The Ole Miss Rebels (11-8) take on the Kentucky Wildcats (13-6) in Lexington, Kentucky. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m. ET on ESPN.
Kentucky is favored by 10 points on the spread with a moneyline of -600. The total is set at 145 points.
Here’s my Ole Miss vs. Kentucky predictions and college basketball picks for January 24, 2026.
Ole Miss vs Kentucky Prediction, Pick
My Pick: Ole Miss +9.5 (Play to +8.5)
My Ole Miss vs Kentucky best bet is on the Rebels to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Ole Miss vs. Kentucky Odds, Spread, Pick
| Ole Miss Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10 -105 | 145 -110 / -110 | +450 |
| Kentucky Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10 -115 | 145 -110 / -110 | -600 |
- Ole Miss vs Kentucky spread: Kentucky -10
- Ole Miss vs Kentucky over/under: 145 points
- Ole Miss vs Kentucky moneyline: Ole Miss +450, Kentucky -600
Ole Miss vs Kentucky NCAAB Game Preview
Ole Miss Rebels Betting Preview
Ole Miss has been on a seemingly never-ending roller coaster ride this season. Before losing to Auburn, the Rebels had won three straight games, including a road win over Georgia.
Chris Beard is, and always will be, a defensive-minded coach who prefers to win in a rock fight-style game.
The Rebels follow that style to a tee. They sit 301st in KenPom’s adjusted tempo and are 66th in defensive efficiency. While Beard has had better defensive units, I like the Rebels' ability to hold teams from scoring inside — opponents shoot just 48% from 2 against them.
However, the defense has let Ole Miss down of late. It ranks just 123rd in defensive efficiency, per Bart Torvik, over its past five games. Georgia and Arkansas each scored 1.25+ PPP on Ole Miss, so good offenses that push the pace can be a problem for the Rebels.
Thankfully for Ole Miss, injuries have forced Kentucky to play more slowly.
Offensively, expect a steady diet of AJ Storr. The well-traveled wing has found his footing of late, scoring 17+ points in four of his last five games. It hasn't been the most efficient scoring, but it never is for Storr.
Nothing about the Rebels' offense jumps off the page, as they rank 81st in KenPom's offensive efficiency. Scoring inside is a bit of a struggle for them, as none of their bigs are just "feed them and let them work" kind of guys.
Malik Dia is a floor-stretcher, and James Scott is a pure lob threat. That can limit some of the effectiveness of Ole Miss' offense.
A big aspect of Storr's game is taking mid-range 2s, which is part of why Ole Miss is No. 358 in KenPom's average 2-point field goal distance metric.
Kentucky Wildcats Betting Preview
Remember when Kentucky losing Jaland Lowe and Jayden Quaintance ended its season? Well, the Wildcats are very much alive and well, winning their last four matchups and covering the spread in two of them. Plus, the Cats trailed by double digits to Tennessee and LSU, but managed to sneak out a pair of wins.
The injuries keep on coming, as starting wing Kam Williams broke his foot in Kentucky's last game.
So, what's led to Kentucky's sudden resurgence? Denzel Aberdeen and Otega Oweh. Aberdeen scored 16+ points in four straight games, and Oweh tallied 18+ in four of five games.
The concern I have about Oweh and Aberdeen is that neither is a point guard, but both have to play that position due to Lowe's injury. From a shot-creation standpoint, that works fine, but the Wildcats can be a bit shaky in the ball-handling department without a floor general, like Lowe.
In January, Kentucky is 196th in adjusted tempo, even worse than its 170th-rated tempo for the season. This team is playing much slower than teams coached by Pope tend to.
Defense has been an issue for Kentucky lately. It allowed 74+ points in three straight games to LSU, Texas and Tennessee, and all of them scored more than 1.10 PPP.
Ole Miss vs Kentucky Betting Analysis
I'm rolling with Ole Miss taking the points here.
I have a hard time trusting this Kentucky squad. The wins over Tennessee and LSU were nice, sure, but both were close to miracle wins.
I'll look to fade a very short-handed squad against a coach whose team has been road warriors of sorts this season.
My Pick: Ole Miss +9.5 (Play to +8.5)
