/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70161013/0I3A1665.5.jpg)
Kentucky Wildcats Basketball vs. Ohio Bobcats
- Location: Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
- Start Time and Date: 7 pm ET on November 19th
- TV Channel: SEC Network will have tonight’s TV coverage.
- Online Stream: WatchESPN, the ESPN app, or you can utilize a free trial of fuboTV.
- Radio: Tom Leach and Mike Pratt will be on the call on the UK Sports Network.
- Online Radio Stream
- Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
- Tickets
- Rosters: UK | OU
- Odds: DraftKings has Kentucky favored by 12.5. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Wildcats an 88.6% chance of winning. KenPom gives the home team an 87% chance of winning.
- Predictions: KenPom projects an 80-67 victory for Kentucky. TeamRankings is going with an 80-68 win for the Cats!
Time to get after it
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 19, 2021
⚪️ @KeionB_12
⚪️ @KellanGrady31
⚪️ @Oscartshiebwe34
⚪️ @tytywashington3
⚪️ @sahvir_ pic.twitter.com/f6pFcxISfV
The Kentucky Wildcats have bounced back in a big way from their narrow loss to the Duke Blue Devils in the season opener as they have since came away with back-to-back blowout wins to improve to 2-1 on the season.
The Cats will take the floor again on Friday night when they face off with the Ohio Bobcats in what will be their toughest matchup during this stretch of seven very winnable games, as well as the final matchup of the Kentucky Classic.
The Bobcats are entering Friday’s game with a perfect 3-0 record. So far, they have defeated Belmont (92-80), Cleveland State (67-56), and Robert Morris (85-71).
This is a Bobcats team that returned a lot of talent from the last season’s team that finished with a 17-8 record and got a 62-58 upset victory over the Virginia Cavaliers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
After losing Jason Preston to the NBA Draft, the Bobcats will still be led by a high scoring guard in sophomore Mark Sears (No. 1). Through the first three games this season Sears is averaging 19.3 points on a solid 64% shooting, and 75% from three on eight attempts.
Alongside his scoring numbers, Sears is also averaging four rebounds, and three assists per game.
The Bobcats also feature a skilled fifth-year senior forward in Jason Carter. He is currently averaging 15.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and three assists per game. He has also added six blocks on the season. This should be another early test to see how solid this front-court depth really is.
If Lance Ware and Jacob Toppin still aren't ready to go, Carter could have a big night in Rupp Arena if Oscar Tshiebwe gets in foul trouble.
The Wildcats will also have to come ready to defend the three-point line Friday night because the Bobcats are averaging over 30 attempts from deep per game this season and are shooting 38.3% as a team.
On top of that, the Bobcats are an unselfish team, as they are currently averaging 17.3 assists per game while shooting 44.5% from the field.
People will see the name and think it is another easy win, but this is a game that the Cats could lose if they don’t come ready to play. Ohio is a team capable of making the NCAA Tournament, and as we saw a year ago, pulling off a big upset in the process.