Kentucky Travels to the Bayou to Face Struggling Tigers

No. 17 Kentucky will travel to Baton Rouge Wednesday night to face an LSU Basketball team that has only won two of its last eight. Both teams are coming off pivotal wins, as Kentucky took down No. 13 Auburn four days ago and LSU knocked off No. 11 South Carolina in Columbus the same day.

LSU hosts No. 17 Kentucky on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. CT!

🔗 https://t.co/HsS2w9Nd83 | 🎟️ https://t.co/lnVm7SazqU pic.twitter.com/FnmTpUaZB3

— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) February 20, 2024

Kentucky Breakdown

The Wildcats sit at 18-7 (8-4 SEC), and are projected to be a fifth seed, per ESPN. Kentucky has won three of its last four, with two of the wins being either quad one or two (No.13 Auburn and Ole Miss). The Cats’ greatest strength is their depth, with nine players averaging over 17 minutes per game.

One storyline to watch is Kentucky’s star guard Antonio Reeves. The 6-foot-6 Senior from Chicago seems to play better away from Rupp Arena, averaging 4.4 points more in away contests. Reeves showcased his knack for preforming on the road, putting up 22 points and snagging five rebounds in Saturdays game at Auburn.

Antonio Reeves vs #13 Auburn:

🔥 22 PTS
🔥 3-6 3P
🔥 5 REB

Reeves is averaging 22.3 PPG ON THE ROAD.@KentuckyMBB pic.twitter.com/BYt79KV4so

— SLAM University (@slam_university) February 18, 2024

Sheppard has also been a big part of what Kentucky has been able to do defensively, averaging 4.25 steals over his last four matchups. The Freshman currently sits at seventh in the nation in steals per game (2.6).

LSU Breakdown

LSU seems to be turning a corner after a tough eight game stretch that saw the Tigers collect just two wins. The Tigers defeated No. 11 South Carolina Saturday to give them their first ranked win of the season.

LSU’s leading scorer, Jordan Wright, will need to get involved in the game early if the Tigers want to keep up with Kentucky’s high powered offense that is averaging 88.2 points a game, as opposed to LSU’s 77.3. Wright is coming of a solid road performances against the Gators and the Gamecocks where he scored more than 14 points and five rebounds in both games.

In what became a game to remember for Jordan Wright and #LSU, the Tigers knocked off No. 11 South Carolina in an SEC thriller.

On what went right for LSU and what the program had to say after the critical victory:https://t.co/oqv9szRrDa

— LSU Country (@LSUCountry_FN) February 18, 2024

Looking Ahead

Win or lose, both squads will take on tough opponents Saturday with Kentucky facing ranked Alabama and LSU hosting a Mississippi State team that finds itself in tournament contention late into the season.