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Jay Bilas identified 1 major key for Kentucky’s chances to beat Alabama on Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
Bilas, while speaking on College GameDay on Saturday morning, said the Wildcats need to keep the Tide out of the paint.
“The key for Kentucky to win on the road is keep the Tide out of the paint,” Bilas said. “Alabama shot 34 free throws in Lexington. They also made 13 3’s. But that’s how they get their 3’s, off dribble-penetration and getting a piece of the paint.”
Alabama does an excellent job of getting where it wants to go on offense. The Crimson Tide have the SEC’s most-efficient offense during conference play, per KenPom. Alabama also plays at the fastest tempo of any team in the country as it averages just 15.3 seconds per possession offensively.
Of course, the Tide are far from perfect. Bilas had some advice for Alabama as well — it needs to pick it up on the defensive end of the floor.
“Alabama has allowed 102 points their last 2 games on average,” Bilas added. “They’ve gotta guard.”
The first meeting between these teams ended with a 102-97 victory for Alabama in Lexington. Saturday’s rematch between 2 of the nation’s best offenses could also see a very high scoring total. The total for this game has been set at 180.5, per bet365. Kentucky is an 11.5-point underdog. If you want to bet on this game, here’s a bet365 bonus code KY to help you get started with one of the best betting apps on the market.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET on Saturday night.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
