Oakland vs Kentucky picks, predictions, odds: Who wins March Madness NCAA Tournament game?
No. 14 seed Oakland and No. 3 seed Kentucky play Thursday, March 21 in an NCAA Tournament first-round game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The South Region game is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. PT and can be seen on CBS (stream with this free trial from FUBO).
Who will win the March Madness game and advance to the second round?
Check out these NCAA Tournament first-round picks and predictions for the men's college basketball matchup.
Kentucky is a 13.5-point favorite in the game in March Madness odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook. The Wildcats are -1200 on the moneyline. The Golden Grizzlies are +750. The over/under for the game is set at 162.5 points.
Thursday's March Madness picks, predictions: Michigan State vs Mississippi State | Duquesne vs BYU | Akron vs Creighton | Long Beach State vs Arizona | Morehead State vs. Illinois | Oregon vs South Carolina | Nevada vs Dayton | Oakland vs Kentucky | McNeese vs Gonzaga | South Dakota State vs Iowa State | Saint Peter's vs Tennessee | NC State vs Texas Tech | Samford vs Kansas | Drake vs Washington State
Friday's March Madness picks, predictions: Northwestern vs Florida Atlantic | Colgate vs Baylor | UAB vs San Diego State | Western Kentucky vs Marquette | Stetson vs UConn | New Mexico vs Clemson | Yale vs Auburn | Texas A&M vs Nebraska | Vermont vs Duke | Charleston vs Alabama | Longwood vs Houston | James Madison vs Wisconsin | TCU vs Utah State | Grand Canyon vs Saint Mary's
Detroit Free Press: Kentucky 91, Oakland 74
Tony Garcia writes: "Oakland's success this year has largely been predicated on its "dribble-drive" defense. Who taught that to Kampe? Calipari. Together, the two have more than seven decades of coaching experience and 1,500 victories. Oakland has enough experience that Kampe said his group will not be intimidated by the name on the front of their opponents jersey or by the size of the stage. But that doesn't mean the Grizzlies have enough firepower to hang with Kentucky. UK has five players who average in double figures, is one of the tallest teams in the country and can shoot the lights out, with a national championship coach in the huddle. Though Kampe likes the draw in some ways — the game will be in nearby Pittsburgh (which features a neighborhood known as Oakland) — there's no denying it's a monumental task."
March Madness TV schedule: Television channels, streaming, how to watch NCAA Tournament
FOX Sports: Kentucky 86, Oakland 74
It writes: "Kentucky has won 16 of 22 games when listed as the moneyline favorite this season (72.7%). This season, Oakland has been the underdog 11 times and won six, or 54.5%, of those games. In games it has played as a moneyline favorite with odds of -1050 or shorter, Kentucky has gone 8-1 (88.9% win percentage)."
DraftKings: Bet Kentucky to beat Oakland in NCAA Tournament game
Chinmay Vaidya writes: "Kentucky is back this year, and this team is coming in with their sights set past the first weekend. While the school hasn’t reached the Sweet Sixteen since 2019, this freshman-heavy team has all the makings for a great March Madness run. They average the second-most points per game and the fifth-most possessions per game in the country, and boast the best three-point shooting percentage in Division I."
March Madness game odds: Point spreads, moneylines, over/unders for NCAA Tournament 2024
Picks and Parlays: Kentucky 89, Oakland 74
Anthony Allen writes: "The Oakland Golden Grizzlies coach Greg Kampe has 40 seasons, all at Oakland and has a 698-536 overall. Oakland has won 17 of its final 20 games, with two losses coming on the road, one of which was in overtime. Oakland has enough experience that Kampe said his group will not be intimidated by the name on the front of their opponents jersey or by the size of the stage. But that doesn't mean the Grizzlies have enough firepower to hang with Kentucky. The Kentucky Wildcats have five players who average in double figures, is one of the tallest teams in the country and can shoot the lights out, with a national championship coach in the huddle. Kentucky features one of the best offenses in the nation, rated No. 5 per KenPom (122.7 adjusted offense) behind only UConn, Alabama, Illinois and Purdue. This will be a monumental task for Oakland to beat Kentucky."
ESPN: Kentucky has an 89.2% chance to beat Oakland in March Madness
The site gives the Golden Grizzlies a 10.8% shot at defeating the Wildcats in Thursday's first-round March Madness NCAA Tournament game.
March Madness NCAA Tournament odds: Who is favored to win 2024 national championship?
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STREAM THE GAME: Watch Oakland vs. Kentucky live with FUBO (free trial)
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Oakland vs Kentucky March Madness NCAA Tournament picks, predictions
