LSU may be struggling compared to what it was doing earlier in the conference schedule but the Tigers still have a lot of talent and present a big test especially in Baton Rouge.
The Tigers won the only meeting between the two programs last season. That game was in Lexington.
Here Cats Illustrated staff members offer their thoughts on the matchup as well as predictions.
Jeff Drummond: This is another one that falls in the category of UK is the better team, but it's a difficult matchup on the road. Having lost three of its last four games, I think LSU is going to play with a wounded-animal mentality on Tuesday night. ESPN will be there, the Tigers' fans will be all jacked up on Mountain Dew (and various other refreshments), and the Cats will have to overcome a lot of adversity that you tend to face on the road in league play. LSU doesn't play much defense, so the Cats should not have trouble putting a lot of points on the board. UK needs the best version of Ashton Hagans to show up for this one from the opening tip. He needs to make better decisions on when to shoot or set up teammates, and he's got to eliminate the unforced turnovers. If he plays a clean game, I think the Cats will escape with a narrow victory. Kentucky 81, LSU 77.
David Sisk: I am all over the place on this one. Originally, I did not like Kentucky’s chances going into that environment. The LSU roster is loaded with four and five-stars, and their starting five can match up with anybody. But the more I watch them on tape, the more I think Kentucky can win. They just don’t guard very well. I think the perimeters can penetrate, and there is a significant size advantage inside. They will be guarding Richards and/or Montgomery with 6-6 posts. Here is the problem. I can see this game going the way of Auburn. They get to the line in droves. Can Kentucky guard them without fouling and can they keep their best players on the floor? E.J. Montgomery and Keion Brooks will need time come up strong against Trendon Watford, while Nick Richards will need to score on the other end. Finally, Will Wade will mix up the defenses. Can Kentucky get in a flow on the road? I think it’s a tight one, but I can’t get last year’s loss out of my mind. LSU 78, Kentucky 77.'
Travis Graf: LSU is one of the best teams in the country when it comes to 2-point field goal percentage, and one of the worst when it comes to 3-point field goal percentage. LSU is a very athletic team who will attack the glass and be disruptive. Skylar Mays has scored over 23 points in his last three games and Kentucky will look to slow him down, probably by rotating Maxey and Quickley on him. LSU is a very good scoring team, ranking 10th nationally in points per game, but the Tigers rank 273rd in opponent points per game. I think Kentucky continues their hot shooting streak on the road in a hard fought victory. Kentucky 73, LSU 70.
Justin Rowland: There are three things that would worry me about this game if I were John Calipari. LSU is the No. 16 team in the country in offensive rebounding percentage and as we and others have detailed frequently, that has sometimes been a problem for Kentucky. Then of course there's the challenge of winning in Baton Rouge. LSU has lost three games recently but all have been fairly competitive or very close and all were on the road. LSU has not lost in Baton Rouge since a December 18th game against East Tennessee State. Finally, LSU is not an easy team to defend. There are five players who each average nearly 12 points per game or more. They don't run very deep, but that's a great core. Having given all the reasons to be concerned, I'll reverse course and pick a Wildcat win because I think Kentucky is the SEC's best team and is becoming tougher and more mature late in games. Kentucky 80, LSU 76.
