Playing on the road completely changes a basketball game, and while the Kentucky Wildcats have always dominated their SEC competition, the dominating has been much more difficult on their turf.
Which current SEC arenas have hindered them the most though?
Let’s take a look.
5. Exactech Arena (20-16)
Playing in Gainesville has never been easy for the Wildcats since the Florida Gators are consistently good, but in recent years UK has fared very well in Gainesville, having won the last three including the famous EJ Montgomery tip-in game.
4. Pete Maravich Assembly Center (22-18)
We saw the 18th loss a few weeks ago, and it’s easy to see why. UK needs all hands on deck to win in Baton Rouge, especially when the LSU Tigers are loaded and the crowd is rocking. The last win here was a nice three-point win in 2019.
3. Thompson-Boiling Arena (18-16)
The house of horrors for UK. While they have a winning record here, there’s nothing worse than watching the Tennessee Volunteers beat the Cats in Knoxville and chant Rocky Top all afternoon long. Losses here often leave a sour taste in fans’ mouths, but UK has won their last two here after a prior losing streak.
2. Coleman Coliseum (21-20)
This one surprised me. UK dominates the Alabama Crimson Tide in Rupp Arena, but the Crimson Tide have stymied them almost half the times they’ve come to Tuscaloosa. Baylor and Houston know what it’s like too. UK better be throwing their best punches this Saturday.
1. Auburn Arena (4-5)
4-5. The only actively used SEC arena where they aren’t winning more than they’re losing, all thanks to the loss a couple of weeks ago. On the flip side, the Auburn Tigers haven’t won in Rupp since the dawn of time—or 1988. Those Alabama arenas sure are tough, especially when the teams are so stacked. Each time UK comes to town they are sold out and rocking—it’s harder to win there than in the NCAA Tournament sometimes.
So there you have it, the most deadly SEC arenas. In case you are wondering, the easiest are Vanderbilt’s and Georgia’s, who perennially stink and don’t have much of a home-court advantage against the Cats as far as I can tell. Hopefully I don’t jinx it.
Go Cats!