Kentucky has to dust themselves off and find a way to win in Auburn

This Kentucky basketball season has been a roller coaster of ups and downs, and now this team is on its latest downward trend. Kentucky has lost back-to-back games, with the loss last night being the most frustrating. The Georgia Bulldogs came to Rupp Arena and beat Mark Pope’s team and killed all of the momentum this team had.

If we're being honest, the loss on the road at Florida wasn’t really a momentum killer, as no one thought the Wildcats were going to get the win. Fans thought that if Kentucky went 2-0 this week, beating Georgia and Auburn, all would be fine. Well, now the Wildcats have lost two straight, and the final five games of the season will not be easy.

Jan 31, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Kentucky won 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

It's sad to say, but one of the easiest games the Wildcats have left on the schedule is a road matchup with the Auburn Tigers on Saturday, yet Auburn is ranked above the Wildcats in KenPom. Kentucky will want to get revenge for the gesture that Tahaad Pettiford made on the Rupp Arena floor last season after the Tigers took down the Wildcats.

Without question, this will be on the mind of all of the players who are back from last year's team, especially Otega Oweh and Collin Chandler. Big Blue Nation is extremely frustrated with the loss to Georgia last night, so Kentucky needs to bounce back with a big win in Auburn on Saturday.

It sounds like Auburn will have Keyshawn Hall on the floor on Saturday as he was held out of a recent game for disciplinary reasons. He is one of the best players in the SEC and gets to the free throw line a ton. The Wildcats will likely be underdogs in this game, and they will just have to dig deep and find a way to win a tough ball game on the road.

One thing that can’t be taken away from this Kentucky team is the fact that they have always answered when they are facing some adversity. Winning this game in a tough road environment to snap a two-game losing skid would be the definition of facing adversity.

Like Georgia, Auburn is a team that isn't known as a lights out shooting team. The Tigers shoot 33% from deep but if Kentucky is leaving their shooters wide open, they will make shots. Coach Pope has to get this team back in a good head space with a massive game coming up on Saturday that this team can't lose.