Saturday afternoon might be one of the biggest games of the season yet for Kentucky as Auburn rolls into town as the No. 1 team in the nation. Kentucky is coming off an emotional win, and the aura of this matchup will be at an all-time high when both collide in Rupp Arena.
All season long, the Cats have been up and down, with losses here and there, but they still manage to sit at 19-9 and 8-7 in a historically tough SEC conference this season. They are playing for a top seed in the NCAA tournament.
Kentucky has one of the biggest opportunities of a lifetime Saturday afternoon in Lexington, with Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas both coming to town for the game on ABC nationally. A win like this would not only help their seeding in the NCAA tournament but would also boost their SEC standings as well.
With No. 1 Auburn coming to town, expect another rowdy Rupp crowd that has delivered all season long.
All season long, the Tigers have been the best team in college basketball, playing at the highest level. Their record speaks for itself, sitting at 26-2 and 14-1 in conference play. Auburn has the chance to be one of the all-time great teams to cut the nets down when the season ends in April.
Since the month of December began, Auburn has been ranked either 1st or 2nd in the country. It’s been an impressive season put together by them and the job Bruce Pearl has done. His efforts in bringing the Tigers back to relevancy and positioning them as a top team in the sport say a lot about his work and his chances at being named Coach of the Year.
National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome has a lot to do with that and is one of the key reasons why Auburn has a chance to cut the nets down in April.
Auburn hasn’t defeated Kentucky in Rupp Arena since 1988. The year Auburn won, they also knocked off Eddie Sutton’s No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats as well.
This time, Auburn has the best chance to break that streak, coming in as the No. 1 team in the nation. The Tigers are looking to clinch the SEC regular season championship and secure the overall number one seed. At the same time, Kentucky aims to improve their SEC seed for the conference tournament, hoping to play on Thursday instead of Wednesday.
There’s a lot on the line, and I expect this to be a physical and emotional game, as both teams are fighting for something significant.
Going into this game and winning it would be one of the best wins of the season. Kentucky is currently dealing with injuries, as Andrew Carr has a lingering back issue, along with Lamont Butler Shoulder issue.
Jaxson Robinson sat out the second half of Oklahoma on Wednesday to ice his wrist which didn’t respond to game action.
Their availability will be critical to monitor ahead of this clash. The Cats need all hands on deck, and even just having Butler and Carr healthy for this game will be crucial as they head into the final stretch of the season.
The season won’t be won or lost in this game, but a win against one of the best teams in college basketball would significantly impact the chances of securing a top seed in March. It would also add another impressive victory to Mark Pope’s resume, featuring some notable wins this season.
With one of the best broadcast teams coming to town and a rowdy Rupp Arena on Saturday, I expect Kentucky to deliver one of their best performances of the season. Lock in—this should be a lot of fun!
For more Kentucky basketball coverage, Click here. Kentucky’s Thrilling Win: Otega Oweh’s Legendary Homecoming Performance – Stadium Rant
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