The No. 12 Davidson Wildcats (21-11) clash against the No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats (24-10) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at Taco Bell Arena. The game begins at 7:10 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 15, 2018.
Kentucky opened as a 5.5-point favorite, while the game’s Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 144 points.
Davidson Wildcats vs. Kentucky Wildcats Betting Prediction
In the , Davidson defeated the No. 25 Rhode Island Rams, 58-57. One of Davidson’s biggest advantages was their ability to convert at the free throw line. They were 14-16 (87.5 percent), while the Rams were just 9-17 (52.9 percent). Davidson rallied around Peyton Aldridge, who contributed 13 points and seven rebounds.
Kentucky defeated the No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers in the , 77-72. Converting at the free throw line was one of Kentucky’s largest strengths. They were 20-24 (83.3 percent), while the Volunteers were 16-20 (80.0 percent). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the top scorer from either team with 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting.
Davidson heads into the contest with records of 21-11 straight up (SU) and 19-11-1 against the spread (ATS). Games including Davidson have typically finished under the projected point total (58.1 percent).
Meanwhile, Kentucky owns records of 24-10 SU and 16-17-1 ATS. Unlike Davidson, Kentucky games tend to go over the total (60.6 percent).
Both teams have had a player take their game to the next level over their last five games. Peyton Aldridge (27.8 points and 9.6 rebounds) has been fantastic for Davidson while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (16.4 points and 7.8 assists) has contributed greatly to Kentucky.
Davidson Wildcats vs. Kentucky Wildcats Odds Pick
Prediction: SU Winner – Kentucky, ATS Winner – Davidson, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
Davidson ranks 16th in three pointers attempted per game (27.3) while Kentucky ranks 301st (15.1).
Kentucky ranks 35th in rebounds per game (38.6) while Davidson ranks 266th (32.8).
Kentucky ranks 28th in blocks per game (4.9) while Davidson ranks 234th (2.0).
Davidson ranks 16th in assists per game (16.8) while Kentucky ranks 159th (13.4).
Davidson ranks 11th in steals allowed per game (4.8) while Kentucky ranks 82nd (5.7).
Bettings Trends:
Davidson’s average margin of victory in their last five games has been 5.8, down from 8.9 for the season.
During their last five games, Kentucky has scored an average of 77.6 points per game (0.9 above their season average) and allowed an average of 68.4 points per game (1.9 below their season average).
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