2-2 SU in four true road games, while cashing in in just one of those four outings. The UNDER is a perfect 4-0 on the road for Kentucky this season, and 9-2-1 in the past 12 dating back to last season, including the most recent trip to Auburn on Jan. 16, 2021.

The Wildcats have actually split the past 10 games head-to-head with the Tigers, with the home team winning eight of those meetings. Kentucky is 1-4 ATS in the past five in the series, while going just 3-7 ATS across the past 10 meetings. The UNDER has connected in three of the past four, and seven o the past 10 in the series.

AUBURN TIGERS BETTING ANALYSIS

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

SU: 17-1
ATS: 14-4
O/U: 10-8

The Tigers made mincemeat of the Bulldogs last time out, with six players hitting double digits in the rout. Walker Kessler led the way with 15 points and six rebounds, but he really impressed with six blocked shots. It will be interesting to watch Kessler and Tshiebwe banging bodies in the paint in a battle of two of the best big men in the SEC.

Auburn shot 46%, or 33-of-72, from the field, while hitting 28%, or 10-of-36 from downtown. That wasn't terribly efficient, and you can imagine how much worse the score would have been if they were more tidy on offense. Auburn gobbled up 36 rebounds while turning it over just eight times, while UGA turned it over 17 times. The Tigers had 10 total rejections, too, as Dylan Cardwell got into the act with three blocks.

The UNDER result against UGA snapped a 4-0 OVER run for the Tigers dating back to Dec. 29 against LSU. It's been a series of runs for Auburn, as the OVER was 4-0 from Jan. 4-15. The UNDER was 4-0 from Dec. 14-29, then the OVER was 4-0 from Nov. 26-Dec. 11. Might the game against Georgia be the start of another UNDER run? The pattern suggests it.

**Auburn has covered 10 of its past 11 games at home. (AP)**

INSIDE THE STATS - KENTUCKY WILDCATS

Record: 15-3
VI Ranking: 13
PS/G: 82.9 (7th)
PA/G: 62.8 (40th)
ORtg: 116.8 (5th)
DRtg: 88.6 (23rd)

INSIDE THE STATS - AUBURN TIGERS

Record: 17-1
VI Ranking: 2
PS/G: 80.7 (20th)
PA/G: 65.6 (96th)
ORtg: 110.3 (44th)
DRtg: 89.7 (30th)

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH

UK: Oscar Tshiebwe - F (16.1 PPG, 14.8 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 1.4 BPG)
UK: Tyty Washington Jr. - G (14.2 PPG, 4.6 APG, 4.2 RPG, 1.2 SPG)
AUB: Wendell Green Jr. - G (13.1 PPG, 5.1 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.6 SPG)
AUB: Jabari Smith - F (15.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.4 SPG)

KENTUCKY WILDCATS VS. AUBURN TIGERS BETTING CONCLUSION

While the Wildcats come in on a four-game win streak, including an emphatic 28-point win over rival Tennessee, the jury is still out about Kentucky when it comes to road outings. Yes, it topped a surprisingly good team at Texas A&M last time out, and yes, it had a win at Vanderbilt in the previous road outing before that on Jan. 11. But the Wildcats lost against a ranked LSU team in Baton Rouge, and a subpar Notre Dame team on Dec. 11, covering just once in three games away from home. They're clearly not the same, and Auburn has the weapons to neutralize Kentucky's most effective player.

The Tigers haven't fallen since Nov. 24, a neutral-site loss in double-overtime against Connecticut. That was the only setback to date, and they haven't lost at home since Feb. 23, 2021 against Florida, winning 11 straight at Auburn Arena, while going 10-1 ATS during the span. This Tigers team is stacked with no one superstar, but a cadre of above-average players who do their job. It makes it very difficult for the opposition to focus on just one or two players. Auburn works well together, and it will get the job done at home yet again Saturday afternoon.

KENTUCKY WILDCATS VS. AUBURN TIGERS BETTING TRENDS

Kentucky is 6-3 ATS in the past nine games overall.
Kentucky is 2-8-1 ATS in the past 11 road games.
Kentucky is 1-7 ATS in the past eight as an underdog.
Auburn is 7-0 ATS in the past seven games overall.
Auburn is 10-1 ATS in the past 11 home games.
Auburn is 11-2 ATS in the past 13 games as a favorite.
The OVER is 4-1 in the past five games for Auburn.
Auburn is 7-3 ATS in the past 10 meetings.
The UNDER is 7-3 in the past 10 meetings.

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Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson began his time at VegasInsider as a freelance NBA writer back in 2019 while he continued to study Psychology and Biology at James Madison University. Following his graduation in 2021, Michael joined the team full-time, and he's been with VI ever since. Michael still writes NBA, NFL, and MLB for VI, as well as gambling industry news. He's also become a crucial part of our editorial production team. More from Michael Crosson