Espn has Kentucky underdog to Illinois

[AJG-15]

We are the only higher seed that is underdog.

2024-25 Men's NCAA Tournament Bracket - ESPN

Visit ESPN to view the 2024-25 Men's NCAA Tournament bracket for live scores and results.

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If I was Pope I would use this as motivation.

 

[$Z71$]

Not just ESPN Vegas has Illinois -1.5.

Actually ESPN has us 52.6% to win. I think we win by 7.

 

[bthaunert]

We are the only higher seed that is underdog.

2024-25 Men's NCAA Tournament Bracket - ESPN

Visit ESPN to view the 2024-25 Men's NCAA Tournament bracket for live scores and results.

www.espn.com

If I was Pope I would use this as motivation.

ESPN has us as a favorite at 52.6% to win. Vegas has us as an underdog.

 

[jeffky]

We are the only higher seed that is underdog.

2024-25 Men's NCAA Tournament Bracket - ESPN

Visit ESPN to view the 2024-25 Men's NCAA Tournament bracket for live scores and results.

www.espn.com

If I was Pope I would use this as motivation.

The way this team played yesterday I can understand maybe use it for locker room material owehs body language and williams point blank misses was disturbing yesterday . Hopefully pope can put some fire under them we can't have this kind of effort in the post season

 

[Smashcat]

Makes sense. We are limping into the Big Dance without our leading scorer, Carr still sore and Butler wearing a brace.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

They have hated us for years

 

[Whoppercat]

They have hated us for years

We are an underdog based on betting trends, not your half-baked conspiracy theory.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

We are an underdog based on betting trends, not your half-baked conspiracy theory.

 

[MonsterMash79]

Not just ESPN Vegas has Illinois -1.5.

Actually ESPN has us 52.6% to win. I think we win by 7.

Buddy, you are Waaaaay more optimistic than I on this game lol

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

Eye test after both games tells me Illinois should be favored by 10.

LET’S GO UNDERDOG!

 

[_ukcat]

After watching our game then Illinois win we should underdogs. Surprised Vegas only has Illinois by -1.5.

 

[MonsterMash79]

Regardless… We won, and there’s the opportunity to win again💪

 

[uk78]

Hopefully got the jitters out of the system and recognize each possession matters.

 

[ManitouDan]

I expected to be a 3-4 point dog . Wouldnt been surprised if it was 5

 

[catsfan3383]

We are being held together by band aids and baling wire…..we shouldn’t be favored. Let’s just tip it up and see what happens!

 

[bigblueinsanity]

The way this team played yesterday I can understand maybe use it for locker room material owehs body language and williams point blank misses was disturbing yesterday . Hopefully pope can put some fire under them we can't have this kind of effort in the post season

We definitely didn't look good. Good news is most of the issues are easily corrected.

Amari watched his man hit 3 wide open threes. He cannot let z shoot wide open like that.

Also you can tell Butler is even more hurt now than before.

 

[HeismaNole]

I picked us to lose to Illinois as well. If full strength, I’d pick us but I just don’t think we’ve looked good and Illinois has improved.

But winning and getting to the Sweet 16 would make this a successful season.

 

[FirewithFire]

Illinois is much like Tennessee. We match up fairly well with them. If Illinois is hitting their threes we are done. If they are missing we most likely win assuming we are shooting well. Chandler is going to have to bring the defense and so will Williams. It is doable.

 

[dckala2]

let the pressure be on Illinois, this is their best team in years and still mid af.

 

[TheDude73]

I don't feel good about this game. My gut says it will be ugly. HUGE IL fan contingent there, and likely more to drive up for a matchup against Kentucky. My hopes are it's close and we win (of course), but IL looked pretty good last night and they definitely love to get up and down the court. Midway through the first half an announcer said "are either of these teams going to play defense?".

If we're going to get into a shootout we need to be hitting - especially those damned gimmes at the basket by Williams. I hope Sunday he comes out trying to dunk everything because that was just weak sauce last night.

 

[LmdCat]

Makes sense. We are limping into the Big Dance without our leading scorer, Carr still sore and Butler wearing a brace.

Yet, we are a three seed. All of the things you just mentioned didn't keep us from coming out of the strongest conference in the history of the sport ranked #6. With all that you stated, the decision makers decided that UK is the 11th ranked team in the country. YES, THEY DO CONSIDER THE HEALTH OF TEAMS WHEN SEEDING THEM.

 

[sefus12]

I picked us to lose to Illinois as well. If full strength, I’d pick us but I just don’t think we’ve looked good and Illinois has improved.

But winning and getting to the Sweet 16 would make this a successful season.

This season is already wildly successful. A S16 would be a bonus.

 

[megablue]

The way this team played yesterday I can understand maybe use it for locker room material owehs body language and williams point blank misses was disturbing yesterday . Hopefully pope can put some fire under them we can't have this kind of effort in the post season

Williams, Carr and Garrison must be effective against their height … !!

 

[megablue]

Illinois is much like Tennessee. We match up fairly well with them. If Illinois is hitting their threes we are done. If they are missing we most likely win assuming we are shooting well. Chandler is going to have to bring the defense and so will Williams. It is doable.

I agree with this … they are only shooting 31.4% on the year from three.

 

[Aike]

Did y’all know we were up 25 and got to empty the bench?

Did you know we hit 10 threes?

Did you know we were 23/10 on assist turnovers?

Did you know we had 6 steals and 6 blocks?

I swear, some of the people around here just stay miserable. We didn’t play our best, but we were fine.

Going to be a tough game to win Sunday, but it was always going to be tough, whether we played Texas, or Xavier, or Illinois.

Got 48 hours to figure out how to guard them, but they’ve got to figure us out too. Let’s toss the ball up and see what happens.

 

[BasketBallJunkie-UK]

I like us against Ill. Our age, their youth. They're softer than us. And they are prone to stinkers as well. I think our defense is better than them. I may be wrong, but I just don't fear Ill.

 

[BasketBallJunkie-UK]

Did y’all know we were up 25 and got to empty the bench?

Did you know we hit 10 threes?

Did you know we were 23/10 on assist turnovers?

Did you know we had 6 steals and 6 blocks?

I swear, some of the people around here just stay miserable. We didn’t play our best, but we were fine.

Going to be a tough game to win Sunday, but it was always going to be tough, whether we played Texas, or Xavier, or Illinois.

Got 48 hours to figure out how to guard them, but they’ve got to figure us out too. Let’s toss the ball up and see what happens.

I agree with you. Plus Troy isn't good on offense, but they are a very good defensive team and they get after you the entire game. A very quick team.

 

[phunterd]

Did y’all know we were up 25 and got to empty the bench?

Did you know we hit 10 threes?

Did you know we were 23/10 on assist turnovers?

Did you know we had 6 steals and 6 blocks?

I swear, some of the people around here just stay miserable. We didn’t play our best, but we were fine.

Going to be a tough game to win Sunday, but it was always going to be tough, whether we played Texas, or Xavier, or Illinois.

Got 48 hours to figure out how to guard them, but they’ve got to figure us out too. Let’s toss the ball up and see what happens.

What would your model have as the line?

 

[Aike]

What would your model have as the line?

It would have us favored by about 3. Knowing the health situation of both teams I think it’s reasonable that’s it’s close to a pick ‘em.

Reality is that based on the way Illinois plays, we most likely either win or lose by double digits.

 

[blubo]

win or lose tomorrow it’s a successful season, all things considered. jmdo

 

[IbnSaran]

Let's just hope that Williams get visited by the ghost of dunking past, (phi slamma jamma maybe) and he starts dunking every time he is 2 feet from the basket like a 7 footer should.

 

[wccat2969]

Looks like according to Vegas we are the only game on Sunday where the lower seed is the underdog.

 

[Sejonesy]

For those acting scared to death of Illinois, go watch their quarterfinal game against Maryland a week ago. They are as Jeckyl and Hyde as any team in the field. UK has a good shot here. If good Illinois shows up, could be a tough game. If both teams bring their A game, Kentucky wins.

 

[LukaszObrzut]

Underdog to the team Duke beat by 40
Hm-

 

[FtWorthCat]

Colorado State was favored as a 12 seed over Memphis. They got that one right.

 

[UKAlum84]

Isn't Big Z's brother playing for Illinois?

I actually think we must play well this next game......after watching several of our guys just play crap offensively.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Illinois is much like Tennessee. We match up fairly well with them. If Illinois is hitting their threes we are done. If they are missing we most likely win assuming we are shooting well. Chandler is going to have to bring the defense and so will Williams. It is doable.

Uh Illinois is nothing like Tennessee. Illinois doesn’t play any defense, and isn’t physical at all. Illinois is like bama, they push the tempo, shoot 3s and have a bunch of scorers.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

They have hated us for years

And all these big east, big 12, ACC, & big 10 fans say that ESPN props up the SEC and Kentucky to get a favorable tourney seed and draw. That’s such a dumbass take.

 

[wkycatfan]

I’m concerned about this one

 

[UKAlum84]

Amari did play, odd. Im not saying he's injured but some of those plays he lacked energy on....

At least he got a bunch of rebounds....

He's got to get scoring better, and garrison made a 3 but he also missed several...was not expecting him to think he could try those shots in the tourney.