Duke vs. Kentucky Prediction
Two of the premier programs in college basketball will clash tonight as the fourth-ranked Duke Blue Devils will take on the second-ranked Kentucky Wildcats. Which side is the right one to bet on in this season-opening marquee matchup?
Game Snapshot
753 Duke Blue Devils vs. 754 Kentucky Wildcats
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Bankers Life Fieldhouse at 9:35PM ET
TV: ESPN
Compare odds from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our College Basketball Odds & Betting Page.
Public Betting Information
According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, the Wildcats are a 1.5-point favorite on the spread line. The total is set at 157.5 points. As of Tuesday morning, 59 percent of public bets are being placed on Duke. Check out our College Basketball Public Betting Page for up-to-date information.
Blue Devils boast top recruiting class
Duke will be one of the favorites to win the national championship after bringing in a big-time recruiting class including forward R.J. Barrett, guard Tre Jones, point guard Cam Reddish, forward Zion Williamson and forward Joey Baker. The incoming class will make their regular season debut tonight and show the athleticism that has everyone raving about their potential. They will be needed to contribute immediately after the Blue Devils lost their top five scorers from a year ago, making the top returning scorer Marques Bolden at 3.9 points per game.
Expectations sky-high for Wildcats
The latest John Calipari squad at Kentucky looks to once again be among the best teams in college basketball with three key players in Nick Richards, PJ Washington and Quade Green opting to return to school rather than test the NBA waters. They will join a top-notch recruiting class highlighted by Ashton Hagans, EJ Montgomery and Immanuel Quickley. Needless to say, the Wildcats will be fun to watch and a pain for opposing teams to prepare for.
College Basketball Betting Trends
Duke
The over is 9-2 in the Blue Devils’ last 11 games on neutral courts. Duke is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games overall.
Kentucky
The over is 10-1 in the last 11 Kentucky non-conference games. Kentucky is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 Tuesday games.
Prediction:
While Duke is going to be awesome this season, it still has a young core to break in without much experience around them. On the flip side, Kentucky has its awesome freshman class but also has some veteran presences to turn to when needed. In the current landscape of college basketball, all you really need to be considered a veteran is sophomore status and enough playing time the year before to warrant it. Kentucky has players who have seen big-time college basketball and I think that’s the difference here.
PREDICTION: KENTUCKY WILDCATS -1.5