Kentucky Wildcats vs Auburn Tigers Prediction, 2/21/2026 College Basketball Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Kentucky Wildcats vs Auburn Tigers

Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026

Location: Neville Arena in Auburn, AL

TV: ESPN

The Auburn Tigers (14-12) will compete against the Kentucky Wildcats (17-9) at Neville Arena on Saturday.

The Kentucky Wildcats faced off with Georgia and walked away from this one with a loss by a score of 86-78 in their last contest. Kentucky finished the game having earned a 45.8% FG percentage (27 out of 59) and converted 12 of their 30 3-pointers. From the free throw line, the Wildcats converted 12 of 20 shots for a rate of 60.0%. In reference to rebounding, they collected 36 with 11 of them being on the offensive end. They also doled out 13 assists for the game in addition to forcing the other team into 6 turnovers and having 3 steals. In relation to defending, Kentucky allowed their opponent to shoot 43.3% from the field on 29 out of 67 shooting. Georgia recorded 20 assists and had 10 steals in this contest. In addition, Georgia snagged 30 rebounds (11 offensive, 19 defensive), but didn't record a block for the team. Georgia ended up going 73.7% when shooting free throws by burying 14 of 19 attempts. They made 14 of 31 shots from 3-point land. When talking about personal fouls, the Wildcats left the arena with 19 while Georgia racked up 18 personal fouls.

Otega Oweh is one guy who was a factor for this game. He went 61.1% from the floor and dished out 4 assists. He was on the court for 35 minutes played and also totaled 4 boards. He accounted for 28 points on 11 out of 18 shooting.

Get all of our NCAA Parlay Picks

Kentucky heads into this one with a record of 17-9 on the season. They currently have an average of 81.5 pts per contest (68th in college) while connecting on 46.9% from the field. The Wildcats are shooting 35.1% on three-point shots (218 of 621) and 72.0% from the charity stripe. As a unit, Kentucky is grabbing 38.1 boards per game and has accumulated 417 assists this year, which ranks 81st in college hoops in terms of passing the rock. They are turning it over 10.3 times per contest and as a unit are committing 18.0 fouls per game.

On defense, the Wildcats have forced 10.9 turnovers per contest and they draw 18.2 fouls. They give up 31.8% on 3-point shots and they rank 147th in D-1 in points per game allowed (72.7). The Wildcats defensively are giving up a shooting percentage of 41.8% (645 of 1,542) and they relinquish 34.2 boards per contest as a unit. They are currently ranked 228th in college in allowing assists to the opposition with 368 surrendered on the year.

When they last stepped on the court, the Auburn Tigers went home defeated by a final of 91-85 when they played Mississippi State. The Tigers pulled down 23 defensive boards and 15 offensive rebounds for a total of 38 in the game. They also coughed it up 8 times, while earning 6 steals in this matchup. Mississippi State earned 23 fouls in this contest which got the Tigers to the free throw line for a total of 31 attempts. They were able to knock down 25 of the free throws for a percentage of 80.6%. Pertaining to shots from 3-point land, Auburn converted 12 of 26 tries (46.2%). When the final whistle was blown, the Tigers ended up going 24 for 62 from the field which had them sitting at 38.7%. The Tigers permitted Mississippi State to bury 31 out of 62 attempts from the field which gave them a rate of 50.0% in this game. They went 53.3% from beyond the perimeter by going 16 of 30 and finished the game at 13 out of 17 from the charity stripe (76.5%). Concerning how they attacked the glass, Auburn permitted Mississippi State to pull down 32 overall (7 offensive).

Keyshawn Hall ended up having an impact for the Tigers in the game. He made 8 out of 17 in this game giving him a field goal percentage of 47.1%, and earned 10 rebounds. He racked up 29 points in his 40 minutes on the hardwood and accumulated 2 assists for the matchup.

Auburn has a mark of 14-12 this season. The Tigers are committing 17.5 personal fouls per game and they connect on 74.4% from the free throw line. They are assisting teammates 13.0 times per contest (255th in college) and they are turning it over 9.9 times per game. Auburn has accounted for 2,184 pts on the year (84.0 per game) and they collect 37.1 rebounds per game. On the offensive side of the ball, the Tigers are shooting 45.7% from the field, which ranks them 148th in Division 1.

The Auburn defense concedes 36.5% on three-point shots (232 of 636) and opponents are knocking down 76.2% of their foul shots. They concede 14.3 dimes and 32.8 total boards per game, which ranks them 258th and 84th in those categories on the defensive end. The Tigers on the defensive side of the court are 322nd in college in points given up per game with 79.5. They are forcing 11.6 TO's every game and allow teams to shoot 45.9% from the floor (281st in Division 1).

Who will win tonight's NCAA game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Kentucky

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here

Get college basketball picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bets by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.