Kentucky Is A Solid Pick as the Favorite vs Ole Miss
The Ole Miss vs Kentucky Betting Odds Has the Wildcats Favored Yet Again
Kentucky Looks To Do Some Home Cooking Against Ole Miss
Kentucky has dropped three of its last four games and perhaps a visit from Ole Miss is just what the doctor ordered for the Wildcats as the Ole Miss vs Kentucky betting odds have the Wildcats favored by 8.5 points, the smallest for a Kentucky home game against the Rebels dating back to 2011.
Kentucky has won 15 home games in a row against Ole Miss with the last win by the Rebels at Rupp Arena coming in 1988. Ten of those games were decided by double digits. This is the 11th time in the last 12 meetings that Kentucky is favored by the college basketball betting lines against Ole Miss.
Kentucky is 10-4 at home while Ole Miss is 3-4 on the road and that is something to consider when making college basketball picks as Kentucky is priced at -360 to win outright compared to a +285 Moneyline for Ole Miss.
Kentucky fell five spots to No. 22 in the Associated Press poll and went from 15th to 20th in the USA Today coaches poll.
When looking at the odds to win March Madness, the Wildcats are tied for sixth at +1600 in the odds of winning the national title. Kentucky is 25th in the NCAA NET rankings with the Wildcats just 2-5 in Quad 1 games.
Keep on reading for more on the Ole Miss vs Kentucky matchup.
Ole Miss vs Kentucky 
Day/Time:
Records: Ole Miss (5-5 in the SEC)/Wildcats (6-4 in the SEC)
Location: Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+
Rebels Struggle On the Big Stage
While the 18-5 record for Ole Miss looks pretty impressive, closer examination shows that the Rebels are 0-4 against ranked college basketball teams after dropping the last two games against Auburn and South Carolina.
Leading scorer Matthew Murrell is averaging 13 points per game against ranked opponents down from his season average of 16.8 PPG. Keep that in mind when looking at the Ole Miss vs Kentucky betting odds.
The good news is that senior Allen Flanigan has put up 46 points in the last two games. He also had 11 rebounds.
Ole Miss has covered in four of its last five games.
Freshmen Learning on the Job for the Wildcats
It wouldn’t be a college basketball season without Kentucky relying on the services of multiple freshmen.
Rob Dillingham was held to six points in a loss to Gonzaga after averaging 22.8 points over his last four NCAAB games. Reed Sheppard is averaging 16.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists over the last four games.
D.J. Wagner had a tough return to the court after missing three games in a row. He had three points in 14 minutes in a loss to Gonzaga. Keep that in mind when it comes to the Ole Miss vs Kentucky betting odds.
After scoring 17 points in a win over Vanderbilt, Justin Edwards had eight points in 29 minutes against Gonzaga.
Kentucky has covered in five of the last seven games.
Last Meeting
Kentucky pulled away in the second half to top Ole Miss 75-66 as a 7.5-point road favorite despite Ole Miss scoring the game’s final four points in the Jan. 31, 2023 game.
The game landed over the 134.5-point total as Antonio Reeves hit a pair of free throws with 1:20 left to play. Reeves is one of the few returning Kentucky players who has faced Ole Miss in the past.
It was the sixth time in the last seven meetings between the Rebels and Wildcats to finish over the NCAAB odds total.
Ole Miss vs Kentucky Betting Preview
What a difference a year makes. The last time that Ole Miss and Kentucky met, the total was set at 134.5 and it is currently at 163.5 for this matchup.
Kentucky is in the top 20 in scoring offense, field-goal percentage and assists per game. They also lead the country by making 41% of its 3-point attempts so the jump in the total makes some sense.
Kentucky has failed to cover in six of the last 10 home games against Ole Miss as the Wildcats are double-digit favorites at home for the seventh time in the last nine meetings with Ole Miss.
Kentucky is 14-5 as a favorite this season while Ole Miss is 3-5 as the underdog. The Rebels have covered in six of the last nine games against SEC teams.
Twelve of Kentucky’s 14 road games went over the total. The total landed under in four of the last six games played by Ole Miss while 14 of the last 16 games played by Kentucky went over the total.
Tre Mitchell, the top rebounder and No. 4 scorer for Kentucky, is questionable with a back NCAAB injury.
When looking at the college basketball schedule, after meeting up with the Rebels two of the next three games come against ranked teams.
Look for Kentucky to return to its winning ways when the Rebels come to Lexington. The question is whether Kentucky will cover against an Ole Miss team that has dropped back-to-back games.
For NCAAB betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
