No. 10 Kentucky will try to add another win to its tally when it hosts VMI on Sunday night.
The Wildcats have started to make strides in several key areas over the past few games, scoring a 71-59 win over Southern Illinois and a 96-58 victory over North Dakota.
Meanwhile, VMI has compiled a 3-1 record, with two of the wins coming against non-Division I competition and the sole loss being a 94-55 defeat at Pitt.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this game.
Game Details
- VMI (3-1) at No. 10 Kentucky (2-1)
- Location: Rupp Arena – Lexington, KY
- Game Date: Nov. 18
- Game Time: 6 p.m. EST
- Watch: SEC Network
Players to Watch
PJ Washington (Kentucky)
There were two players that the Wildcats needed to see more consistency from after the few couple games, and Washington was one of those.
Luckily, the 6-8 sophomore got back on the right track with 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting and seven rebounds in only 17 minutes of action against North Dakota.
Tyler Herro (Kentucky)
The other player that Kentucky fans wanted to see have a breakout game was Herro, who emerged for 18 points and five steals in the win over the Fighting Hawks.
It was a complete performance from the 6-5 freshman and showed that not only can make an impact shooting the ball, but he can also be an asset on the defensive side of the court.
Key Stats
Kentucky currently sits at sixth nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and isn’t too far off from that in ranking 23rd in defensive efficiency.
Of course, where John Calipari’s team has really excelled has been on the glass.
The Wildcats have the nation’s best offensive rebounding percentage right now (50.1 percent), and with another significant size advantage in this matchup, that should once again be a recipe for success.
In terms of speed of play, this should be an up and down type of contest with both teams ranking in the top 75 in average offensive possession length.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Kentucky -32.5
- Over/Under: 151.5
- KenPom Projection: Kentucky, 99.6 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Kentucky, 97.7 percent chance to win
This will be another opportunity for Kentucky to work on its weaknesses in a game that should never be close.
There is still plenty of room for improvement for this team, and Calipari would likely love to see players like Washington and Herro build off of their recent performances.
Kentucky will be able to attack the glass to earn plenty of second-chance opportunities, and I’m not sure how VMI will stop that.
And even in a game like this, the Wildcats still need to show consistency on defense throughout the entire 40 minutes since that’s what it’ll take once SEC play arrives.
Calipari’s squad should score early and often in cruising to the convincing win.
Season Prediction Record (straight up): 35-5
Game Prediction: Kentucky 94, VMI 60
For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.