March Madness odds on Kentucky have them favored in their first round NCAA Tourney game against East Tennessee State. Kentucky plays in a tough region in the East but they are still one of the overall March Madness betting favorites to win it all.
March Madness odds for Thursday have Kentucky laying 20 points to East Tennessee State. The Wildcats have a very young but very talented team led by John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins. Kentucky also has Eric Bledsoe and Patrick Patterson who can score. Kentucky has been finding ways to win all season and they are expected to beat East Tennessee State in March Madness betting.
East Tennessee State was able to win the Atlantic Sun tournament even though they did not have a great season. During the regular season the Buccaneers lost to Louisville and Tennessee but neither game was an extreme blowout. East Tennessee State is led by Tommy Hubbard who averages 14 points and eight rebounds per game. East Tennessee State is coached by Murray Bartow and that may be the best thing they have going for them. East Tennessee State was able to play with Pittsburgh in last year’s NCAA Tournament but this year’s team is not as good. They did win their last six games though. “We obviously expected to face one of the top four or five teams in the country, and Kentucky certainly fits that description,” said Bartow. “They have two of the best big men around (in DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson), and arguably the best player in the country in John Wall. To say we will have our work cut out for us would be an understatement, but we are going to scrap and compete. It’s a special opportunity anytime you play in the NCAA Tournament.”
If East Tennessee State is to cover against Kentucky in March Madness odds it will be defense that does nit. They limited opponents to 66.5 points per game and 41.5 percent shooting from the field this season. East Tennessee State at least has some experience and that means they are dangerous. They don’t have Kentucky’s talent though and unless the Wildcats suffer stage fright this game should not be close. In 1989 East Tennessee State almost beat a #1 seed but lost by a single point to Oklahoma. They have won a game in the tourney though as they beat Arizona in 1992.