Kentucky desperately needs recent dominance over Georgia to continue

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UGa-173315 — (Photo by Dr. Michael Huang | Kentucky Sports Radio)

Kentucky is hitting the road in the SEC again on Saturday when John Calipari will take his team to Stegeman Coliseum to face Mike White’s Georgia club for the second time this season. The Wildcats cannot afford a bad loss in Athens.

After Tuesday’s setback at Rupp Arena to Arkansas, the Wildcats have fallen to 16-8 (7-4) and things have a chance to spiral quickly in the SEC. Kentucky is fighting for its at-large bid life as the bubble is taking shape for this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Luckily, the Wildcats are drawing an opponent they have historically had a lot of success against.

Kentucky will face Georgia on Saturday afternoon owning a 131-27 (.829) series lead as the Cats have owned the Dawgs on hardwood. That has remained true for the entire Calipari tenure in Lexington.

UK is 21-3 (.875) against UGA under Calipari and won 14 straight games in this series from 2014-20. Even new Georgia head coach Mike White was 4-10 against Kentucky during his seven years at Florida and has already dropped a game in his tenure at Georgia. On Jan. 17, Oscar Tshiebwe went for 37 points and 24 rebounds as Kentucky scored 85 points in 71 possessions in a much-needed win.

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That performance was one of the best of the season for the Big Blue. Kentucky is hoping for a similar result on Saturday as this team really needs a victory. The Wildcats will get to face a program that they have had a lot of success against over the years. Maybe that can bring some good mojo.

A losing streak is the last thing Calipari needs with UK entering a critical stretch as the program is still searching for its first NCAA Tournament win since 2019.