The SEC looks prepared to shatter a 14-year-old NCAA record with 14 teams having realistic shots to make the Big Dance this year. One school that needs a little more work to feel comfortable about their resume takes the floor tonight when the 14-seeded Oklahoma Sooners (20-12) take on the sixth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats (21-10) inside Bridgestone Arena.
Current projections have the Sooners as one of the last four teams to make the tournament. Oklahoma can thank their three-game winning streak for helping their cause, one that was highlighted by their win over Missouri last week.
Kentucky is comfortably in the picture, ranking No. 15 in the latest AP Top 25 poll. The Wildcats received a first-round bye after winning three of their last four games, including a one-point victory over the Sooners.
Will Oklahoma continue its march through this March tournament, or can Kentucky defeat the Sooners again? We’ll cover that and our three favorite player prop bets from this SEC second-round matchup on Thursday.
Kentucky Wildcats G Koby Brea to Make 3+ 3 Point FG (-112)
Senior Koby Brea isn’t leading the team in any category, but the Wildcats' guard can hit the long-range shots. Over the past two seasons, he’s averaging 44 percent from shots behind the arc, helping him amass over 11 points per game during that stretch.
Against Oklahoma in these two teams’ first matchup, Brea had an off night from deep, hitting just one of his six three-point shot attempts. Kentucky is looking to improve its seeding for the NCAA Tournament, meaning bettors should expect Brea to hit at least three trifectas to cover this player prop wager.
Oklahoma Sooners G Jeremiah Fears UNDER 18.5 Points
There’s no need to fear when Sooners guard Jeremiah Fears has the ball. The Oklahoma freshman is averaging a team-best 16.7 points for his school, and he’s adding 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists to the cause each night.
Fears exploded for 29 points against the Bulldogs to help Oklahoma win its opening-round SEC tournament game against Georgia. Kentucky did a better job containing the talented freshman, holding him to 18 points in their previous matchup. Bettors should expect the same tonight as the Wildcats contain Fears, holding him under this scoring prop bet.
Kentucky Wildcats C Amari Williams UNDER 22.5 Pts + Reb
Seven-footer Amari Williams has been a strong addition to the Wildcats this season. The senior is averaging 11.0 points per game and team-best averages in both rebounding (8.7) and assists (3.1) for Kentucky.
Williams combined for 23 or more points and rebounds in four out of five contests down the stretch. The lone holdout during that time was his contest against Oklahoma, where he combined for 11 total points and rebounds. Expect the Sooners to focus on Williams again, keeping him from reaching this player prop bet.
Best Bet: Oklahoma (+6.5)
The winner of this contest will advance to Friday’s quarterfinals, facing the third-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide (24-7). Winning Thursday’s second-round game would help either team with what seed they’ll ultimately receive from the NCAA Tournament selection committee on Sunday.
That’s why the Sooners need a strong showing against Kentucky tonight. I’d expect Oklahoma will accomplish just that, keeping this game close throughout, if not outright winning the game against the Wildcats.
Take the Sooners giving up 6.5 points in this SEC Tournament matchup. Kentucky definitely has more talent, but this is just too many points.
