St. Peter's vs. Kentucky: NCAA Tournament odds, final score predictions from ESPN, KenPom

The St. Peter’s Peacocks (19-11) take on the Kentucky Wildcats (26-7) in the 1st Round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Here’s how to watch, odds, ESPN BPI predictions and KenPom game predictions as well for both teams ahead of Thursday’s 1st Round clash.

How to watch St. Peter’s vs. Kentucky

Time: 7:10 PM ET

Channel: CBS

Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse — Indianapolis, Indiana

Odds

Kentucky is a 17.5-point favorite over St. Peter’s on Thursday, according to Vegas Insider.

Money line: Kentucky -3333, St. Peter’s +1280

Spread: Kentucky -17.5, -110, St. Peter’s +17.5, –110

Total: Over/Under 132, -110

Check out the rest of Vegas’ odds for Thursday’s slate here.

ESPN BPI Predictions 

Matchup quality: 71.9%

Win probability: Kentucky, 95.1%

Predicted point differential: 18.8

The College Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of performance going forward. BPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Strength of Record (SOR) is a measure of team accomplishment based on how difficult a team’s W-L record is to achieve. 

Game predictions account for opponent strength, pace of play, site, travel distance, day’s rest and altitude, and are used to simulate the season 10,000 times to produce season projections. Numbers update daily,’ per ESPN.

For the rest of ESPN’s BPI predictions, click here.

KenPom Predictions

Score prediction: Kentucky 74, St. Peter’s 59

Win probability: Kentucky, 91%

Check out the rest of KenPom’s predictions for St. Peter’s vs. Kentucky and the entirety of college basketball here.

Oscar Tshiebwe, Sahvir Wheeler reveal Kentucky’s biggest challenge entering NCAA Tournament

Moreover, Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe and Sahvir Wheeler have been waiting all season long for this moment. The pair of Kentucky basketball stars are set to lead the two-seeded Wildcats into the NCAA Tournament on Thursday in a first round matchup against St. Peter’s.

Despite their team’s high seed, Tshiebwe and Wheeler both know nothing comes easy in March Madness. Their season could easily end at the hands of a 15 seed in the round of 64. In a Wednesday press conference, both players discussed the biggest challenge of playing in the NCAA Tournament.

“I think the biggest challenge obviously is getting past the first game,” Wheeler said. “As coach Cal says, the first game is the hardest. And then from then on, it’s quick turnarounds. Each weekend, if you win the next game, you get a day break, and there is another game after that. So being quick minded, knowing that it’s the next play, next possession, but also standing together. At the end of the day, all these teams are really good. Basketball is a game of runs, so being able to sustain everyone’s run, take that and counter it with our own run and stay together.”

Tshiebwe agreed, saying Kentucky can find success by simply focusing on the matchup in front of them.

“The biggest would be working — we know this team is going to come out and try and do a lot of different things, but coach has been preparing us to be ready,” Tshiebwe said. “We are going to move well, and we’re ready to go. Our defense is pretty good, and we are excited. I can’t wait to play tomorrow.”