The marquee match-up of the annual SEC/Big 12 Challenge takes place this weekend, when red-hot Kentucky welcomes Kansas to town.
TV schedule: Saturday, January 26, 6:00 pm ET. ESPN.
Arena:Â Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.
Two of college basketball’s most-storied programs will go head to head on Saturday night as part of the 2019 SEC/Big 12 Challenge. No. 8 Kentucky (15-3, 11-0 Home) is hosting No. 9 Kansas (16-3, 1-3 Away) at Rupp Arena in a tilt of top-10 heavyweights.
What a tantalizing affair. The Wildcats enter this massive encounter on a tear, having won five in a row, including a 76-55 blasting of No. 22 Mississippi State on Tuesday and a two-point triumph at then-No. 12 Auburn last Saturday.
Kentucky seems to have found its stride after getting crushed at the hands of then-No. 4 Duke to commence its 2018-19 campaign, followed by a one-point, overtime setback to Seton Hall on a neutral court, and a two-point defeat on the road to Alabama in early January.
The Jayhawks, meanwhile, suffered a somewhat puzzling loss at West Virginia this past Saturday, although Kansas righted the ship a bit in prevailing against No. 24 Iowa State, 80-76, at home on Monday. In besting the Cyclones, the Jayhawks exacted revenge versus Iowa State, which had smoked Kansas on its own turf a few weeks ago.
So far during the present term, the Jayhawks have struggled away from Allen Fieldhouse, also falling to then-No. 18 Arizona State on the road. Still, Kansas has a bunch of impressive successes, against highly rated foes such as Tennessee, Michigan State, Marquette, Villanova and Oklahoma. To date, the Jayhawks have a NCAA NET ranking of 14th.
The Wildcats, with a NCAA NET rating of No. 8, can boast of non-conference victories versus then-No. 9 North Carolina and at Louisville – two high-quality crews in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In their respective league races, Kansas is the co-leader along with Kansas State, while Kentucky is tied for third at the moment.
The Wildcats and the Jayhawks are the No. 1 and No. 2 winningest teams, respectively, in the history of the sport. So it’s pretty awesome, as someone who adores collegiate hoops, to see these powerhouses square off.
The SEC/Big 12 Challenge, now in its sixth year, will feature 10 games, all on Jan. 26. Units out of the Big 12 are 29-21 overall in the challenge and have captured this event in three of five instances, according to an announcement from the Big 12 Conference.
The Kansas and Kentucky rosters each contain four players who average double-figures in scoring. The bevy of statistical categories are virtually even, and both groups can generate points in droves.
One large advantage for the Wildcats is at the free-throw line, where Kentucky connects on about 75 percent, compared to roughly 67 percent for the Jayhawks. Whichever outfit establishes a strong paint presence, controls the glass, and produces easy buckets out in transition will certainly gain a pivotal edge.
ESPN’s Basketball Power Index views the Wildcats as the favorite, with a 68.8 percent chance to conquer Kansas. Because Kentucky is unblemished in Lexington, and the Jayhawks haven’t fared well on the road, my gut tells me that the Wildcats and their Big Blue Nation fan base will ultimately get the job done.
Prediction: Kentucky 79 – Kansas 77
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