Brown Bears vs Kentucky Wildcats Matchup

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

Brown vs Kentucky Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Bears and Wildcats. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on ESPNU, and it's hosted by the Wildcats at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. Get ready to place your bets! This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 154.5 points, and Kentucky is favored by -24.5 vs. Brown.

Brown vs. Kentucky Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Brown Bears at Kentucky Wildcats
Where: Lexington at Rupp Arena
Date: Tuesday, December 31st
Betting Odds UK -24.5, BROWN +2560 | UK -8000 O/U 154.5

Bears Preview: Can the Bears Pull Off a Win at Lexington?

Brown Bears Recent Game/Games

The Bears fell to 7-4 on the season after an 87-53 loss to Kansas on Sunday. Brown entered the game as +24.5 point underdogs and didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 140, just under the 145.5 O/U line.

Brown trailed 42-31 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring only 22 points while allowing 45.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Brown's offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 53 points with a field goal percentage of 26.7% (20/75). Their effective field goal percentage was 32%, as they hit only 28.6% of their two-point attempts (12/42) and 24.2% from beyond the arc (8/33).

They managed 17 offensive rebounds and 8 assists in the game. Zeke Mayo was a bright spot, scoring 25 points in 25 minutes, shooting 66.7% from the field and 62.5% from three-point range (5/8), while adding 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

Bears Team Defense

Brown's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 87 points on 50% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 26 of 46 two-point attempts, a 56% success rate.

From beyond the arc, Brown's defense conceded 8 threes on 22 attempts, with the opponent shooting 36%. They also sent the other team to the line 15 times, where they converted 11 free throws, or 73%.

Wildcats Preview: Taking a Look at the Wildcats Chances at Home

Kentucky's season record dropped to 10-2 after an 85-65 loss to Ohio State on Saturday. The Wildcats were -7.5 favorites at home but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 150, falling short of the 159.5 O/U line.

Kentucky trailed 39-30 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the 2nd half, scoring 35 points while allowing 46.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Kentucky's offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 29.8% from the field and 18.2% from beyond the arc, hitting only 4 of 22 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 33.3%, but they did manage to connect on 84.4% of their free throws, going 27 for 32 from the line.

Bruce Thornton led the way with 30 points, shooting 61.5% overall. Aaron Bradshaw was efficient as well, hitting 5 of 6 shots, including 1 of 2 from three-point range. The Wildcats grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and finished with 11 assists as a team.

Wildcats Team Defense

Despite Kentucky's strong defensive effort, they allowed 85 points in their latest game. The Wildcats held their opponent to just 29% shooting from the field, with 17 made baskets on 57 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Kentucky's defense limited their opponent to 4 threes on 22 attempts, an 18% shooting performance. However, their opponent capitalized at the free-throw line, making 27 of 32 attempts, or 84%.

Bears vs Wildcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Bears have a straight up record of 7-3 while going 7-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 72 points per game in this stretch.
Across their last five home contests, Kentucky has been good against the spread posting a mark of 3-2. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 78 points per game.
In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Bears have a strong straight up record of 2-1. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.
The last ten games that Kentucky was favored, they have an ATS mark of 3-7 while going 8-2 straight up.