The Kentucky Wildcats return home Tuesday night for a pivotal SEC matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs at Rupp Arena, with tip-off set for 9:00 PM ET on ESPN.
Kentucky enters the game at 17-8 overall and 8-4 in conference play, coming off a 92-83 road loss to the Florida Gators, which was a game where the Wildcats once again rallied from a double-digit deficit before ultimately falling short.
Despite losing, Kentucky has won eight of its last 10, with the only losses coming on the road at Vanderbilt
and Florida. Meanwhile, Georgia stands at 17-8 but just 5-7 in SEC play, having dropped back-to-back blowouts to Florida at home and Oklahoma on the road. The Bulldogs desperately need a win, but overall, they’ve been inconsistent in league play.
Georgia is still projected to make the NCAA Tournament (as of February 13 via ESPN), but as one of the last teams in the field.
Meanwhile, Kentucky is projected as a 7 seed, so a loss at home to a team like Georgia could put the Cats closer toward the bubble heading down the stretch of regular-season play.
Last season, Mark Pope’s first SEC road test ended in disappointment, as Georgia controlled the game from start to finish, and they went on to win 82–69. Now in year two, Pope has steadied Kentucky after a rocky non-conference slate and an 0–2 SEC start, even while dealing with significant injuries to Jaland Lowe, Kam Williams, and Jayden Quaintance.
Historically, however, this matchup has been lopsided. Kentucky holds a dominant 132–27 all-time advantage over Georgia, including a staggering 66-4 record inside Rupp Arena. Even more impressive, the Wildcats are a perfect 12-0 at home against Georgia since their last loss to the Bulldogs in Lexington during the 2008–09 season, which is a testament to Kentucky’s long-standing dominance in this matchup.
However, Kentucky has had trouble with the Dawgs since Mike White took over the program in 2022, going just .500 in four matchups.
Kentucky is 12-6 all-time against White, including 10-4 during his tenure at Florida, but is just 2-2 in the series since his arrival in Athens.
Pope, meanwhile, is seeking his first win over White after last season’s defeat.
What to Watch For
Georgia loves the long ball
Georgia fires up 28.8 threes per game and makes 9.2, but at just 31.8% from deep. The volume is high, but the efficiency is not. Still, Kentucky cannot afford to leave shooters uncontested. Poor 3-point defense has burned the Wildcats in several matchups, including Michigan State hitting 11/22 from deep and Florida making 10/28 on Saturday. The Cats must close out strong, avoid fouling, and force Georgia into tough attempts.
Georgia dominates the boards
Offensively, Kentucky should find plenty of opportunities. Georgia has allowed 80+ points in eight of 12 SEC games, struggling to defend in transition. However, the Dawgs can hammer teams on the boards, as they currently rank 12th nationally in offensive rebounds per game (11.9) and 39th in defensive rebounds per game (24.8). This is an area Kentucky has had trouble with this season, especially when Malachi Moreno is off the floor, so it’s imperative that the Cats control the boards to keep Georgia from having a chance to win this one.
Remembering key players from last year
Another key storyline: familiar faces. Georgia returns just three players from last season, including notable names like Blue Cain and Somto Cyril. Cain scored 15 against Kentucky in Athens last year, while Cyril, who decommitted from Kentucky after John Calipari left for Arkansas, made his physical presence known with 8 rebounds and a block. Cyril is the nation’s top rim protector, averaging 2.6 blocks per game, and contributes to Georgia’s NCAA-leading 6.7 blocks per contest. Kentucky must keep him off the glass and avoid driving recklessly into his shot-blocking radius.
Players to Watch
- Jeremiah Wilkerson: Georgia’s leading scorer at 17.1 PPG while shooting 41.9% and 33.5% from 3.
- Blue Cain: 13.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG; streaky shooter but dangerous when hot.
- Marcus Millender: 11.8 PPG on 37.8% from three; strong distributor.
- Kanon Catchings: Provides length and floor spacing at 6-foot-9, hitting 35% from three.
- Somto Cyril; Elite defender, shooting 73.9% from the field with 2.6 blocks per game.
- Jordan Ross: Steady contributor from the perimeter at 7.1 PPG.
- Dylan James: Physical interior presence at 4.5 PPG and 4.2 RPG.
How to Watch Kentucky Basketball vs. Georgia Bulldogs
- Game Time: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at 9:00 PM ET
- Location: Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Online Stream: WatchESPN, ESPN App
- Radio: Tom Leach & Jack Givens on the UK Sports Radio Network
- Replay: WatchESPN and the ESPN network (check local listings)
- Rosters: UK | Georgia
- Stats to Know: UK | Georgia
- KenPom: UK | Georgia
- Team Sheets: UK | Georgia
- Odds: FanDuel Sportsbook has Kentucky favored by 8.5 points with an over/under of 163.5. EvanMiya gives UK a 69.6% chance of winning. KenPom (72%), ESPN (75.1%), BartTorvik (70%), and DRatings (69.6%) also favor the Cats to win.
- Predictions: EvanMiya (85-79). KenPom (85-78), BartTorvik (70%), Haslametrics (84-76), and DRatings (87-81%) all have the Wildcats winning. This is the only regular-season meeting between the two teams, mirroring last year’s matchup in Athens, where Georgia controlled the game physically, but with Kentucky needing a bounce-back win and holding a massive historical edge at Rupp, the Wildcats look poised to respond. I’m going with an 86-76 victory, Kentucky!
How do you see this game playing out? Drop your thoughts below in the comments section!
And Go Cats!
