The SEC just started conference play, but it may already be make-or-break time for the Kentucky Wildcats and LSU Tigers.
Kentucky heads to LSU, and the two teams have combined to go 1-5 in the young conference season.
My Kentucky at LSU predictions and college basketball picks explain why the LSU moneyline is the best bet on Wednesday, January 14.
Kentucky vs LSU prediction
Kentucky vs LSU best bet: LSU moneyline (+160)
Thanks, in part, to a brutal non-conference schedule, Kentucky has not won more than four games in a row this season. The Wildcats faced five Quad I opponents before starting SEC play, and opened the conference schedule at another Quad I foe in Alabama. They’ve gone 1-5 against those teams. A home loss to Missouri in Kentucky’s second SEC game was their first loss against a non-Quad I opponent.
The Wildcats broke through in conference with a 24-point win over Mississippi State, but it came at a cost. Point guard Jaland Lowe played just three minutes before dislocating his shoulder for the third time this season. He’s been ruled out for the rest of the year.
Kentucky doesn’t have another true point guard on the roster. Coach Mark Pope said freshman Jasper Johnson, who plays just 14 minutes a game, will have an expanded role. Leading scorer Otega Oweh, who leads Kentucky in turnovers, could also have more time running the offense. Both options will likely cause a ripple effect in the offense.
Things are also bleak at LSU. The Tigers already lost Jalen Reed for the season, and leading scorer Dedan Thomas Jr. is battling injury and hasn’t played yet in January. He’s not ruled out, but the chances of him suiting up are slim.
That has led to a 0-3 conference start for LSU. Their formerly elite offense has been merely decent in the SEC, and the defense has collapsed. After allowing 1.1 points per possession just four times in the first 13 games, LSU has surrendered that in its last two outings. Kentucky’s rudderless, turnover-prone offense could be just the thing to cure LSU’s woes.
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Kentucky vs LSU same-game parlay
One team is missing a point guard, and the other will likely be without its leading scorer. Both teams play at a slow tempo — Kentucky is 150th in the nation, LSU is 177th.
Everything seems to be leaning toward an Under. So, the natural question is: Why isn’t the total cutoff lower?
Each team has played three SEC games, and in half of them, the Over/Under total was lower than it is here. The reason is that each team suffers more from the injury losses on defense than on offense. Kentucky has allowed 10 more points per game in SEC play, LSU seven more.
Both teams allowed 60% shooting on 2-point attempts last game. That’s 15 percentage points higher than LSU had been allowing, 10 points higher for Kentucky.
Oweh can create his own shot, in transition or with the ball in his hand. So, the loss of Lowe won’t hurt his ability to score. Since Thanksgiving, he’s averaged 17.4 points, and he’s hit 20 in four of the last five games. He’ll take advantage of LSU’s shaky defense and put up a big number.
Kentucky vs LSU SGP
- LSU moneyline
- Over 153.5
- Otega Oweh Over 17.5 points
Our beyond the arc SGP: To the Max
Max Mackinnon has averaged 9.3 shot attempts per game with Thomas in the lineup. That’s gone up to 16 per night with Thomas sidelined. His scoring average has gone from 13.0 to 20.7 points per game. He can score from the outside and on the inside, which will stretch and pressure a Kentucky defense that has been particularly shaky on the interior.
Kentucky vs LSU SGP
- LSU moneyline
- Over 153.5
- Otega Oweh Over 17.5 points
- Max Mackinnon Over 15.5 points
Kentucky vs LSU odds
- Spread: Kentucky -4 (-110) | LSU +4 (-110)
- Moneyline: Kentucky -190 | LSU +160
- Over/Under: Over 153.5 (-110) | Under 153.5 (-110)
Kentucky vs LSU betting trend to know
LSU has hit the Moneyline in 12 of its last 19 games at home. Find more college basketball betting trends for Kentucky vs. LSU.
How to watch Kentucky vs LSU
| Location | Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, LA |
| Date | Wednesday, January 14, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | SECN |
Kentucky vs LSU key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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