The eighth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats will look to continue their home dominance when they take on the visiting Mississippi State Bulldogs in an SEC matchup on Wednesday in Lexington, Ky. The Bulldogs (12-4, 1-2 SEC), who have won six of eight, are 0-2 on the road this season. The Wildcats (12-3, 2-1 SEC), winners of six of the past seven, are 8-1 on their home floor. Kentucky coach John Calipari is just one win shy of his 400th as the coach of the Wildcats. He is already the second-winningest coach in program history.
The game from Rupp Arena starts at 7 p.m. ET. Mississippi State is averaging 65.7 points per game, while Kentucky averages 74.5. The Wildcats are 7-point favorites in the latest Mississippi State vs. Kentucky odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 155. Before making any Kentucky vs. Mississippi State picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions from SportsLine’s proven model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 11 of the 2023-24 season on a 110-73 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $2,000 for $100 players. It is also off to a sizzling 15-5 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Kentucky vs. Mississippi State. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Now here are the latest betting trends and lines for Mississippi State:
- Kentucky vs. Mississippi State spread: Kentucky -6.5
- Kentucky vs. Mississippi State over/under: 155 points
- Kentucky vs. Mississippi State money line: Kentucky -291, Mississippi State +234
- MSU: The Bulldogs have won 18 of their last 29 games (+2.60 units on ML)
- KEN: The Wildcats have hit the team total over in 22 of their last 32 games (+10.40 units)
- Kentucky vs. Mississippi State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Kentucky can cover
Among the Wildcats’ leaders is freshman guard D.J. Wagner. The two-time SEC Freshman of the Week is averaging 12.8 points and 3.5 assists per game. He scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and had five assists in the 87-83 win over North Carolina on Dec. 16. He scored a season-high 28 points in a 118-82 win over Marshall on Nov. 24.
Forward Tre Mitchell is also a key component to the Kentucky offense. He is averaging 12.9 points and 8.1 rebounds, and is logging a team-high 34.8 minutes per game. Mitchell has registered five consecutive 10-plus rebounding games, and posted 20 points and a season-high 14 rebounds in a 90-77 win over Missouri on Jan. 9. He scored a season-high 22 points in a 96-88 overtime win over St. Joseph’s on Nov. 20. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why Mississippi State can cover
Senior forward Tolu Smith has been a welcome addition after returning from a foot injury he sustained in the preseason. In his four games since coming back, he is averaging 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and one assist in 24.3 minutes of action. The fifth-year player has averaged in double figures all four of his years at Mississippi State after beginning his collegiate career at Western Kentucky. In Saturday’s loss to Alabama, Smith registered a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Freshman guard Josh Hubbard has also made an impact on the Bulldogs’ offense. In 16 games, all off the bench, he is averaging 15.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He has scored 20 or more points four times, including a season-high 29 in a 66-57 win over Northwestern on Nov. 19. He scored 25 points in a 77-72 win over fifth-ranked Tennessee on Jan. 10, and has reached double-figure scoring in 14 of 16 games. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Mississippi State vs. Kentucky picks
The model has simulated this matchup 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in nearly 70% of simulations. You can only see the picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Kentucky vs. Mississippi State, and which side of the spread hits nearly 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 110-73 roll on its top-ranked college basketball picks, and find out.
