Brown Bears vs Kentucky Wildcats NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/31/24
Planning on watching today’s Bears and Wildcats game? Catch the action at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY, as the Wildcats hosts this showdown at 2:00 ET on ESPNU. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 154.5 points, and Kentucky is favored by -24.5 at home against Brown.
BROWN BEARS VS KENTUCKY WILDCATS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Brown Bears +24.5
This game will be played at Rupp Arena at 2:00 ET on Tuesday, December 31st.
WHY BET THE BROWN BEARS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-72 in favor of the Wildcats.
- Even though we have Kentucky winning straight-up, we like Brown at +24.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 154.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 148 points.
Will the Bears Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?
Brown Bears Recent Game/Games
The Bears fell to 7-4 this season after an 87-53 loss to the Jayhawks on Sunday. Brown went into the game as +24.5 point underdogs and didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 140, just under the O/U line of 145.5.
Brown trailed 42-31 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring only 22 points while allowing 45.
Brown’s offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 53 points on 26.7% shooting from the field. They connected on only 24.2% of their three-point attempts, hitting 8 of 33 from deep, and their effective field goal percentage was just 32%.
Despite the shooting woes, Brown grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and dished out 8 assists. Zeke Mayo was a bright spot, scoring 25 points on 66.7% shooting, including 5 of 8 from three-point range, and adding 8 rebounds and 4 assists.
Brown’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 87 points on 50% shooting from the field. They allowed the opposing team to hit 26 of their 46 two-point attempts, a 56% success rate.
From beyond the arc, Brown’s opponents shot 36%, connecting on 8 of 22 three-point attempts. The Bears also sent them to the line 15 times, where they made 11 free throws, a 73% clip. Brown gave up 11 offensive rebounds in the game.
Can Kentucky Live Up to the Hype at Home?
Kentucky Wildcats Recent Game/Games
Kentucky fell to 10-2 on the season after a 85-65 home loss to Ohio State on Saturday. The Wildcats, who were favored by 7.5 points, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.
Trailing 39-30 at halftime, Kentucky allowed 46 points in the 2nd half while scoring 35. The total points for the game were 150, falling short of the 159.5 O/U line.
Kentucky’s offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 29.8% from the field and 18.2% from three-point range, hitting only 4 of 22 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 33.3%, but they made up for it at the free-throw line, hitting 27 of 32 shots for an 84.4% rate.
Bruce Thornton led the Wildcats with 30 points, shooting 61.5% from the field. Aaron Bradshaw was efficient as well, hitting 5 of 6 shots and 1 of 2 from three-point range. Kentucky grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and finished with 11 assists as a team.
Despite a strong defensive effort, the Kentucky Wildcats gave up 85 points, largely due to sending their opponent to the line 32 times, where they converted 27 free throws at an 84% clip. Kentucky held their opponent to just 29% shooting from the field, including 37% on two-pointers.
From beyond the arc, the Wildcats limited their opponent to 4 made threes on 22 attempts, an 18% shooting performance. Kentucky also gave up 13 offensive rebounds in the game.