Our series of NCAA Tournament picks rolls on with No. 6 Kentucky set to face No. 11 Providence on Friday, Mar. 17. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:10 pm ET while airing on CBS. Kentucky enters this game as 3.5-point favorites with the total set at 144.5. How will this one play out? Let’s dive into the Kentucky vs. Providence predictions below.
Kentucky vs. Providence Odds
- Spread: Kentucky -3.5
- Total: 144.5
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. New to DK? Check out our DraftKings Sportsbook Review to find out how to bet $5 to get $200 in bonus bets!
Game Info
- Date: Friday, Mar. 17
- Time: 7:10 pm ET
- Location: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
- TV: CBS
- Stream: March Madness Live
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Kentucky Betting Trends
- Wildcats are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 neutral site games.
- Over is 9-3 in Wildcats last 12 overall.
- Over is 8-3 in Wildcats last 11 neutral site games.
Providence Betting Trends
- Friars are 5-15 ATS in their last 20 neutral site games.
- Friars are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Over is 6-1 in Friars last 7 overall.
Kentucky vs. Providence Predictions
This is one of the most exciting matchups in the first round. Kentucky is surging at the right time, and Bryce Hopkins gets a revenge matchup against his former team in the NCAA Tournament.
This game is going to come down to the bigs and who can stay on the court. Oscar Tshiebwe is one of the best centers in the NCAA, and he can draw fouls at a high rate. Jacob Toppin is a great Robin to his Batman, although he doesn’t draw fouls quite as much.
On the other side, Hopkins and Ed Croswell make up a dynamic duo for Providence. We don’t truly need to worry about the star power forward, as he can draw fouls and doesn’t foul at a high rate. Croswell can also draw plenty of fouls, but he is more prone to picking them up.
If any of these four players are forced to the bench, the other team will have a massive edge in this game. I don’t believe Clifton Moore or Lance Ware are viable options for this type of game.
Ultimately, the most important option is Croswell, and he’s consistently been able to stay on the floor in recent games. He should have a bit more leniency in a must-win tournament game, and this is a matchup that could come down to the last shot.
The Pick: Providence +3.5 | -105 at DraftKings Sportsbook
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