The Valparaiso Beacons take on the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington, KY. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.
Kentucky is favored by -34.5 points on the spread, and the total is set at 155.5 points.
Here’s my Valparaiso vs. Kentucky predictions and college basketball picks for November 7, 2025.
Valparaiso vs Kentucky Prediction
My Pick: Kentucky -32.5 (Play to -35)
My Valparaiso vs Kentucky best bet is on the Wildcats spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Valparaiso vs. Kentucky Odds
| Valparaiso Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+34.5 -110 | 155.5 -110 / -110 | OFF |
| Kentucky Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-34.5 -110 | 155.5 -110 / -110 | OFF |
- Valparaiso vs Kentucky spread: Kentucky -34.5
- Valparaiso vs Kentucky over/under: 155.5 points
Valparaiso vs Kentucky College Basketball Betting Preview
Valparaiso Basketball
Valparaiso won its season-opening game versus Eastern Illinois, 66-63. It wasn't the prettiest showing, as the Crusaders posted 0.94 PPP, while shooting 7-for-31 from deep and 21-for-35 from the foul line.
I'm just not sure where the scoring comes from for Valpo. In the portal era, it's nothing new to have to completely rebuild year-to-year. But you have to feel for Roger Powell. He lost All Wright to Xavier and Cooper Schwieger to Wake Forest.
He replaced Wright with Mark Brown Jr., a JUCO guard who averaged 13 points per game last year, and Isaiah Barnes, who averaged nine points per game at Tulsa.
The Crusaders have a pair of enticing youngsters. JT Pettigrew scored 13 points in his debut, and Rakim Chaney, a freshman guard, scored 12 points.
They also have more size than you'd think, too. Four of Valpo's starters are 6-foot-7 or taller, but that'll look minuscule compared to Kentucky, which has a handful of players who are taller than 6-foot-10 at its disposal.
Kentucky Basketball
Kentucky began its season with a 77-51 win over Nicholls State. The short-handed Wildcats failed to cover the 31.5-point spread, but they didn't have starting point guard Jaland Lowe.
They'll have Lowe to make his season debut against Valpo. Lowe likely steps into an immediate starting role and will form a nice duo with SEC Player of the Year contender, Otega Oweh.
Lowe was a bit erratic at Pittsburgh, but he should thrive in Mark Pope's offense-friendly system. He averaged 16.8 points and 5.5 assists a night, but he shot just 26% from 3 and turned it over too much. The issue is Lowe was the clear top option at Pittsburgh. The good news is he's a secondary one in Lexington.
We know a Pope-coached team will score. That's what all his teams have done, whether it be at Utah Valley, BYU or Kentucky.
On the flip side, Pope has never coached a top-25 defense in the sport. That'll change this year with newcomers like Mouhamed Dioubate and guard Denzel Aberdeen bringing some defensive ability.
The Wildcats held Nicholls State to 0.73 PPP. And while Nicholls State isn't an offensive world beater, neither is Valpo.
Kentucky scored 1.10 PPP, despite shooting just 7-for-27 from downtown. The Wildcats figure to be a much better shooting squad than one that shoots 26%, so I'd expect them to score more and for the perimeter shots to fall more.
Valparaiso vs. Kentucky Betting Analysis
This feels like the type of game where an elite team like Kentucky puts its foot on the gas and dominates. The Wildcats' quick tempo and strong shooting ability could put this game out of reach pretty quickly.
The mixture of Kentucky's much improved defense and equally elite offense make it the perfect team to dominate a lesser mid-major foe.
My Pick: Kentucky -32.5 (Play to -35)
