Pedro Oliveira
The East block in the finals of the NCAA tournament does not have the Wildcats as the first seed but even so, they are among the most dominant teams and clear favorites to take the title. The Peacocks are one of the lowest budget teams in all of college sports and their presence at March Madness (their first since 2011) is a miracle, will they have enough to force the upset?
Picks and Predictions for the Kentucky Wildcats vs St. Peter’s Peacocks NCAA Basketball Championship Round 1 Game on March 17
- Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, Indiana
- When: Thursday, March 17, 7:10 PM ET
- Betting Line: Kentucky Wildcats (-17.5) vs Saint Peter’s Peacocks (+17.5)
Kentucky Wildcats Betting Preview
- Overall Record: 26-7
- Conference Record: 14-4
- Spread: -17.5
- Over/Under: Under 132.5
- Moneyline: -2000
It’s too complicated to challenge Kentucky’s lineup: Oscar Tshiebwe’s performance has been off the charts, being a fixed candidate for the NCAA Player of the Year award (17 points, 15.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocks). And that’s just one part of a quintet that includes TyTy Washington Jr. (12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.3 steals), Keion Brooks Jr. (10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds) and Kellan Grady (11.5 points).
The Wildcats’ only weakness is the three-pointer, as beyond Grady there are no consistent shooters on the roster. That that’s your only weakness, having all areas of your game covered as one of the best teams in all of college basketball, is all there is to say about how dominant Kentucky can be.
Saint Peter’s Peacocks Betting Preview
- Overall Record: 19-11
- Conference Record: 14-6
- Spread: +17.5
- Over/Under: Over 132.5
- Moneyline: +1100
The Peacocks shine for their defensive quality (nineteenth best defense nationwide) and it’s thanks to KC Ndefo, who led the MAAC conference with 2.7 blocks in addition to 10.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals. His performance to limit Tshiebwe will be more than crucial and will generate the possibility of upset against the Wildcats. Unfortunately, their offense is not up to the match and is probably the aspect that drives them in the search for victory.
All is not lost for St. Peter’s but Kentucky’s might could simply quench all of its defensive efforts by capitalizing on more consistency on its offensive possessions.
JefeBet Prediction
John Calipari has everything to start off on the right foot in March Madness even if his opponent is not an easy nut to crack. It will be a tight game unless the Peacocks’ defense collapses against the Wildcats’ offensive arsenal. Kentucky will take the win 78 to 68.
