Kentucky hosts Bucknell for a non-conference contest at Rupp Arena in Lexington. It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Bucknell-Kentucky prediction and pick.
The Bucknell Bison are 2-0 to begin the 2024-25 season! They have wins on the road against Delaware and Southern Indiana. It took overtime to beat So Indiana, but the Bison won thanks to 32 points from their star Noah Williamson. The 7-footer from Latvia is off to a great start and he will be looked upon to lead his team against a very good Kentucky squad.
The Wildcats are off to a great start after they dominated Wright State 103-62 to begin the year. It's a new era for Kentucky, as former head coach John Calipari is now running the show over at another SEC school, Arkansas. In came Mark Pope, former head coach for BYU … AND played for Kentucky during his playing days, where he won the 1996 National Championship.
Kentucky is ranked No. 23 to start the year and with another big win over Bucknell, we could see the Wildcats surge into the top 20.
Here are the Bucknell-Kentucky College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Bucknell-Kentucky Odds
Bucknell: +21.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +1600
Kentucky: -21.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -4500
Over: 151.5 (-110)
Under: 151.5 (-110)
How to Watch Bucknell vs. Kentucky
Time: 4:00 pm ET/1:00 pm PT
TV: SECN+, ESPN+
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Bucknell Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Bison are a much better team than Wright State and should keep this closer than the Raiders did on the road. 20 points is a large spread, and the Bison must look to their star player, Williamson, to lead the way. Kentucky will have a good game plan for him, as they contain center Amari Williams, who will be defending him. 7-footer vs. 7-footer is a fun matchup to see. Williams is one of the top seniors in the nation and comes to Kentucky from Drexel, where he spent four seasons.
The Bison will also rely on guard Josh Bascoe, who is averaging 16.5 points per game this year. Senior Ian Motto is third on the team averaging 11.5 points on 52% shooting. The three top players for Bucknell must show up and play well enough if they want to cover this spread. They are facing an elite defensive squad.
This won't even be the toughest game the Bison play this year. In a few weeks, they take on Gonzaga on the road. This will be a good test for the Bison as they aim to take control of the Patriot League Conference. Their last NCAA Tournament appearance was back in 2018, but this team feels like they have a shot to get back to the Big Dance.
Why Kentucky Will Cover The Spread/Win
This Kentucky team is brand new as most are wearing the uniform for the very first time.
Kentucky will rely on defense. The Wildcats also brought in former San Diego State Aztec, Lamont Butler, in the transfer portal. Butler is considered one of the top defenders in the country, but is famous for his buzzer-beater against FAU in the Final Four in 2023, sending the Aztecs to their very first national championship appearance. Butler was the 2024 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and is a 3-time All-Defensive First Team player in the Mountain West. Butler won't light up the stat sheet on offense, but his ability to defend the opponent's top scorer is beneficial to have. Butler scored 14 points in the opening win and also contributed with five rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
Koby Brea, who transferred in from Dayton, scored 18 points in the win over Wright State and his teammate Otega Oweh, who came in from Oklahoma, led the team with 21 points in the win. The Wildcats have a plethora of scoring options and length to be one of the top teams on both sides of the floor.
If Kentucky has a game plan to contain Williamson, then the Wildcats should cruise to yet another dominant win.
Final Bucknell-Kentucky Prediction & Pick
This Kentucky team feels a little underappreciated as they have a new coach running the show. Mark Pope has been one of the top coaches in the nation during his time at BYU and I expect the Wildcats to be a very good team this year. It just feels like destiny for Pope that he is back at his Alma mater. A big win against Bucknell is in store. Take Kentucky to cover the spread, as well as the over at 151.5, as the over hit in Kentucky's first game.
Final Bucknell-Kentucky Prediction & Pick: Kentucky -21.5 (-110), Over 151.5 (-110)
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