Oakland (14) vs. Kentucky (3) Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
The Wildcats are priced as 13.5-point favourites on the college basketball odds.
Oakland vs. Kentucky NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
The winner of this game will face wither No. 6 Texas Tech or No. 11 NC State on Saturday also from Pittsburgh for a trip to the Sweet 16.
Oakland of the Horizon League was a rare school nationally to win both its regular season and conference tournament this year. It’s the fourth Division I NCAA Tournament berth for Oakland and its first since 2011 when it was a part of the Summit League. The Golden Grizzlies are 1-3 all-time in the Dance with that lone victory in 2005 vs. Alabama A&M. They are +25000 to win the South.
Kentucky obviously is old hat at the NCAA Tournament as it is Dancing for a record 61st time. The Wildcats have a 130-54 all-time record in this event with their .707 winning per centage ranking fourth-best in NCAA history (minimum of 20 games). In addition to most appearances, Kentucky holds the records for most NCAA Tournament games played (184), and it ranks second in wins with 130. UK is +700 to win the South and my pick to do so. Kentucky and Oakland have never faced off.
A No. 14 seed has upset a No. 3 a total of 22 times in the first round of the NCAA Tournament but not since 2021.
Oakland Golden Grizzlies
Oakland is no joke as it had the Horizon League Player of the Year in Trey Townsend, who was also first-team All-Horizon, the Sixth Man of the Year in Jack Gohlke and a second-team pick in Blake Lampman. Townsend, a senior forward, is a rare player nationally to lead his team in scoring (16.9 ppg), rebounds (7.8 rpg), assists (3.1 apg) and steals (1.3 spg). He was also the conference tournament MVP and capped it with a career-high 38 points in the final against Milwaukee. The outright regular season title was Oakland’s first since joining the Horizon League (shared it in 2017). Oakland didn’t play any SEC teams this year but did face Big Ten foes Ohio State, Illinois and Michigan State and lost each by at least six. The Illini and Spartans are also in the Dance.
Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky might have the best overall roster in the country and has three 7-footers while Oakland’s tallest guy is about 6-foot-9. Cats guard Antonio Reeves was named first-team All-SEC and is a finalist for the Jerry West Award, which goes to the nation’s top shooting guard. Reed Sheppard was the SEC Freshman of the Year and might go first overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. Rob Dillingham was the SEC Sixth Man of the Year. UK looked fantastic to close the regular season with five straight wins, including over No. 4 Tennessee, but was upset in its SEC Tournament opener by Texas A&M. No team to lose its conference tournament opener has won a national title. Kentucky is 49-11 in NCAA Tournament openers and has won 26 of its last 28 opening-round games. The Cats are 12-0 all-time vs. teams from the Horizon League. Kentucky is absolutely dynamic offensively but has had issues on defence. In four of its past five losses, Coach John Calipari’s team has allowed at least 89 points.
OAK
UK