Cornell vs Kentucky Picks – Kentucky Will Chew Up Big Red
The Big Red machine has been one of the biggest surprises in the NCAA Tournament so far. The No. 12 seed in the East Region was a darling online betting pick in the first round in a slippery 12-5 matchup against Temple, but even less people had them surpassing No. 4 Wisconsin. Regardless, this Ivy League school has done great but it will be the end of the road for them against Kentucky.
- What: NCAA Basketball Betting
- When: Thursday, March 25th – 9:57 PM ET
- Where: Carrier Dome – Syracuse, NY
- Key Stat: Kentucky is 10-4 ATS this year when the total is 140 to 149.5
The Cornell-Kentucky Storyline
Cornell was the sweetheart of ESPN’s Jay Bilas, but not many people were buying the hype. Even so, the Big Red have not only been a Cinderella, they have been dominant. Cornell won by 13 in the opening round and then crushed Wisconsin by 18. They are now playing an hour from home at the Carrier Dome, but the Kentucky fans already have all the tickets.
For the Wildcats, it’s been straight business and while Cornell has been dominant, Kentucky has been close to perfect. Their average margin of victory is a shade under 30 points per game and they have weapons and athleticism galore. With Kansas out of the way, Kentucky is the Tournament favorite in the sportsbook now.
Offensive Matchups
Cornell is an Ivy League school, but they are much more than a slow-it-down type of a team. With 7-foot center Jeff Foote in the middle and plenty of sharp-shooters around him, they have balance on the inside and outside, and they don’t need to slow anything down. Wisconsin was the fourth-ranked team nationally in scoring defense and Cornell shredded them with 87 points. They lead the nation in three-point shooting percentage (43.4%).
Meanwhile, Kentucky has a huge edge in athleticism, which will have to be the difference. They have a number of special players in John Wall, Eric Bledsoe and Patrick Patterson, who can make plays that make your jaw drop. That athleticism should be key on the inside, where they can potentially get Foote in some foul trouble.
Betting Edge: KentuckyDefensive Matchups
The Big Red are not a great defensive team but they get the job done. Foote has dominated the paint in the first two games of the Tournament – especially on defense. He’s averaged 14 points, seven rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in the first two contests and if he can deter the Wildcats from approaching the basket, the Big Red will be in good shape to advance.
The Wildcats are a good defensive team and it’s one of their more underrated qualities. They are athletic and they have speed, which means they can cover pretty much anyone. They’ll have to be very conscious of the Big Red’s threes as that will allow them to stick around. They do a lot of damage from there but if the Wildcats can chase them off the line, they will have a big advantage.
Betting Edge: KentuckyInjuries
Bothe teams are healthy for this contest.
Betting Edge: EvenBetting Prediction: Cornell vs Kentucky Picks
The Wildcats won’t win the Tournament because their free throw shooting (30-of-51 so far) is weak, but that won’t be a concern against Cornell. The Wildcats have far too much athleticism to lose this game.
Sports betting cappers should see them attack the basket early and often, and get Foote in foul trouble. Once he’s out of the equation, their path to victory will be much easier.
