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No. 2 Kentucky vs. No. 3 UCLA Preview, Game Prediction
Kentucky vs. UCLA prediction and game preview, as the No. 2 Wildcats and No. 3 Bruins face off in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
March 20, 2017
Kentucky vs. UCLA prediction and game preview, as the No. 2 Wildcats and No. 3 Bruins face off in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
John Calipari led his team to a No. 2 seed in the South bracket, and the Wildcats found themselves going toe-to-toe with No. 15 Northern Kentucky in the first round. Kentucky came out of that with a 79-70 win and then went up against Wichita State in the second round. The Shockers gave the Wildcats a run for their money, but Calipari’s team came up with two big blocks in the closing seconds to take a 65-62 win.
Now the Wildcats will face the No. 3 Bruins in the Sweet 16. Steve Alford’s team was put up against No. 14-seeded Kent State in the first round and came up with a 97-80 victory. The next obstacle that was in UCLA’s way was No. 6 Cincinnati, and it took down the Bearcats, 79-67.
Kentucky vs. UCLA Game Preview
Date: March 24, 2017
Venue: FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN.
Region: South
Kentucky wins if …
If they keep the other team off the foul line and win the battle on the boards. The Wildcats kept the Shockers off the charity stripe, limiting them to 6-of-9 shooting from the free throw line while hitting on 12-of-18 of their own free throws. But Kentucky was unable to out rebound Wichita State, 38-36. The Wildcats allowed 14 offensive rebounds but giving up second-chance points is a sure-fire way to give yourself an early exit from the tourney.
At the same time, Malik Monk has to regain his shooting rhythm. The star freshman shot only 3-of-10 from the field against Wichita State. De’Aron Fox wasn’t that much better. He shot 5-of-13 from the field, and the two guards combined for 28 points. If either one (or both) catches a hot hand, it’ll help the Wildcats make a move toward the Elite Eight.
UCLA wins if …
If they give Lonzo Ball the ball. It’s that simple. He’s arguably the best player in the entire tournament, and he has the ability to put a team on his back. The Bruins’ star freshman was 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-7 from three for 18 points in the win over Cincinnati. Bryce Alford wasn’t as efficient when he let the rock fly, but he did supply 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting. He was also 4-of-11 from behind the arc. If they can both find the touch early, UCLA will be sitting pretty.
The Bruins have to keep applying the pressure on the outside, though. They held the Bearcats to 7-of-20 shooting from three-point range. UCLA also forced 10 turnovers while only turning the ball over three times as a team. If the Bruins control time of possession, allow Ball and Alford to create their own shots, and close out on the perimeter, then they’ll come away with a victory.
Kentucky vs. UCLA Prediction
Put it in ink. UCLA will come away with a big win over Kentucky, and we’ll see Ball be the driving force behind the win. He’ll lead the game in scoring with 20-plus points, but he’ll also come away with at least five assists for the Bruins. Monk and Fox will be streaky throughout the game and will put up the points without the efficiency needed to keep the Wildcats in the lead. Some off-the-mark desperation threes at the end of the game will put it in the books as a UCLA win.
Kentucky vs. UCLA Score Prediction: UCLA 91, Kentucky 83
MORE: Complete NCAA Tournament Bracket, Previews, Predictions
