Three Keys to Victory: No. 13 Kentucky-No. 16 UCLA

No. 13 Kentucky basketball enters Madison Square Garden in New York City with a bit of momentum, but awaiting the Wildcats in the CBS Sports Classic are the red-hot No. 16 UCLA Bruins, who have won six in a row.

The Cats (7-2) have had six days between games, following their 69-59 win over Yale in Rupp Arena last Saturday. Kentucky leads the all-time series against UCLA 8-7, but the Bruins (9-2) have won three of the last four.

A win would be the first of the season over a ranked foe for John Calipari's group. Here are three keys for his team to find a win inside the most famous arena in the world:

SCORE 70 OR MORE POINTS / AVOID THAT COLD SPELL

There has been a fairly simple formula developing in UCLA's 11 games so far this season. When the Bruins have allowed less than 70 points, they're 9-0. Illinois and Baylor were able to hit that mark, and each came away with a win over coach Mick Cronin's team.

Kentucky has hit 70 points on seven occasions, including all three games against Power Five opponents. UCLA has reached the 80-point mark in five of its last six games, so keeping pace will be key for the Cats early. Finding yourself in a hole in the first half will only spell disaster down the stretch, as the Bruins don't tend to let up on the offensive end.

The Cats have gone through cold spells in nearly every game they've played this season. If we see one of those four minute stretches with no buckets, that likely means UCLA has built a big lead as a result. Run the offense, find some transition points and don't let the Bruins punch you in the mouth from the get-go.

BREAK THE SEAL FROM 3-POINT RANGE / GET CJ FREDRICK GOING

The picture paints itself if you're CJ Fredrick. Inside MSG last year in the season-opener, the Iowa transfer hurt himself in the layup line, suffering a hamstring injury that forced him to miss the entire 2021-22 campaign.

Now over a year later, he'll finally get to take the floor in the hailed-venue while wearing blue and white. If the story has a happy ending, we'll see him break out of his recent slump in a big way. Fredrick has made multiple field goals in just one of UK's last five games.

In both of UCLA's losses, it has allowed 10 or more 3-pointers. The Cats have to find their flow from deep if they want a victory. It doesn't have to come from Fredrick, but the rest of the guards must hit the looks they get from behind the arc, because they'll likely be infrequent.

FEED OSCAR TSHIEBWE

I know that UK fans want to see something other than dumping it down to Tshiebwe on every possession, but when it works, it works.

The big man showcased his National Player of the Year form in the win over Yale last Saturday, racking up 22 second-half points. He's inching closer to 100-percent health, and his play is ramping up at the right time with SEC play right around the corner.

If you're Kentucky, you have to execute what you've spoken about all season. Get Tshiebwe going from the jump, make UCLA focus on him in the paint, setting up your shooters to get you to that 10-plus 3-point mark.

Put the pieces fully together for the first time this season and land a monstrous marquee win to really get the hype train rolling into 2023.

Wildcats Today will have game coverage live from Madison Square Garden as No. 13 Kentucky looks for an important win in the CBS Sports Classic. Tip-off is set for 5:15 p.m. EST.

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