The Kentucky Wildcats will travel to Nashville to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Friday night. Kentucky is a +5.5 underdog. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET on ESPN2.
Mark Pope’s team is now 5-3 on the season. Kentucky has dominated weak teams in their schedule, but it’s been absolutely embarrassing to watch them play any team with a pulse. The Cats have lost games to the Louisville Cardinals on the road, the Michigan State Spartans at a neutral site and the North Carolina Tar Heels at home.
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Pope has now won seven of his last eight games against ranked opponents, and the Zags are ranked 11th, so expectations should be tempered. While beating good teams isn’t easy, it shouldn’t be as difficult as Kentucky made it seem this season.
Aside from the obvious negatives, there are some positives to look forward to. First, Jaland Lowe could return, and Jayden Quaintance won’t be far behind (not on Friday, but maybe in the next week or two). Secondly, Otega Oweh looked more like himself against the Tar Heels, which is a very welcome sign. And finally, Andrija Jelavić showed real potential on both ends of the court last time out.
As for Mark Few’s team, their record is 7-1, including wins over Oklahoma, Creighton, Arizona State, Alabama and Maryland. That’s four wins over Power 4 teams. For reference, Pope is under .500 at Kentucky against P4 teams. Their only loss was a crushing loss against Michigan (101-61).
Obviously, this game is going to be a challenge. The Zags have a really bad loss, but the Wolverines look great and the Bulldogs have some big wins in their own right. Another opportunity to improve the resume or harm it; We will have to wait and see.
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Pre-game reading
Go CATS!