Number 6 Kentucky heads to Starkville to face #14 Mississippi State on Saturday night. The game is at 8:30 PM ET on the SEC Network. Can Mississippi State cover the 5.5-point spread as home favorites? Keep reading for our Kentucky vs. Mississippi State prediction.
The Kentucky Wildcats are 12-3 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 7-8 ATS this season.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs are 14-1 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 9-6 ATS this season.
Kentucky vs. Mississippi State Matchup & Betting Odds
803 Kentucky Wildcats (+5.5) at 804 Mississippi State Bulldogs (-5.5); o/u 160.5
8:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, January 11, 2025
Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, MS
TV: SEC Network
Kentucky vs. Mississippi State Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that 70% of public bettors are currently backing Mississippi State when it comes to the spread. This information is subject to change throughout the day, however, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Kentucky Wildcats Game Notes
Wildcats guard Lamont Butler was solid in his team’s 82-69 loss to Georgia on Tuesday night. The San Diego State transfer posted 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and a made three-pointer in 34 minutes. Butler shot 8 of 14 from the floor and 3 of 4 from the foul line in the loss.
Kentucky forward Brandon Garrison provided a spark off the bench in his team’s game on Tuesday. The Oklahoma City native put up 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and a made three-pointer in 27 minutes. Garrison is shooting 50.0% from the field this year.
Mississippi State Bulldogs Game Notes
Bulldogs forward RJ Melendez was spectacular in his team’s 76-64 road win over Vanderbilt on Tuesday night. In that contest, the Georgia transfer recorded 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and a blocked shot. Melendez shot 8 of 14 from the floor and 1 of 2 from long distance in the victory.
Mississippi State guard Claudell Harris Jr. also played well in his team’s game on Tuesday. The 6’4” senior logged 13 points, 7 rebounds, a steal, and 3 made three-pointers in 31 minutes of playing time. Harris is second on the team in scoring with 11.1 points per game this year.
Kentucky vs. Mississippi State CBB Betting Trends
Kentucky is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against Mississippi State.
The Wildcats are 8-1 ATS as an underdog since the start of last season.
Mississippi State is 8-11-1 ATS as a home favorite since the start of last season.
Mississippi State is 12-13 ATS against ranked opponents since the beginning of the 2021 season.
Kentucky vs. Mississippi State CBB Prediction:
Kentucky seems to have Mississippi State’s number of late. The Wildcats are 9-1 straight up and 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 games against the Bulldogs. What’s more, Kentucky is 4-0 straight up and 4-0 against the spread in their last 4 games against Mississippi State in Starkville.
Many public bettors are siding with Mississippi State, but this might be due to recency bias. Kentucky lost the last game they played 82-69 against a decent Georgia team on Tuesday. That result may not be reflective of what’s going to happen on Saturday.
Kentucky is 18-11 ATS after a loss since the start of the 2021 season. That’s a cover rate of 62.1% and that figure ranks in the top 25 in the country over that stretch. I think the Wildcats will play much better this weekend than they played on Tuesday. For that reason, I’m taking Kentucky and the points on the road in Starkville on Saturday night.