Kentucky will look to rebound from the blowout loss to Duke when it hosts Southern Illinois on Friday at Rupp Arena.
The Wildcats simply had no answers for Blue Devils and their excellent freshman trio, and it resulted in John Calipari’s worst loss of his career.
Luckily, Barry Hinson’s team won’t pack the same kind of punch, but it’s still a group that returns all five starters after winning 20 games last season.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this matchup.
Game Details
- Southern Illinois (0-0) at No. 2 Kentucky (0-1)
- Location: Rupp Arena – Lexington, KY
- Game Date: Nov. 9
- Game Time: 7 p.m. EST
- Watch: SEC Network
Players to Watch
Keldon Johnson (Kentucky)
Johnson was one the few Kentucky players to really attack Duke’s defense in Indianapolis.
The 6-6 freshman led the team with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting and managed to get to the free-throw line 10 times.
His aggressiveness was one of the few bright spots for the Wildcats, as he appeared to be the main go-to option from a wing standpoint.
Reid Travis (Kentucky)
The other Kentucky player that stood out in a good way was Travis, who finished with 22 points and seven rebounds while going 9 of 13 from the charity stripe.
His strength may not have been as obvious against a Duke team that featured a physical specimen in Zion Williamson, but Travis should be able to score inside and attack the glass relentlessly against most opponents.
I fully expect the embarrassing loss to serve as a wake-up call to some of the other Kentucky talents, but there’s no doubt that Travis and Johnson will be the main pieces of the puzzle.
Armon Fletcher (Southern Illinois)
The 6-5 senior is the most impactful returning player on a team that brings back its top four scorers and has six seniors on the roster.
Fletcher averaged 14.1 points and 5.1 rebounds last season while playing 31.6 minutes per contest.
He’ll be the driving force of a loaded Salukis backcourt, and his scoring ability and experience will go a long way towards giving the team a shot at making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007.
Key Stats
Southern Illinois is a team that relied on a lot of scoring inside the perimeter last season, as Barry Hinson’s team didn’t have a single player that hit at least 50 3-pointers on the year.
As for Kentucky, it struggled from the beyond the arc against Duke, making only 4 of 17 attempts for 23.5 percent.
That’s always a question mark for the Wildcats each and every season, and it’s unlikely that freshman guard Tyler Herro will go just 1 for 6 on most nights.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Kentucky -16.5
- Over/Under: 148.5
- KenPom Projection: Kentucky 82, Southern Illinois 68
- ESPN BPI Projection: Kentucky, 87.4 percent chance to win
What happened to Kentucky earlier in the week was certainly among the most surprising results we’ve seen in college basketball in many years.
So, now it’s all about seeing how the Wildcats respond to suffering a historically bad loss on national TV.
The Salukis have a lot of experience on the roster, and like most older teams, will probably embrace the excitement that comes along with playing at Kentucky.
But this is the type of game that Travis can thrive in, as Calipari’s squad should be able to use its size advantage to take control in the lane and earn the much-needed win.
Game Pick: Kentucky 80, Southern Illinois 69
For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.