BYU vs. Kansas Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for Saturday, Jan. 31

The Kansas Jayhawks are riding a three-game win streak, including an ultra-impressive 21-point victory against the Iowa State Cyclones. All of a sudden, Kansas is a top contender in the Big 12. They can further establish their status as such on Saturday when they host the BYU Cougars.

BYU has dropped two of its past three games to the likes of Texas Tech and Arizona. A win against Kansas would go a long way in re-establishing the Cougars as a top team in the conference.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for this fascinating Big 12 showdown on Saturday.

BYU vs. Kansas Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

BYU +3.5 (-102)
Kansas -3.5 (-120)

Moneyline

BYU +164
Kansas -200

Total

OVER 159.5 (-110)
UNDER 159.5 (-110)

BYU vs. Kansas How to Watch

Date: Saturday, January 31
Game Time: 4:30 pm ET
Venue: Allen Fieldhouse
How to Watch (TV): ESPN
BYU Record: 17-3 (5-2 in Big 12)
Kansas Record: 15-5 (5-2 in Big 12)

BYU vs. Kansas Betting Trends

BYU is 0-5 ATS in its last five games
The OVER is 6-3 in BYU's last nine games
Kansas is 4-1 ATS in its last five games
Kansas has won five straight home games
The UNDER is 11-3 the last 14 games Kansas has been the favorite

BYU vs. Kansas Key Player to Watch

AJ Dybantsa, F - BYU Cougars

There's no question that AJ Dybantsa is truly one of the few elite players in college basketball, but he needs to show up in big moments if BYU wants to be a true contender. He shot just 35.3% from the field against Texas Tech and then 25% from the field, going just 6-of-24, against Arizona in his latest start. If he can't find a way to score against the top teams college basketball has to offer, the Cougars have no chance of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

BYU vs. Kansas Prediction and Pick

The home and away splits are significant in this game and could end up being the difference maker. Overall, the numbers for both teams seem relatively similar, but things are vastly different when you dive into how they perform at home compared to on the road.

BYU's effective field goal percentage drops 5.9% when playing on the road compared to at home, while the Jayhawks' effective field goal percentage improves 6.1% when playing at home. BYU's average scoring margin also drops 15.4 points, and the Jayhawks' improves by 17.2 points.

With that in mind, I'll lay the points with Kansas in this spot.

Pick: Kansas -3.5 (-120) via FanDuel

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!