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Kentucky vs. LSU live stream: Betting odds, TV channel, prediction

By Mike Phillips

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - JANUARY 12: Brandon Boston Jr #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats shoots the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Rupp Arena on January 12, 2021 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - JANUARY 12: Brandon Boston Jr #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats shoots the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Rupp Arena on January 12, 2021 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Kentucky is in desperate need of a win as they host LSU.

The eyes of the casual sports fans are starting to shift towards college basketball this week and they might be surprised to see that Kentucky is in deep trouble. The Wildcats are just 4-9 thanks to a brutal non-conference performance and need a strong showing in SEC play to make the NCAA Tournament a possibility.

Conference play hasn’t gone well for Kentucky either, which enters today’s game on a three-game losing streak, including a brutal loss to Georgia by a point when P.J. Horne sank the go-ahead layup with 1.3 seconds to go. John Calipari has been frantically searching for answers with his talented team, which is back home today for a very important matchup against a tough LSU team.

The Tigers also come into this matchup fresh off a loss after falling 105-75 to SEC-leading Alabama earlier this week. The Crimson Tide were historically hot from deep, knocking down an SEC-record 23 three-pointers in the game to snap the Tigers’ four-game winning streak.

The key player to watch in this game is LSU guard Cameron Thomas, who has emerged as one of the top-performing freshmen in the country. Thomas averages 22 points a game for the Tigers and contributed 21 points in the loss to Alabama.

The Tigers could be in a tricky spot here since this Kentucky team is both talented and desperate, a dangerous combination in a road matchup. Maintaining discipline and avoiding costly turnovers will key for LSU to take care of business here. The Wildcats have a brutal stretch following this matchup with games against Alabama, Texas, Missouri and Tennessee so picking up a win here feels imperative.

How to bet and watch LSU at Kentucky

    • Date: Saturday, Jan. 23
    • Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
    • Location: Lexington, KY
    • Venue: Rupp Arena
    • TV: ESPN
    • Live Stream: WatchESPN
    • Line: Kentucky -1.5 (FanDuel)
    • Prediction: Kentucky 80, LSU 77

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