Halftime Report

Only one more half stands between Kentucky and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Illinois State 45-30.

Kentucky entered the matchup having won three straight and they're just one half away from another. Will they make it four, or will Illinois State step up and spoil it? We'll know soon.

Who's Playing

Illinois State Redbirds @ Kentucky Wildcats

Current Records: Illinois State 8-4, Kentucky 9-2

How To Watch

What to Know

Illinois State has enjoyed a five-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will wrap up 2023 with a road trip to face off against the Kentucky Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.

Illinois State scored the most points they've had all season to find success last Thursday. They put the hurt on the Redhawks with a sharp 85-64 win. That 21 points margin sets a new team best for Illinois State this season.

Kendall Lewis and Darius Burford were among the main playmakers for Illinois State as the former scored 18 points along with nine rebounds and the latter scored 22 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Lewis has scored all season.

Kentucky has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six games by 19 points or more this season. They were the clear victor by a 95-76 margin over the Cardinals. The victory was nothing new for Kentucky as they're now sitting on three straight.

Among those leading the charge was Antonio Reeves, who scored 30 points. That's the first time this season that he scored 30 or more points. The team also got some help courtesy of Tre Mitchell, who shot 4-for-7 from downtown and dropped a double-double on 18 points and 12 rebounds.

The Redbirds are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 8-4 record this season. As for the Wildcats, their victory was their fourth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 9-2.

This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Illinois State have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 37.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Kentucky struggles in that department as they've been averaging 38.1 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.

Kentucky and Illinois State pleased both fans and bettors in their last matches by winning and covering the spread. As for their next game, the game looks promising for Kentucky, as the team is favored by a full 20 points. They might be worth a quick bet since they've covered the spread the last three times they've played.

Odds

Kentucky is a big 20-point favorite against Illinois State, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Wildcats as a 19.5-point favorite.


The over/under is set at 148 points.

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Series History

Kentucky won the only game these two teams have played in the last 8 years.

  • Nov 30, 2015 - Kentucky 75 vs. Illinois State 63