A key matchup in the Big 12 is on tap for Tuesday night as the No. 7 Kansas State Wildcats travel to face the No. 8 Kansas Jayhawks. Both teams are coming off wins over the weekend in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge and need a victory to keep pace with the first-place Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 college basketball standings. Continue reading below to get our best Kansas State vs Kansas Prediction Betting Picks and much more.
The Wildcats are in second place in the conference, a half-game behind the Longhorns, while the Jayhawks are tied with TCU for fourth place, just 1½ games off the pace. Let’s take a closer look at the NCAAB odds for this contest and determine our Kansas State vs. Kansas prediction.
Kansas State Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks Odds
This is one of the most anticipated games of the day on the NCAAB schedule, with both teams ranked in the nation’s top eight and the overtime classic that happened in their first meeting of the season. Despite the Wildcats’ win in the first game, Kansas is favored by seven points at home in this one. Betting against the spread gives you -110 odds on each side of the wager.
Playing the moneyline gives you -300 odds on the favored Jayhawks and +250 odds on the Wildcats. The over/under for probably the best of all of the NCAA basketball games today is set at 146½ points, with -110 odds on both sides of that bet.
Kansas State Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks Information
Kansas State Wildcats vs Kansas Jayhawks
Location of the game: Allen Fieldhouse. Lawrence, KS.
Date: Tuesday, January 31. 8:00 PM ET.
How to watch: Big 12 | ESPN+
Kansas State Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks Analysis
Kansas State Wildcats Performance Recap and Analysis
The Kansas State Wildcats schedule has not been easy of late, but the Wildcats have been getting through it fairly well. They did fall to Iowa State on the road in their last Big 12 outing on Jan. 24, but the team has emerged as one of the top March Madness bets thanks to its play this season.
Senior forward Keyontae Johnson has been outstanding for the Wildcats this season, his first since transferring from Florida. Johnson had a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds in a win against his former team over the weekend, and he’s averaging 18.0 points and 7.7 rebounds heading into Tuesday’s contest.
Another senior, guard Markquis Nowell, has also been fantastic for coach Jerome Tang. Nowell is second in the country with 8.2 assists per game while also scoring 16.9 points per contest. He struggled with his scoring against Kansas in the first meeting of the season, finishing with just four points, but he did contribute four rebounds, seven assists, and four steals in the Wildcats’ win.
Kansas State Wildcats Key Injuries
The college basketball injury report for the Wildcats is not very newsworthy, as the only entries are players that were ruled out for the season back in November. Kansas State’s regular rotation is healthy heading into Tuesday’s showdown.
Kansas State Wildcats Betting Trends to Know
Here are some trends to think about when making a Kansas State vs. Kansas prediction:
- Kansas State is 4-0 against the spread over its last four games, which includes its win over Kansas.
- The Wildcats are 10-1 against the spread in their last 11 games against a team with a winning record.
- The over is 6-1 in Kansas State’s last seven games played on a Tuesday.
Kansas Jayhawks Performance Recap and Analysis
The Kansas Jayhawks have been one of the most successful NCAA basketball teams in the country for years, including last season’s national championship, so a three-game losing streak was surprising to see. Kansas snapped that streak with a road win over Kentucky on Saturday, but the focus immediately turned to the Kansas Jayhawks next game against their in-state rival.
One of the best college basketball players in the country this season has been Kansas junior forward Jalen Wilson, who is averaging 21.4 points and 8.6 rebounds. Wilson had an amazing performance in the first meeting of these teams, going for 38 points and nine rebounds in a losing effort.
Freshman guard Gradey Dick has been solid for the Jayhawks, averaging 14.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in his first collegiate season. Dick fouled out against the Wildcats in the first matchup but had 16 points, seven rebounds, and four steals in the loss.
Kansas Jayhawks Key Injuries
Kansas has a ton of talent, but it has a couple of other talented players waiting in the wings trying to get back from lingering injuries. The Jayhawks did get freshman wing MJ Rice back into uniform recently after he missed four games in January with back spasms.
The Jayhawks are hoping to get senior forward Cam Martin back soon from a shoulder injury. He’s been practicing but isn’t quite ready to get suited up for a game just yet.
Kansas Jayhawks Betting Trends to Know
When making your college basketball picks, here are some betting trends for the Jayhawks to consider:
- Kansas is 0-5 against the spread in its last five home games.
- The Jayhawks are 1-5 against the spread in their last six games against a team with a winning record.
- The over has gone 5-1 in Kansas’ last six games against an opponent with a winning record.
Kansas State Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks Betting Picks
Moneyline: Kansas is too good of a team at home to lose this one straight up. The Jayhawks are 10-1 at home this season and usually come up with big efforts against top opponents at Allen Fieldhouse.
Spread: The Kansas State vs Kansas prediction for the point spread has the Wildcats keeping this one closer than seven points. The Wildcats have not wilted against top competition this season and usually save their best efforts for the Jayhawks.
Over/Under Total: While both teams can turn up the defense, they also both have very potent offenses, so we make our college basketball picks; we’re taking the over in this one. Considering they scored a combined 165 points in the first matchup, the Wildcats and Jayhawks should be cooking again in this game.
Kansas State Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks Score Predictions
Kansas 81, Kansas State 75
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