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ESPN model predicts outcome of highly-anticipated Kentucky vs. Alabama game
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
ESPN’s matchup predictor has projected Saturday’s big SEC contest between No. 4 Alabama and No. 17 Kentucky in Tuscaloosa.
Both teams will be looking for a win to give themselves momentum heading into the final weeks of the regular season. After a 1-4 slump, the Wildcats have won 3 of their last 4, including an 82-61 win over Vanderbilt on Wednesday behind a 20-point, 7-rebound performance from Otega Oweh. The Tide, meanwhile, have dropped back-to-back games against Auburn (94-85) and Mizzou (110-98).
Alabama won the meeting between the 2 teams back in January as Grant Nelson and Mark Sears combined for 49 points in a 102-97 win in Lexington. And this time around, ESPN’s predictive model is heavily on the side of the hosts, giving Alabama a 70.3% chance of victory.
Looking at potential NCAA Tournament seeding, Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology has Alabama as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region. Kentucky, meanwhile, is being projected as a 3 seed in the South region.
Alabama is currently tied with Florida for 2nd in the SEC, but the Gators are ahead on a tiebreaker. Both are 2 games back of Auburn. Meanwhile, Kentucky is currently the No. 9 seed.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
