South Carolina vs Kentucky: Can the Gamecocks Pull Off the Upset?

Can the South Carolina Gamecocks pull off the upset on Saturday against the Kentucky Wildcats?

Jan 22, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Lamont Paris directs his team against the Florida Gators in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Can the South Carolina Gamecocks pull off the upset on Saturday against the Kentucky Wildcats?

The South Carolina Gamecocks have had the entire week to prepare for their matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday. Typically SEC teams have a weekday game followed by a game on Saturday, but the Gamecocks had a break in their schedule this week. The program is searching for their first conference win of the season still, so will they be able to pull off the upset?

Kentucky is ranked No. 14 in the country and has proven their worth of a contending team in the NCAA tournament this season. The Wildcats have wins over Florida, Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Tennessee this season, but have also shown a tendency to play down to opponents. Those examples are losses to Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Georgia.

That's what South Carolina is hoping happens on Saturday. The Gamecocks are dead last in the conference and will be traveling to Lexington for the game. Right now, ESPN analytics give South Carolina a 13.6 percent chance to win this weekend.

If the Gamecocks are going to pull out a win against Kentucky, they're going to need a big game out of star player Collin Murray-Boyles. He's averaging 15.5 points per game while also shooting 59.7 percent from the field. South Carolina will also need some other players in the lineup to step and play complimentary ball off of Murray-Boyles and the attention he will garner from the Wildcats.

Trying to earn a win on the road in the SEC this season has proven to be difficult, nonetheless against the No. 14 ranked team. The job won't be easy for the Gamecocks but given Kentucky's up-and-down performances this year, they might have a shot at finding the win column at noon on Saturday.

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