An SEC catfight pits Wildcats against Tigers

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

01/28/2012 - Baton Rouge, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats close out a two-game road trip this afternoon, invading Baton Rouge for an SEC showdown with the LSU Tigers at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

John Calipari's Wildcats have lost just once this season and are certainly clicking on all cylinders, bringing a lengthy 12-game win streak into this contest. Kentucky continued its winning ways this week while remaining unbeaten in conference play with a 57-44 decision over Georgia in Athens.

Trent Johnson's Tigers are four games over .500 on the season at 12-8, but have found it much tougher in league play with a mere 2-4 mark thus far. This is the third straight ranked opponent on the docket for the Tigers, who have lost at Florida (76-64) and at Mississippi State (76-71) in the last week.

Kentucky holds a sizable 80-24 advantage in the series with LSU and leads in games played in Baton Rouge, 28-16. More recently, the Wildcats have won two straight and four of the last five meetings.

The Wildcats have one of the youngest rosters in the nation, but that hasn't prevented the team from ascending the polls. Kentucky has done it with balance at both ends of the floor and is enjoying an impressive +19.5 scoring margin as a result (second in the nation). The youngsters have certainly bought into the team's defensive gameplan, allowing a mere 59.0 ppg (18th nationally) on a nation's best .362 shooting. UK's scoring depth is unmatched with six players currently averaging double figures. Still, it is the emergence of freshman forward Anthony Davis that has the team rolling. The 6-10 Davis is shooting .629 from the floor, averaging a double-double with 13.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, while leading the nation in blocked shots (4.7 per game). Doron Lamb (13.7 ppg), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (13.2 ppg), Terrence Jones (11.6 ppg), Darius Miller (10.3 ppg) and Marquis Teague (10.0 ppg) all have the ability to fill up the basket.

LSU's problems usually come at the offensive end of the floor, where a lack of consistency has plagued the team. The Tigers are averaging a modest 67.2 ppg, while shooting just over 40 percent from the floor. Forward Justin Hamilton leads the way, with team-highs in scoring (13.9 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg) and blocks (29). Andre Stringer and Anthony Hickey round out the top scoring threats at 10.8 and 10.0 ppg, respectively. Ralston Turner (8.9 ppg) and Storm Warren (8.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg) complete the starting five. In the loss to the Bulldogs this week, LSU knocked down 11 three-pointers but it wasn't enough. Stringer led the way with 17 points. Hickey hit four three-pointers en route to a 16-point outing. Hamilton finished with 11 points. Despite committing just nine turnovers in the game, LSU was beat up on the glass, getting outrebounded, 46-26. The Wildcats showed their defensive prowess in the win over Georgia, holding the Bulldogs to a mere 44 points. Miller led the Wildcats in scoring with 19 points off the bench, hitting 7-of-8 shots from the floor including all four of his three-point attempts. Kidd-Gilchrist posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Davis struggled offensively with just four points, but did grab 11 rebounds and block five shots in the win.

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Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State

It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.

Work left to do:

Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney.

Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable.

Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

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