Alabama vs Kentucky Picks: Bet ’Cats at Home January 18
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Two teams near the top of the SEC standings with national championship aspirations square off on Saturday when Alabama travels to Kentucky. No. 8 Kentucky is coming off an impressive double-digit home win against Texas A&M while fourth-ranked Alabama faltered against Ole Miss in Tuscaloosa.
Thanks to Kentucky’s 11-0 record at Rupp Arena, they are considered slight favorites with a college basketball line of 1.5 points.
Alabama vs Kentucky Game Information
- Game: Alabama Crimson Tide (14-3, 3-1 SEC) vs Kentucky Wildcats (13-3, 2-1)
- Location: Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
- Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 18, Noon ET
- Alabama vs Kentucky Live Stream: Fubo TV
Check updated Alabama vs Kentucky injuries here.
3 Alabama vs Kentucky Picks: ATS, ML, Over/Under Bets
1. Alabama vs Kentucky Over 179
This game has all the makings of a shootout as it boasts two of the top three teams in the nation in scoring, per NCAAB betting trends. Alabama’s 89.5 points per contest leads the way while Kentucky is not far behind at 88.7, hence the high number.
What makes these offenses so effective? The Crimson Tide have enviable depth with eight players averaging seven or more points, led by Wooden watchlist member Mark Sears. who averages 18.9 points on over 40-percent shooting from the field.
Kentucky has similar depth with six players averaging nine or more points while shooting 48-percent from the floor and 36-percent from three. They also have the advantage of being an elite passing team, tops in the SEC and seventh in the nation, doling out 18.6 assists per game.
But one statistical category these two do not excel in compared to SEC counterparts like Auburn, Florida and Tennessee is scoring differential. This is possible, in spite of high-powered offenses, by downright poor defensive play. Alabama sits outside the top-300 in the nation in scoring defense.
Even en route to a 3-1 start to conference play, the Crimson Tide have yielded over 77 points per game in that stretch. Not only do they not prevent points well, they foul over 19 times per contest, giving teams extra opportunities.
Kentucky is not a whole lot better, second-to-last in the SEC with over 74 points allowed in conference games. Even with the high threshold, all the signs point to the game exceeding said total. Bet online and brace yourselves for a shootout.
2. Kentucky (-125)
One area Alabama will need to improve to get back in the win column is taking better care of the ball, an area Kentucky excels at. The Crimson Tide turned the ball over a whopping 21 times against a formidable Ole Miss team and cough the ball up over 12 times per game at a negative margin.
But the main reason Kentucky winning the game outright is part of our NCAAB picks sheets is being utterly dominant at Rupp Arena this season. In addition to Texas A&M, the Wildcats outdueled Florida in the friendly confines.
While Alabama is an excellent 7-2 away from home, including at North Carolina and Texas A&M, plus a neutral-site win against Houston. But the Tide have yet to face as fearsome an opponent as Kentucky in such a difficult environment. We think the Wildcats will stay perfect at home and pull off another signature win.
Bet this pick: Kentucky (-125)
3. Kentucky (-1.5)
Now that we have established the NCAAB prediction of Kentucky winning yet another home game, will they also cover the spread? While yet to lose outright at Rupp Arena, the Wildcats are just 6-5 against the spread in those games. But they have been better ATS overall of late, covering in four of their last five, though Alabama has also covered in five of its last six.
With the line being as close as it is, we will roll with Kentucky here. In what should be a game of trading offensive blows, if Kentucky can force turnovers and get to the free-throw line in the hostile environment of Rupp Arena, we believe the Wildcats will cover the college basketball spread.
Bet this pick: Kentucky (-1.5)
Questions of the Day
What are Kentucky’s odds to win the National Championship?
Kentucky is +1800 in National Championship odds
What are Alabama’s odds to win the National Championship?
Alabama is +1600 in National Championship odds
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.