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Kentucky will be looking to avenge their December loss and punch their ticket to the Elite 8 Friday night when they take on the UCLA Bruins.
The Bruins took the regular-season matchup at Rupp Arena by a score of 97-92 back in December, but both teams have grown as the season has progressed.
Bam Adebayo has grown much more efficient and become an offensive weapon for the Wildcats, while Derek Willis has diversified his skill set and become better in terms of rebounding and defense. Dominique Hawkins, who played 16 minutes against the Bruins in December, has continued to improve and could be an X-factor in Friday’s matchup.
Kentucky’s defense has also markedly improved throughout the season. A strong defensive performance will be of utmost importance in facing off against a high-powered Bruins offensive attack that features multiple weapons.
On the other hand, UCLA’s star point guard Lonzo Ball did not play particularly well back in December but the Bruins were able to pull out the win due to their other star freshman, TJ Leaf as well as a team-high 19 points from Isaac Hamilton.
The matchup will surely be one of the highest-viewed Sweet 16 games with 19 total national championships between the two storied programs. Look for an up-and-down, fast-paced, high scoring game. Maybe not quite to the tune of 189 total points, but there will be a lot of points scored Friday night.
Here is everything you’ll need to watch and follow this matchup:
UCLA Bruins (31-4, 15-3 in Pac-12) vs Kentucky Wildcats (31-5, 16-2 in SEC)
When: Friday, March 24
Where: FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee
Game Time: Around 9:49 p.m. EST
TV: CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Grant Hill, Bill Raftery and Tracy Wolfson will be on the call.
Online and mobile streaming: The best places to watch online are at NCAA.com/MarchMadness or the NCAA March Madness Live app.
PROJECTED STARTERS
Kentucky
G - De’Aaron Fox, 6-3, Fr.
G - Malik Monk, 6-3, Fr.
G - Isaiah Briscoe, 6-3, So.
F Derek Willis, 6-9, Sr.
F - Bam Adebayo, 6-10, Fr.
UCLA
G - Lonzo Ball, 6-6, Fr.
G - Bryce Alford, 6-3, Sr.
G - Isaac Hamilton, 6-5, Sr.
F - TJ Leaf, 6-10, Fr.
C - Thomas Welsh, 7-0, Jr.
Odds: UCLA opened as a 1-point favorite, though the line has bounced between that and being a pick ‘em. KenPom projected Kentucky to be an 2.5-point favorite on a neutral court.
The Bruins are 17-18 against the spread this season, while the Wildcats are 17-17-2 ATS.
Prediction: KenPom projects Kentucky to win 88-86 and give the Cats a 59-percent chance of winning this matchup on a neutral court. Needless to say, this is about as big of a toss-up as a game could be.