Nicholls State vs. #9 Kentucky: Season Opener Insights

College basketball is officially back, and there’s no better way to kick things off than under the lights at Rupp Arena. The No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats make their season debut tonight, hosting Nicholls State in what should be a track meet from start to finish. This isn’t just another early non-conference cupcake, it’s our first real look at Mark Pope’s new era in Lexington. The Wildcats have the talent, tempo, and offensive juice to overwhelm teams in a hurry, and tonight’s matchup gives them the perfect runway to show it. Buckle up, the Cats might be ready to send a message early.

Let’s dive into my favorite play from the college hardwood!

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Nicholls State vs. #9 Kentucky Odds

Does Nicholls State have any shot at covering the 31.5 points?

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on College Basketball games.

Spread

Nicholls: +31.5 (-103)

Kentucky: -31.5 (-117)

Total

Over: 156.5 (-112)

Under: 156.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Nicholls: N/A

Kansas: N/A

Nicholls State vs. #9 KentuckyBest Bet

Easily my favorite look on the college slate tonight, No. 9 Kentucky hosting Nicholls State. The Wildcats open up at Rupp Arena, a place that’s always hell for any road team. Kentucky enters as 31.5-point favorites, and the question is: is that spread too low?

Personally, I think early in the season, backing elite teams to cover massive numbers is the move. Just look at Kansas last night, they blew the doors off Green Bay and cruised past a 30+ point spread. Do books really know how to price these early lines against bottom-100 teams? I lean no.

Still, don’t be discouraged if one of these top-tier teams fails to cover, these early games are about getting into rhythm and finding chemistry at full game speed.

Tempo Tempo Tempo

I was tempted to grab Kentucky -30.5, but with that number ballooning, I found a look I love even more: Kentucky team total over 92.5 (-115). This is a much better sweat tonight, especially when you consider how Mark Pope’s crew will be flying up and down the court, think Ludicrous speed. Nicholls State actually plays right into that tempo; per Haslametrics, they rank 89th in pace of play, while Kentucky sits at 23rd. Both KenPom and Bart Torvik have these two teams inside the top 160 nationally in tempo, with Kentucky still comfortably within the top 65.

This is a clear ladder spot for the team total. I grabbed 101.5 at +350. I skipped the in-between numbers because I think this Kentucky team can easily crack triple digits. If you want to be safe and ladder from 93.5 and up, go for it. The value is there, but I think the Wildcats easily score 100 and I am rooting for more.

It’s worth noting that Kentucky’s already battle-tested, they faced No. 1 Purdue in an exhibition and handled them 78-65, and that’s against one of the slowest-paced teams in the country. Sure, they fell to Georgetown after that, but those matchups should have Pope’s boys ready to roll when the lights come on at Rupp tonight.

How about that 😼 pic.twitter.com/uwF79cKH0l

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) October 24, 2025

All things considered, this feels like the perfect statement spot for Kentucky to open the season. Mark Pope’s system, all tempo, spacing, and offensive freedom, is built to bury teams like Nicholls early in the year. The Colonels want to run too, but the talent gap here is massive and should show itself right away. If Kentucky plays at the same pace we saw against Purdue, that team total will be a breeze. Expect fireworks at Rupp tonight, a fast, free-flowing, high-scoring debut that gives us our first real look at what Pope’s offense can be this season.

Points!!