Wednesday Headlines: Mississippi State Gameday Edition

It’s now or never for Kentucky basketball.

By John Morgan Francis@MonJorgan Feb 15, 2023, 7:40am EST

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It’s odd to think Kentucky basketball is playing must-win games with three weeks left in the regular season. But that’s exactly what coach John Calipari and his team are facing on the road tonight vs. the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The need of a win comes at a bad time, too, considering the injuries Kentucky is dealing with and how the Bulldogs have won five straight with wins over No. 11 TCU, South Carolina, Missouri, LSU and most recently Arkansas.

On the flip side, Kentucky has played four of those five teams this season and beaten just one of them (LSU) by three points.

The Wildcats were able to pull off a shocking win over No. 5 Tennessee last month, but that momentum has recently fizzled out and Kentucky is now suddenly losers of two straight.

Oddsmakers consider Kentucky a 3-point underdog and ESPN’s Basketball Power Index is showing Kentucky having just a 39% chance of a road victory.

With injuries piling up and Kentucky having so much inconsistency each game, Calipari may very well have to dig deep into his bench to find answers.

We’ll learn soon enough if Kentucky can turn around their season when they absolutely have to, or if they’ll be headed for a third consecutive year full of disappointment.

Tip-off for tonight’s game is scheduled for 8:30 PM ET with coverage on the SEC Network.