The No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats (15-3, 5-1 SEC) and No. 2 Auburn Tigers (17-1, 6-0) meet for a key SEC showdown Saturday afternoon in Auburn, Ala. The ranked-ranked battle at Auburn Arena is slated for 1 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Kentucky vs. Auburn odds and lines and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Kentucky has won four in a row since falling to the LSU Tigers Jan. 4. The SEC’s top-scoring team (82.9 points per game) has shot 53.5% from the floor and 42.9% from 3-point range over the four straight victories. However, the Wildcats have averaged just 67.3 PPG across three SEC road tilts.
The ultra-consistent Tigers have scored between 80-85 points in each of their last five games and enter on a 14-game win streak.
The Tigers’ average margin of victory across that span is 15.8 points. AU has had no home game decided by less-than-12 points over that stretch.
Kentucky at Auburn odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:28 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Kentucky +145 (bet $100 to win $145) | Auburn -180 (bet $180 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Kentucky +3.5 (-107) | Auburn -3.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 149.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Kentucky at Auburn odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Auburn 77, Kentucky 68
Money line
PASS at the current tag, but this one is worth a line watch.
Money line bettors should consider Auburn if the tag improves to -170 or -165.
Against the spread
The Wildcats are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games as underdogs.
The Tigers are 6-0 ATS in their last six games against winning teams and is 8-1 ATS at home.
Sophomore C Walker Kessler is an elite shot blocker and part of a havoc-wreaking AU defense which figures to give UK plenty of trouble. That trouble extends to the perimeter, where the Wildcats need to be successful to get this game into one-score territory.
BACK THE TIGERS -3.5 (-115).
Over/Under
The Under has hit in three of the last four meetings between these two programs, and that’s the lean Saturday.
A couple comps on the UK slate — including the Jan. 4 game at LSU — fit the look of this contest. Peg a slight lean on the UNDER 149.5 (-110).
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