The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (2-0) and the No. 16 Kentucky Wildcats (2-0) square off in the 2023 Champions Classic on Tuesday. These teams met during the 2022-23 campaign, with Kansas pulling out a 77-68 win over the Wildcats. Both teams fell in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament with Arkansas bouncing Kansas and Kansas State taking out Kentucky.
Tipoff from United Center in Chicago is set for 9:30 p.m. ET. Kentucky leads the all-time series 24-11. The Jayhawks are 7-point favorites in the latest Kansas vs. Kentucky odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 147.5. Before making any Kentucky vs. Kansas picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 2 of the 2023-24 season on an 87-56 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. Anyone who followed it saw huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Kentucky vs. Kansas and revealed its CBB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Kansas vs. Kentucky:
- Kansas vs. Kentucky spread: Jayhawks -6.5
- Kansas vs. Kentucky over/under: 147.5 points
- Kansas vs. Kentucky money line: Jayhawks -317, Wildcats +248
- KU: Kansas has hit the 1H ML in 25 of last 34 games
- UK: Kentucky has hit the game total Over in 20 of last 34 games
- Kansas vs. Kentucky picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Kansas can cover
Senior guard Kevin McCullar Jr. is a high-energy defender with long arms. McCullar Jr. does an exceptional job moving off-ball and cutting to the rim. The Texas native can also space the floor with his jumper. He is averaging 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. In the season opener against North Carolina Central, he notched 22 points, six rebounds, five assists and made four 3-pointers.
Senior forward Parker Braun has good size and length in the frontcourt. Braun is an active rim protector and generates high-percentage looks in the lane. The Kansas native averages 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks per game. In his last contest, Braun tallied 10 points, five boards and two blocks. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why Kentucky can cover
Senior guard Antonio Reeves is an agile and smooth scorer from all three levels. Reeves can get into the lane to pair with his reliable jumper on the perimeter. The Illinois native leads the team in scoring (16) with four rebounds and shoots 50% from downtown. In his last outing, Reeves racked up 21 points and six boards.
Senior forward Tre Mitchell owns a nice touch around the rim with the ability to space the floor. The Pennsylvania native is first on the team in rebounds (8.5) with 13.5 points per game. Additionally, he's been shooting 57% from the field. On Nov. 10 versus Texas A&M-Commerce, Mitchell logged 18 points, eight rebounds and three steals. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Kentucky vs. Kansas picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 148 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits over 60% of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Kansas vs. Kentucky, and which side of the spread hits over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on an 87-56 roll on top-ranked college basketball picks, and find out.
