GAME GLANCE: UK has a chance to get back on track against LSU

Kentucky will be a big favorite to get back into the win column when they tip off against LSU on Tuesday evening.

Fresh off a 22-point road loss to Florida, the worst loss against the Gators in the history of that series, the Cats have dropped three of four. It's February and that means it's important to start moving in the right direction.

Sign up for a premium subscription to Cats Illustrated.

MORE UK-LSU COVERAGE AT CATS ILLUSTRATED

Three to Watch: Blakeney, Reath and Sampson

Monk apologizes for smiling on the bench in loss to Florida

INSIDER NOTES (2/6): Bamba, Knox, Langford updates

TV: ESPN

RADIO: UK Sports Network

SERIES HISTORY: UK leads 87-26

LAST MEETING: UK won 94-77 on March 5, 2016 (Lexington, KY)

Antonio Blakeney - 15.6 PPG (.448/.351/.671), 5.0 RPG, 1.8 APG

Duop Reath - 13.5 PPG (.541/.440/.597), 6.4 RPG, 38 blocks

Brandon Sampson - 11.0 PPG (.489/.345/.754), 2.8 RPG, 17 steals

Craig Victor II - 10.5 PPG (.405/.000/.667), 7.6 RPG

Skylar Mays - 7.6 PPG (.391/.304/.776), 2.2 RPG, 3.8 APG, 24 steals

Wayde Sims - 6.8 PPG (.526/.429/.680), 4.0 RPG

Jalyn Patterson - 6.0 PPG (.386/.284/.667), 3.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, 28 steals

Aaron Epps - 5.8 PPG (.462/.391/.615), 4.4 RPG

While Kentucky has been floundering over the past four games especially but also the past month, LSU has been tanking. The Tigers (9-13) have lost nine straight games. Their last win (88-77 at Missouri) was and remains their only win in Southeastern Conference play. That was also LSU's only road win of the season.

LSU has actually been just as competitive on the road as they have been at home in conference play, but that's not saying much. The Tigers lost to Florida by 35 points at home. South Carolina won by 25 in Baton Rouge.

LSU's three-point defense has left the Tigers very vulnerable. Opponents are shooting 37.5-percent from deep against LSU this year.

But that's not the only metric that speaks to a very poor LSU defense. The Tigers give up a whopping 81.2 points per game (329th in NCAA).

LSU is a very poor free throw shooting team. The Tigers are 65.1-percent collectively from the line (311th in NCAA).

The Tigers are outrebounded by 0.6 boards per game. Johnny Jones' squad ranked 296th in turnovers per game (14.7).

Kentucky has not lost a home game against LSU since 2009 (73-70). LSU has won five times in Lexington over the history of this series.

De'Aaron Fox returned to game against in Kentucky's 88-66 loss at Florida, after missing UK's overtime win against Georgia, and in 25 minutes he scored 19 points (5-11 FG). He did not have any assists and turned it over three times but grabbed three rebounds.

Malik Monk and Isaiah Briscoe were off the mark against the Gators. The Cats' other two main guards finished a combined 7-24 from the field with five assists and five turnovers.

Kentucky had been one of the nation's better rebounding teams but against Florida the Cats were beat 54-29 on the boards. Florida had 12 first half offensive rebounds and finished the game with 17.

For the fourth consecutive game Kentucky allowed an opponent to shoot above 46-percent from the field and better than 53-percent in the second half.

The Cats tinkered with zone against Florida. While the Gators nailed a couple of three-point baskets against that zone, UK coaches told the media on Monday that the Cats would probably try more of it.

Kentucky is now 8-2 in the SEC, which puts the Cats in a tie for second place in the league with Florida. South Carolina is now the SEC's top team by the standings, with the Gamecocks at 9-1 in conference play.

Sign up for a premium subscription to Cats Illustrated.