Kentucky Wildcats vs South Carolina Gamecocks Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our South Carolina vs Kentucky NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Lexington.

South Carolina vs Kentucky Prediction

Planning on watching today's Gamecocks and Wildcats game? Catch the action at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY, as the Wildcats hosts this showdown at 12:00 ET on ESPN2. The over/under for this Southeastern conference contest is set at 149.5 points, with Kentucky being favored by -11.5 at home against South Carolina.

South Carolina vs. Kentucky Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: South Carolina Gamecocks at Kentucky Wildcats
Where: Lexington at Rupp Arena
Date: Saturday, February 8th
Betting Odds UK -11.5, SC +501 | UK -742 O/U 149.5

Gamecocks Preview: Is a Road Win Possible for the Gamecocks?

South Carolina Gamecocks Recent Game/Games

The Gamecocks fell to 10-12 on the season after a 76-72 loss to Texas A&M on Saturday. South Carolina, who were +5.5 point underdogs, managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 148, surpassing the O/U line of 134.5.

South Carolina trailed 44-36 at halftime but tightened up defensively in the 2nd half, allowing just 32 points while scoring 36 of their own. Despite the improved effort after the break, they couldn’t complete the comeback.

Gamecocks Offense Breakdown

Wade Taylor IV knocked down 7 of 10 threes, finishing with 25 points in just 27 minutes, as South Carolina hit 12 threes at a 38.7% clip in their last game. Taylor shot 63.6% overall, while Collin Murray-Boyles added 22 points, shooting 68.8% from the field and dishing out 6 assists.

The Gamecocks shot 44.6% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 55.4%. They also connected on 83.3% of their free throws, going 10 for 12. South Carolina finished with 19 assists and 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Gamecocks Team Defense

South Carolina’s defense gave up 76 points, with their opponents shooting 44% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 52% shooting on 25 attempts.

From three-point range, the Gamecocks’ defense saw their opponents hit 12 of 31 shots, good for 38%. They also sent them to the line 12 times, where they converted 10 free throws.

Wildcats Preview: Does Kentucky Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?

Kentucky Wildcats Recent Game/Games

Kentucky fell to 15-7 on the season after a 98-84 road loss to Ole Miss on Tuesday. Entering the game as +5 point underdogs, the Wildcats failed to cover the spread. The total points of 182 exceeded the O/U line of 157.5.

Kentucky struggled early, trailing 54-31 at halftime. They scored 53 points in the 2nd half while allowing 44, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Kentucky's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 84 points with a 50% field goal percentage. They knocked down 47.6% of their threes, going 10-for-21 from deep, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 58.6%. The Wildcats also hit 72.7% of their free throws, connecting on 16 of 22 attempts.

Matthew Murrell and Otega Oweh each scored 24 points, with Murrell hitting 6 threes at a 54.5% clip. Jaylen Murray and Amari Williams both recorded double-doubles, with Murray dishing out 10 assists and Williams grabbing 11 rebounds. Murray also added 15 points, shooting 71.4% from the field.

Wildcats Team Defense

Even with Kentucky limiting offensive rebounds, their defense struggled, giving up 98 points on 54% shooting. The Wildcats allowed 35 field goals on 64 attempts.

Kentucky's defense also gave up 13 threes on 30 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 71% from the free-throw line, hitting 15 of 21.

Gamecocks vs Wildcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last three games away from home, the Gamecocks have a straight up record of 0-3 while going 1-2 vs. the spread. The team averaged 61 points per game in this stretch.
Across the Wildcats last three home games, the team averaged 77 points per game while allowing 81. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 1-2 straight-up.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Gamecocks have a straight up record of 0-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-1.
Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Kentucky has an ATS mark of 3-7 while going 5-5 straight up.