The North Carolina Central Eagles take on the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington, Kentucky. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. EST on SEC Network.
Kentucky is favored by 46.5 points on the spread. The total is set at 147.5 points.
Here’s my NC Central vs. Kentucky predictions and college basketball picks for December 9, 2025.
NC Central vs Kentucky Prediction
My Pick: Under 144.5 or Better
My NC Central vs Kentucky best bet is on the Under. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
NC Central vs. Kentucky Odds
| NC Central Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+46.5 -112 | 147.5 -112o / -108u | |
| Kentucky Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-46.5 -108 | 147.5 -112o / -108u | |
- NC Central vs Kentucky spread: Kentucky -46.5
- NC Central vs Kentucky over/under: 147.5
- NC Central vs Kentucky best bet: Under 144.5 or Better
NC Central vs Kentucky College Basketball Pick, Preview
Mark Pope looks like a broken man. Specifically, his offense seems broken.
This looks nothing like the Kentucky or BYU offenses of the past seven years. There’s very little pop off the bounce — hopefully, the team can eventually get Jaland Lowe back — and there’s a severe lack of shooting and spacing, often featuring lineups with multiple low-volume and/or poor shooters.
There’s a reason why the Wildcats are shooting 32% from deep this year after hovering around 38% for most of last season.
After dropping 64 against North Carolina and 59 against Gonzaga, this is a potential bounce-back spot for the Kentucky offense against a bottom-feeder. After all, the Wildcats scored triple-digits against Valpo and Tennessee Tech.
But while I have worries about the Kentucky offense, the Wildcats' defense has looked solid. They should shut down an NC Central offense that ranks dead last in 2-point shooting (35%). Six of the Eagles’ eight games have stayed Under the closing total, likely because they combine a horrific offense with some decent defensive athleticism in the frontcourt.
Of importance to this handicap: the Eagles love to run, but Kentucky’s transition defense has been borderline-elite in the early season (.88 PPP allowed, 92nd percentile).
Ultimately, I only project 141.3 points for this matchup, so I show value in the Under at 144.5 or better.
Check out all of McGrath's CBB projections for Tuesday here:
My Pick: Under 144.5 or Better
