Wildcats Go for Third Straight Win
The No. 19 Kentucky Wildcats try to extend their two-game winning streak when they face the Michigan Wolverines in the Basketball Hall of Fame London Showcase in London, England, on Sunday. Kentucky is coming off a home rout of Bellarmine on Tuesday and is looking for its first win away from home this season. Michigan had its two-game winning streak snapped by a narrow loss to No. 3 Virginia on Tuesday and is trying to avoid its second straight loss to a ranked opponent. Both teams want to make a good showing in this showcase event, so to help with your betting online, take a look at our in-depth preview of this game.
Let’s check the latest college basketball odds, stats, injury reports, and college basketball lines for Michigan vs Kentucky. We’ve plenty of NCAA basketball odds for you to consider.
Michigan Tries To Rebound
For much of Tuesday’s matchup with Virginia, the Michigan Wolverines looked to be in control of the contest, leading by 11 points at halftime before giving up the advantage. Michigan still had a chance to win the game but freshman guard Jett Howard had a potential go-ahead 3-pointer blocked in the closing seconds.
For the Wolverines to be successful against Kentucky, junior center Hunter Dickinson is going to have to have a big game on both ends of the floor. Dickinson is averaging 19.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks and is shooting 58.7% from the floor, but he’ll be matched up against a very big and athletic Wildcats front line.
Howard, the son of Michigan head coach Juwan Howard, will also have to play well, as he’s the only other double-figure scorer on the Wolverines. Howard is averaging 15.1 points and 1.6 blocks per game and connecting on 43.8% of his 3-point attempts this season.
Guard Kobe Bufkin will be dealing with a lot of ball pressure from the Wildcats, so he’ll have to be strong with the ball and avoid costly turnovers. The sophomore is averaging 9.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, and he had just one turnover against a very strong Virginia defense.
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Kentucky Needing A Big Non-Conference Win
The Kentucky Wildcats have gotten off to a solid start at 5-2, but in their two high-profile matchups so far, they’ve fallen short, losing to Michigan State and Gonzaga. With more top-notch competition on the horizon, the Wildcats need to prove they can win against bigger-name opponents, especially away from home.
“It will be a great experience for these kids, a really hard game,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said of facing Michigan after a tough win over Bellarmine on Tuesday. “We better not play how we started this game. They’re really, they’re well-coached and they’re a good team, so it will be a hard game.”
Kentucky has the reigning National Player of the Year in center Oscar Tshiebwe, who can be a force in the paint. After missing the first two games of the season following knee surgery, Tshiebwe has picked up where he left off last season, averaging 14.4 points, 13.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 56.4% from the floor.
Guard Antonio Reeves has made a mark in his first season with Kentucky after transferring from Illinois State in the offseason. Reeves is scoring a team-high 14.9 points per game while playing a reserve role for much of the season.
Forward Jacob Toppin is also a scoring threat, averaging 12.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He and freshman Cason Wallace (10.6 points, 2.8 steals) provide length and athleticism on the front line for the Wildcats.
Michigan vs Kentucky Head-To-Head
The Kentucky Wildcats have a 5-2 advantage in the all-time series with the Michigan Wolverines heading into Sunday’s contest. Kentucky won the last matchup, played in the 2014 Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, denying Michigan a second straight trip to the Final Four.
Three of the seven matchups between these teams have been at neutral sites, though they were all in the NCAA Tournament. The college basketball lines for Sunday’s contest are favoring the ranked Wildcats to come away with another win over the Wolverines.
Michigan vs Kentucky Game Information
- Game: Michigan (5-2) vs Kentucky (5-2)
- Location: 02 Arena
- Day/Time: Sunday, Dec. 04, 1:00 p.m. ET
- Michigan vs Kentucky Live stream: TBS.com
Michigan vs Kentucky Betting Lines
Michigan vs Kentucky Picks & Prediction
The Kentucky Wildcats have a deeper lineup than the Michigan Wolverines and that’s going to be the difference in this contest. Look for Tshiebwe to play big in a big game again to lead the Wildcats to the victory.
When doing your college basketball betting, take Kentucky to win and cover.
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Michigan vs Kentucky Edge
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Michigan vs Kentucky Game Summary
