Kentucky's injury report looks a lot less daunting than it has before recent games and that adds some intrigue before tonight's road game at Oklahoma.
Cats Illustrated staff writers share takes and picks on the game before the Cats' first SEC contest in Norman, Okla.
Travis Graf: Oklahoma has all of their chips on the table in this game with a team looking to make the tournament and a coach looking to solidify his job. Jalon Moore is the type of player UK has struggled to guard this season, while freshman phenom Jeremiah Fears is electric in his own right. I look for Kentucky to play through the post some tonight and for them to get a lot of second chance opportunities as Oklahoma’s interior players aren’t that great and they struggle to rebound as a team. A healthy Kentucky team goes into Norman and wins 85-78.
Jeff Drummond: This is a tough one to gauge. I've watched Oklahoma a handful of times this season, and the Sooners don't ever seem to play well when I do. They recently lost five straight, including a home loss to LSU, and the KenPom numbers have them similar to teams like Northwestern and Indiana. On paper, this is a game that Kentucky should win, especially with the healthy return of Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson. But these Cats have been wildly unpredictable this season, and it's a must-win type of game for the Sooners, who are desperately clinging to their NCAA Tournament hopes. Will that create energy or pressure for Oklahoma tonight? I think it might be the latter. Give me Kentucky 82, Oklahoma 78 with Amari Williams taking MVP honors.
David Sisk: With teams like Auburn and Missouri still on the schedule, and Alabama in the rear view mirror, a road trip to Oklahoma quietly is a big game. The Sooners are fighting for their post season lives, and Kentucky needs to stay on the right side of a four/five seed. Jeremiah Fears is an issue. The Cats have to find a way to defend him. Jalon Moore is also averaging 17 points per game. Vegas has this game basically a toss up, but after looking at the numbers I just can’t find what Oklahoma really does well. It certainly isn’t rebounding. I think Amari Williams and Andrew Carr can have big games. But Otega Oweh has a return to Norman on his mind. He is also coming off the worst performance of the season. I look for UK to be ready. Kentucky 78 Oklahoma 75
Justin Rowland: Kentucky is the better team, especially with Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson, but the Wildcats have struggled against middling SEC teams exactly like this. Furthermore, the Sooners are 1-6 on the road but that has no bearing on tonight's game, as they're 11-4 on that home court. Given all the facts outlined, my assumption is that Kentucky will play with a lot of energy, with the return of those players, and notch an important win on the road, making it tougher for the Sooners to reach the NCAA Tournament. Oklahoma defends the three-ball well and they shoot it pretty well so the perimeter will be in focus and the Cats could have an opportunity to score near the rim. Andrew Carr has a big game. Kentucky 84, Oklahoma 77.
