The 10th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats continue to tune up for the meat of their schedule Monday when they host the Central Michigan Chippewas at Rupp Arena. The Wildcats (5-1) opened with a 79-71 loss to Duke but is in the midst of a seven-game stretch that includes six teams with losing records. The Chippewas (1-4) lost by 53 points to Gonzaga last Monday, and their only win was by one point against Eastern Illinois two weeks ago. Kentucky comes off its worst season in almost 100 years at 9-16. But it has a completely revamped roster that is trying to prepare to face the likes of Ohio State and Louisville in the coming weeks.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET in Lexington, Ky. The Wildcats are the 30-point favorites in the latest Kentucky vs. Central Michigan odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under is set at 146. Before making any Central Michigan vs. Kentucky picks, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $2,100 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Kentucky vs. CMU. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for CMU vs. Kentucky:
- Kentucky vs. Central Michigan spread: Wildcats -30
- Kentucky vs. Central Michigan over-under: 146 points
- CMU: It is 17-15-3 as a road underdog since 2018.
- KY: It is 22-20 ATS in non-conference games since 2018.
Featured Game | Kentucky Wildcats vs. Central Michigan Chippewas
Why Kentucky can cover
Kentucky is 3-3 against the spread this season but just 6-7 ATS in nonconference games since the start of 2020-21. Central Michigan ranks 348th among Division I teams, according to KenPom, and five of the Wildcats’ opponents in this stretch are 300th or higher. The Chippewas are scoring fewer than 64 points per game (303rd in Division I) and allowing more than 84 (346th), while the Wildcats score more than 83 (27th) and give up 61 (55th). The Wildcats have three players averaging more than 13 points, while CMU’s leading scorer averages just 13.6.
The Wildcats are led by freshman guard TyTy Washington and forwards Keion Brooks and Oscar Tshiebwe. The 6-foot-9 Tshiebwe, a West Virginia transfer, has been dominating through the first six games. He leads the nation with 16 rebounds per game and blocks 1.7 shots while scoring 13.2 points. Washington is the leading scorer at 14.8 and chips in five rebounds, while Brooks scores 14.2 and pulls down 5.4 rebounds. UK averages more than 46 rebounds, while the Chippewas get just 29, and it shoots 49.3 percent from the field, compared to CMU’s 39.4.
Why Central Michigan can cover
CMU is 10-13-2 ATS as a road underdog and 21-28-4 in regular-season games since the start of last season. It has lost by more than 10 twice this season, against DePaul and No. 1 Gonzaga. It was demolished by the Zags, but Kentucky might not be that caliber. Both teams are average in 3-point shooting, but CMU hits a higher percentage from outside at 35.4 (121st) while the Wildcats shoot 34.6 (149th). Jermaine Jackson and Harrison Henderson combined for 38 points and hit seven of 13 3-pointers in a 76-69 loss to Bellarmine on Tuesday.
Jackson and Henderson are the top scorers, with Jackson scoring 13.6 per game and adding three assists, while Henderson scores 10.8 and gets five rebounds. Forward Ralph Bissainthe has made an impact in the past two games, pulling down 18 rebounds and getting four steals. New coach Tony Barbee, who spent the past seven seasons as a UK assistant, has some size to work with in 6-11 Miroslav Stafl (9.3 points per game) and 6-10 Caleb Hodgson (4.0).
