The Georgia Bulldogs take on the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington, KY. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Kentucky is favored by 7 points on the spread with a moneyline of -350. The total is set at 161.5 points.
Here’s my Georgia vs. Kentucky prediction and college basketball picks for February 17, 2026.
Georgia vs Kentucky Prediction
My Pick: Kentucky -7
My Georgia vs Kentucky best bet is on the Wildcats to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Georgia vs. Kentucky Odds
| Georgia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -115 | 161.5 -110 / -110 | +275 |
| Kentucky Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -105 | 161.5 -110 / -110 | -350 |
- Georgia vs Kentucky spread: Kentucky -7
- Georgia vs Kentucky over/under: 161.5 points
- Georgia vs Kentucky moneyline: Georgia +275, Kentucky -350
Georgia vs Kentucky College Basketball Betting Preview
Georgia Basketball
The Bulldogs enter Tuesday’s matchup with a 17-8 overall record, having won just five of their first 12 conference tilts. After a great start to its campaign, Georgia heads into this duel with Kentucky having won just one of its last six contests, putting itself on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Leading the charge for this Georgia offense is Jeremiah Wilkinson. The former Cal point guard was a big transfer portal acquisition in the offseason, and is scoring over 17 points per game in his first year with the Bulldogs.
Wilkinson’s status for Tuesday night’s matchup is up in the air, with the sophomore having missed the team’s last two games.
Georgia’s offense is scoring nearly 91 points per game this season, which ranks fifth in the entire country. Alongside Wilkinson, guards Blue Cain and Marcus Millender are posting double-figure scoring efforts, rounding out a Bulldogs backcourt with sizable scoring prowess.
In the frontcourt, Kanon Catchings is having a great season offensively, scoring over 11 points per game.
While the Bulldogs lost their best player (Asa Newell) this offseason to the NBA, Mike White has done a great job replacing his offensive production. Georgia ranks inside the top 35 in the country in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
On the other end of the floor, the Bulldogs have been extremely inconsistent. While White’s team is allowing 70 points per contest, Georgia ranks outside the top 70 in the sport in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
In his second season with the Bulldogs, Somto Cyril has been an elite rim-protector and the most talented defender on the team. In an SEC loaded with offensive firepower, the sophomore has held his own versus some great offensive frontcourts thus far.
If the Bulldogs are to make their second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, they'll need to improve substantially on the defensive end of the floor.
For a team trending towards the bottom of the bubble with March just a couple of weeks away, it's now or never for Georgia.
Kentucky Basketball
After losing its longtime head coach John Calipari to SEC foe Arkansas just two seasons ago, the 25th-ranked Wildcats made a great hire in Mark Pope. Pope’s Wildcats come into Tuesday matchup with a 17-8 overall record this season.
Kentucky had a very up-and-down start to the season, but it's now 8-2 over its last 10 contests.
Otega Oweh elected to remain at Kentucky for his final collegiate year of eligibility, and the senior has picked up right where he left off, dominating offensively with over 17 points per game.
Oweh leads a Wildcats offense that's scoring nearly 82 points per game this season, while also ranking inside the top 30 in the country in offensive efficiency, per Haslametrics.
Pope had an extremely active first offseason with the Wildcats, making some big moves to build around their premier scorer and senior leader in Oweh. Kentucky’s portal acquisitions feature the likes of Jayden Quaintance, Jaland Lowe and Denzel Aberdeen.
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, both Quaintance and Lowe have been unable to remain healthy, with the two collectively only having played 14 games this season.
While Kentucky’s portal acquisitions in its frontcourt have come up short thus far, Aberdeen has excelled under Pope, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. Aberdeen was a key role player on Florida's national title team last season, and he's been a key addition to play alongside Oweh in the Wildcats' backcourt.
Pope also secured two five-star freshman talents in Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno.
While Jasper has taken more of a backseat role off of the bench, Moreno has been a vital component to an elite Wildcats interior defense. Kentucky's defense has had a relatively stagnant season, but it's improved substantially over the last 10 games, allowing less than 69 points per contest.
Georgia vs. Kentucky Betting Analysis
While these two SEC foes enter Tuesday's matchup with identical records, these teams are trending in opposite directions. Georgia’s tournament hopes are spiraling, with five losses in its last six games, while Kentucky is 8-2 over its last 10.
I expect this battle to be a barnburner, with two offenses that love to push the pace and capitalize in transition. Pope has been praised as an offensive mastermind and was brought into Lexington for his intricate offensive schemes.
Pope’s offense operates very similar to an NBA “pace and space” style of offensive flow, with the Wildcats using rapid ball movement and heavy volume 3-point shooting.
Kentucky’s offense uses spacing unbelievably well, with a heavy use of off-ball screens and interior cutting towards the basket creating efficient shot-taking opportunities or open layups very early in the shot clock.
For a Georgia defense that's struggled defensively for the majority of the season, it may have a lot of difficulty containing Pope’s complex offensive scheme.
I love the Wildcats in this spot, as they're returning to Rupp Arena for a prime bounce-back opportunity while being matched up with a Georgia team whose tournament bubble is on the verge of popping.
My Pick: Kentucky -7
