Notre Dame vs Kentucky 12/11/21 College Basketball Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Kentucky Wildcats and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish meet in college hoops action from Purcell Pavilion on Saturday afternoon.

The Kentucky Wildcats come into this game on the heels of a 76-64 win over Southern in their last matchup. Oscar Tshiebwe leads the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding, averaging a monstrous double-double per game with 15.3 PPG and 15.4 RPG while TyTy Washington Jr. has 14.8 PPG with 4.9 RPG this season. Keion Brooks Jr. has 11.7 PPG with 4.6 RPG while Sahvir Wheeler’s got 10.8 PPG with a team-high 8.4 APG to lead the Wildcats in assists and to cap off the group of double-digit scorers for Kentucky this season. Kellan Grady also has 9.3 PPG and Davion Mintz has 7.8 PPG and 4 RPG this season. As a team, Kentucky is averaging 82.6 PPG on 48.4% shooting from the field, 32.7% from three and 74.6% from the foul line while allowing 60.9 PPG on 38.6% shooting from the field and 29.6% from three this season.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will look to snap a three-game losing skid after a 73-57 loss to Boston College in their last game. Dane Goodwin has 14.3 PPG with 5.4 RPG while Blake Wesley has 12.9 PPG and Paul Atkinson Jr.’s chipped in 11.1 PPG to make up the group of double-digit scorers for Notre Dame so far this season. Nate Laszewski has 8.6 PPG with a team-high 9.1 RPG and Prentiss Hubb leads Notre Dame with 3 APG this season. As a team, Notre Dame is averaging 69 PPG on 43.6% shooting from the field, 32% from three and 71.6% from the foul line while allowing 66.7 PPG on 44.3% shooting from the field and 42.6% from three this season.

Kentucky is 8-20-2 ATS in their last 30 games overall and 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 road games while the over is 3-1-1 in their last 5 road games. Notre Dame is 2-12 ATS in their last 14 games overall and 0-5 ATS in their last 5 home games while the over is 5-1 in their last 6 games following a loss.

Normally I can try to make a case for a home dog in certain spots, but this line just feels off. Notre Dame has had no success against the spread this season and this might be one of the least talented Notre Dame teams that Mike Brey has ever had. The Wildcats and their new players are starting to really become cohesive and I think they take it to Notre Dame here in what’s an absolute gift of a line. Give me the Wildcats here.