The Kentucky Wildcats come into the 2024 NCAA Tournament with one of the best and deepest groups of scorers in the nation.

Yet their defense is weak, which could keep them from being serious national title contenders. They will face a good Oakland team that won the Horizon League Tournament to get to their first NCAA Tournament in 10 years.

The Golden Grizzlies went 21-13 against the spread and finished the season by winning 11 of their final 13 games.

Oakland does have a few injury concerns with their role players that will hurt their depth.

The Wildcats went 18-14 against the spread this season and are hot, winning eight of their final 10 contests.

Tip-off for this No. 3 vs. No. 14 matchup in the South region is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. on CBS.

Here’s everything you need to know about betting on Oakland vs. Kentucky in their 2024 March Madness first-round matchup, including updated odds, trends, and our prediction.

Kentucky is a double-digit favorite over the Golden Grizzlies, and the total in the 160s is one the largest in the first round. If Oakland can pull off an upset they do hold substantial moneyline value.

Antonio Reeves is Kentucky’s leading scorer, averaging 20 PPG and ranking in the top 50 for scoring in the entire country.

He has been very consistent, too, scoring 20+ points in seven of his last eight games.

The senior is also an efficient scorer, shooting 50.8% from the field and 44.1% from three.

Rob Dillingham, a freshman guard, has improved throughout the season and is second in scoring with 15.4 PPG. He shoots 48.2% from the field and 44.9% from three.

Dillingham has takeover ability and has scored 20+ points in two of the last three games.

Reed Sheppard, the third guard in the three-headed monster backcourt for the Wildcats, averages 12.8 PPG and is beyond lethal from three, shooting 52.5% from beyond the arc.

He has been heating up at the end of the season, scoring 27 and 32 points in two of his last five games.