- The #4 Kentucky Wildcats put their perfect 7-0 record on the line at Clemson (7-1) on Tuesday night
- The Tigers are a perfect 5-0 at home while the UK hasn’t played a true road game yet this season
- See the Kentucky vs Clemson odds, player props, and predictions for Dec. 3
The Mark Pope era is off to a strong start for the Kentucky Wildcats (7-0, 0-0 away, 4-3 ATS), who are 7-0 including a neutral-court win over Duke. But the new-look Wildcats will get their first taste of a hostile road environment on Tuesday when they visit the Clemson Tigers (7-1, 5-0 home, 4-4 ATS) at Littlejohn Coliseum at 9:30 pm ET.
Kentucky vs Clemson Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Wildcats | -1.5 (-115) | -135 | O 155.5 (-115) |
| Clemson Tigers | +1.5 (-105) | +115 | U 155.5 (-105) |
Kentucky is a slight 1.5-point road favorites in Tuesday’s college basketball odds and -135 on the moneyline. Clemson comes back as a +115 home underdog while the game total is sitting at 155.5.
Odds as of Dec. 3 at ESPN Bet. Claim the ESPN Bet promo code to wager on Tuesday’s college basketball games.
Clemson is 4-4 O/U this season, averaging 142.5 PPG. Kentucky, though, is 5-2 O/U and averaging 164.8 PPG.
The Wildcats lost every meaningful contributor from last year’s team, which went 23-8 in the regular season before bowing out in their first game of the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament (as a #3 seed). Some departed for the NBA and more followed John Calipari to Arkansas. Former BYU boss Mark Pope hit the transfer portal hard, landing four of the top-60 available transfers, which included bringing standout sixth-man Jaxson Robinson (14.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG) from BYU.
The results have been outstanding so far. Seven different Wildcats are scoring in double-figures seven games into the season, led by , and they already own a 77-72 neutral-court win over Duke as 5.5-point underdogs. Though Duke is the only top-100 team they’ve played. Their other six victories have all been by 19 or more points, however.
Expectations are fairly high in Clemson. Coming off an Elite Eight berth and returning the likes of Chase Hunter and Ian Schieffelin, the Tigers were picked to finish fourth in the ACC preseason coaches poll, ahead of Virginia, Pitt, Miami, and NC State.
Brad Brownell’s group hasn’t disappointed in the early going, running up a 7-1 record, winning all five of their games at home. The only blemish is an 84-71 road loss at Boise State as 3.5-point underdogs.
UK vs CLEM Player Props
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Hunter (CLEM) | 19.5 (Ov +125 | Un -180) | 3.5 (Ov -100 | Un -140) | OFF |
| Otega Oweh (UK) | 16.5 (Ov +110 | Un -160) | 3.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | OFF |
| Ian Schieffelin (CLEM) | 14.5 (Ov +105 | Un -150) | 11.5 (Ov -135 | Un -105) | OFF |
| Viktor Lakhin (CLEM) | 12.5 (Ov +110 | Un -160) | 5.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | OFF |
| Lamont Butler (UK) | 12.5 (Ov +115| Un -165) | 3.5 (Ov -125 | Un -115) | OFF |
| Andrew Carr (UK) | 11.5 (Ov +115 | Un -165) | 5.5 (Ov -185 | Un +130) | OFF |
Player props from ESPN Bet on Dec. 3.
Clemson’s Chase Hunter (16.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.4 APG) has the highest point total of the night at 19.5 while Otega Oweh (15.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.4 APG) leads the Wildcats at 16.5.
Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin (12.5 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 3.6 APG) has the highest rebound total at 11.5. No one else on the board is over 5.5.
Kentucky vs Clemson Predictions
Mark Pope has done a phenomenal job of turning a barren roster obliterated by transfers into a semblance of a national-championship contender. And it’s stunning how quickly the Wildcats seem to have built chemistry with a group of guys who’ve never played together.
But Clemson is very good team returning many of the key pieces from a group that went 24-12 last year, earned a #6 seed in the tourney, and made it all the way to the Elite Eight. The Tigers’ only loss this season was a true road game at Boise State and all five of their home wins have come by 13 or more points. They beat two reasonably good teams at the Sunshine Slam in Dayton (70-55 vs San Francisco, 75-67 vs Penn State) and are good value as a home underdog against Pope’s newly assembled Wildcats.
- UK vs CLEM Pick: Clemson moneyline (+115)
Sascha Paruk’s 2024-25 NCAAM betting record: 7-5 (+1.52 units). All wagers one unit unless expressly stated otherwise.
The highly anticipated matchup between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Clemson Tigers is set to take place on December 3rd, and fans are eagerly awaiting the outcome of this exciting game. Both teams have had strong starts to the season, with Kentucky boasting a 6-1 record and Clemson sitting at 5-2.
In terms of odds, Kentucky is currently favored to win the game, with sportsbooks giving them a slight edge over Clemson. However, the Tigers have proven themselves to be a formidable opponent, and they will no doubt be looking to pull off an upset in this matchup.
When it comes to player props, there are several key players to keep an eye on in this game. For Kentucky, guard TyTy Washington has been a standout performer so far this season, averaging 15.6 points per game. He will be a key player for the Wildcats in this matchup, and fans can expect him to put up some big numbers on the court.
On the Clemson side, guard Al-Amir Dawes has been a key player for the Tigers, averaging 13.4 points per game. He will be crucial to Clemson’s success in this game, and fans can expect him to make a significant impact on the outcome of the matchup.
As for predictions, this game is shaping up to be a close one, with both teams evenly matched in terms of talent and skill. While Kentucky may have the slight edge in odds, Clemson has shown that they are capable of pulling off upsets and should not be underestimated.
Ultimately, this game has all the makings of a thrilling matchup between two talented teams, and fans can expect an exciting and competitive game when Kentucky takes on Clemson on December 3rd. Be sure to tune in to see which team comes out on top in this highly anticipated showdown.
