Duke Blue Devils vs Kentucky Wildcats Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Kentucky vs Duke NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Atlanta.

Kentucky vs Duke Prediction

Planning on watching today's Wildcats and Blue Devils game? Catch the action at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA, as the Blue Devils hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on ESPN. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 160.5 points, with Duke being favored by -6 over Kentucky.

Kentucky vs. Duke Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Kentucky Wildcats at Duke Blue Devils
Where: Atlanta at State Farm Arena
Date: Tuesday, November 12th
Betting Odds DUKE -6, UK +203 | DUKE -253 O/U 160.5

Wildcats Preview: Will Kentucky Be The Talk of State Farm Arena?

Kentucky Wildcats Recent Game/Games

Kentucky opened their season with a 100-72 win over Bucknell on Saturday, November 9th. Playing at home, the Wildcats were heavy favorites, entering the game as -29 point favorites.

After leading 47-31 at halftime, Kentucky scored 53 points in the 2nd half but allowed 41. They didn’t cover the spread, and the game’s total points of 172 went over the O/U line of 154.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Kentucky's offense put up 100 points in their last game, shooting 48.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55.7%. They connected on 36.1% of their threes, hitting 13 of 36 attempts, while shooting 58.1% on two-pointers. The Wildcats also grabbed 22 offensive rebounds and dished out 23 assists.

Koby Brea led the way with 20 points, hitting 6 of 8 threes and shooting 63.6% overall. Ian Motta added 18 points, shooting 60% from deep, and Amari Williams contributed 13 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 62.5% from the field.

Wildcats Team Defense

Kentucky's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 72 points on 48% shooting from the field. The Wildcats allowed their opponent to hit 25 of 43 two-point attempts, a 58% conversion rate.

From beyond the arc, Kentucky's defense saw their opponent shoot 36% on 13 of 36 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 16 times, where they made 11, shooting 68%. Kentucky gave up 22 offensive rebounds.

Blue Devils Preview: Can the Blue Devils Deliver Being Favored at Home?

Duke opened their season with a dominant 100-58 win over Army on Friday. Playing at home, the Blue Devils were -33.5 point favorites and covered the spread, while the total points of 158 exceeded the O/U line of 143.5.

Duke took control early, leading 43-20 at halftime. They continued to pour it on in the 2nd half, scoring 57 points while allowing 38.

Blue Devils Offense Breakdown

Duke's offense was firing on all cylinders, putting up 100 points with a 49.3% shooting performance from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 62%, bolstered by hitting 17 threes at a 44.7% clip. Inside the arc, they shot 54.5%, and they connected on 72.2% of their free throws.

The Blue Devils also dominated the offensive glass, pulling down 17 boards, and dished out 19 assists. Jalen Rucker led the way with 17 points, hitting 5 of 9 from deep, while Kon Knueppel knocked down 4 of 6 threes, finishing with 15 points. Cooper Flagg contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Khaman Maluach grabbed 14 boards to go along with 11 points.

Blue Devils Team Defense

Even though Duke allowed 58 points, they gave up a high shooting percentage, with the opposing team hitting 49% of their shots. Inside the arc, Duke's defense allowed 54% shooting, with the other team making 18 of 33 two-point attempts.

From three-point range, Duke's opponent connected on 17 of 38 shots, good for 44%. They also went to the free-throw line 18 times, making 13 for a 72% success rate. Duke gave up 17 offensive rebounds in the game.

Wildcats vs Blue Devils Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past five road matchups, Kentucky has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 81 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
Across their ten previous home games, Duke has an ATS mark of 5-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 8-2 while averaging 75 points per game.
The Wildcats have played well in their last three games as the betting underdog, going 3-0 straight up and 3-0 against the spread.
Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Duke has an ATS mark of 7-3 while going 7-3 straight up.