NCAAB: #22 Kentucky vs #13 Auburn Odds, and Picks (Feb 17)

• Kentucky bounced back with a 75-63 win over Ole Miss, climbing back to 17-7.
• Auburn absolutely embarrassed South Carolina on Wednesday, winning 101-61.
• These two teams last met on February 25, 2023, in a game that Kentucky won 86-54.

Selection Sunday is just a month away! Let’s look at the upcoming SEC matchup between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Auburn Tigers. Both of these teams are on pace to make yet another NCAA Tournament.

How to Watch

• ESPN

Preview

Kentucky rebounded from their loss to Gonzaga with a confident win over Ole Miss. They improved to 3-4 over their last seven games, but still have work to do to rise out of 5th place in the SEC. The Wildcats are projected to be safely within the tournament field as a 7-seed, but has seen their stock plummet over the past couple of weeks. Kentucky will look to use this ranked matchup against Auburn to get back on track.

Auburn had a statement 40-point win on Wednesday against South Carolina, proving both their ability and perhaps South Carolina’s blatant over-ranking in the AP Poll. Metrics such as the NET paint a far clearer picture, with Auburn ranked #6 and South Carolina at #50. In this game, the Tigers will face a Kentucky team that ranks #24 in the NET, making this the tougher matchup despite the Wildcats lower AP ranking.

Prediction

Both of these teams are capable contenders in a solid SEC. Auburn has a key advantage of being at home for this matchup, but cannot overlook Kentucky after coasting past South Carolina. I see that 40-point win as more indicative of the Gamecocks than the Tigers, but I still like Auburn to get another solid win here.

NCAAB Picks:

• Auburn 87, Kentucky 78 )