Kentucky vs Providence Prediction, Preview and Odds, 03/17

Photo Credit: © Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Preview

As the NCAA Tournament gets underway, the first-round matchup between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Providence Friars is sure to be a close one. With a four-point spread in favor of Kentucky, the experts at KingPin.pro are breaking down the teams and offering their picks for the game.

Kentucky Wildcats

The Wildcats had a solid season, finishing with a 21-11 record and going 12-6 in SEC games. They also had a winning record against non-conference opponents, going 9-5. Kentucky is a strong offensive team, averaging 75.1 points per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. They're led by Oscar Tshiebwe, who is averaging 16.5 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. Antonio Reeves has also been a standout player for the Wildcats, averaging 16.7 points over the last 10 games.

In their last 10 games, Kentucky has gone 6-4 and has averaged 74.5 points per game while holding their opponents to 70.7 points per game. They'll be looking to continue that defensive momentum against Providence.

Providence Friars

The Friars had a slightly better record than Kentucky, finishing with a 21-11 record and going 13-7 in Big East games. They've been strong in the paint, averaging 36.9 points per game in that area of the court. Ed Croswell has been a standout player for the Friars, averaging 10.2 points per game in the paint.

Bryce Hopkins has also been a key player for Providence, averaging 16.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. In their last 10 games, the Friars have gone 4-6 and have averaged 77.4 points per game while allowing their opponents to score an average of 78.2 points per game.

Betting Trends

According to KingPin.pro, the betting trends for this game are fairly even. Kentucky has covered the spread in 17 of their 32 games this season, while Providence has covered in 16 of their 32 games. The total has gone over in 18 of Kentucky's games and in 16 of Providence's games.

Public Betting Data

The public betting data is also fairly even for this game, with 51% of bets going towards Kentucky and 49% going towards Providence.

Prediction

Despite the even betting trends and public betting data, the experts at KingPin.pro are predicting that Providence will cover the +4 point spread, and may even win the game outright. While Kentucky has a strong offense, their defense has been inconsistent at times. Providence, on the other hand, has been strong in the paint and could take advantage of any defensive lapses by Kentucky. With a strong performance from Bryce Hopkins and Ed Croswell, Providence could pull off the upset.

PICK: Providence +4 (-110)

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