Time: 6 p.m. ET
Venue: Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
Where to watch: SEC Network
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Kentucky -23
BetMGM: Kentucky -22.5
Caesars: Kentucky -22.5
Season record
Georgia: 5-9 (0-1 SEC)
No. 16 Kentucky: 11-3 (1-1 SEC)
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Georgia - Kentucky preview and analysis
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Georgia: lost three straight; lost 81-79 vs. Texas A&M on Jan. 4
Kentucky: lost 65-60 at No. 21 LSU on Jan. 4
One thing you can always count on is an angry Kentucky Wildcats team after losing a winnable game. The Georgia Bulldogs are in the crosshairs this time around when UK returns to Rupp Arena on Saturday.
The Wildcats are coming off their second road loss this season with a 65-60 defeat to the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge. Kentucky was held to 36.2 percent shooting and made only 10 of its 20 free-throw attempts despite nearly rallying late to win.
Davion Mintz came off the bench to provide a spark, scoring a game-high 16 points but went 4 of 12 to get there. Jacob Toppin finished with 14 points in 27 minutes, while Kellan Grady was the only starter to reach double figures with 13 points on 13 shot attempts.
In short, Kentucky's offense went cold at the wrong time. Even big man Oscar Tshiebwe did his work on the glass (13 rebounds) but could only total eight points on nine attempts. Normally he's a force inside, but was held to a whimper of a game against LSU.
Again, the good thing is facing Georgia should be a cakewalk for Kentucky. The Bulldogs enter conference play as one of the worst teams in the SEC and are coming off an 81-79 loss to Texas A&M in a high-octane offensive game for both teams.
Despite the loss, Georgia shot 51.8 percent from the floor. The key was going just 7 of 20 from range and turning it over two more times. That kind of close game against a now-12-win A&M team can really jumpstart a program. Unfortunately, Georgia is in need for an oil change, a new tire and some body work. The days of Anthony Edwards are long gone.
Kario Oquendo led Georgia with 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting, while Noah Baumann had 19 points.
Prediction
It's fool's gold to pick Georgia, and it has nothing to do with the level of talent. It's hard to watch a John Calipari team falter in back-to-back games and live to tell the tale. Kentucky bounces back, at home, against a winnable team and gets back on track. Kentucky by 25
Betting trends
Georgia is 20-16 ATS as an underdog the past three seasons.
Kentucky is 21-25 ATS as a favorite over the past three seasons.
Kentucky is 1-3 ATS this season after allowing 65 points or less the two seasons.
Projected starting lineup
Georgia:
PG: Aaron Cook
SG: Jaxon Etter
SF: Kario Oquendo
PF: Noah Baumann
C: Braelen Bridges
Kentucky:
PG: Sahvir Wheeler
SG: TyTy Washington Jr.
SF: Kellan Grady
PF: Keion Brooks Jr.
C: Oscar Tshiebwe
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