#4 Kansas vs. Kansas State Prediction, Picks & Betting Odds Today, 2/5
Tonight, at 9 PM ET on ESPN, we get the hardwood iteration of the Sunflower Showdown between the University of Kansas and Kansas State University. The first of two meetings in this rivalry takes place in Manhattan, Kansas at Bramlage Coliseum, making K-State the home team. Last year, before a magical March run with first-year head coach Jerome Tang, Kansas State took this game at home by a score of 83-82, in overtime.
Heading into tonight, Kansas is 18-4 and coming off a big win on Saturday over then #4 Houston. Meanwhile, Kansas State is 14-8 and riding a four-game losing streak. The latest loss came at the hands of a struggling Oklahoma State squad Saturday in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Now that the stage is set for the 297th meeting between these two college basketball teams (KU leads 201-95), it’s time to deliver our official Kansas vs. Kansas State prediction with thoughtful analysis. Our betting perspective is complete with a pick on the Kansas vs. Kansas State spread, and the Kansas vs. Kansas State odds are courtesy of one of the best CBB betting sites - DraftKings Sportsbook.
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KANSAS VS. KANSAS STATE PREDICTION: Kansas -4.5 (-105) & Under 145 Total Points (-110 at DraftKings)
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Kansas vs. Kansas State Prediction for Today's College Basketball Game on ESPN
The parity this year in college basketball might be at an all-time high, as AP Top-10 teams have been dropping like flies to unranked opponents on the road. In fact, AP Top-10 squads are just 25-29, which creates a historically low winning percentage in such situations this year. Whether this is a consequence of NIL, the NBA G-League nabbing top talent, the transfer portal, some combination of these elements or a lot of other factors, one thing we do know about the sport this year is that there are no days off.
In the case of tonight’s Big Monday rivalry nightcap, we not only have the threat of a top-ranked team losing for the 30th time on the road to an unranked team, but a case where Kansas could contribute their third loss in this category. And, college basketball rivalries always threaten to be closer than the matchup indicates.
There is reason to worry Kansas could drop tonight’s game in Manhattan, but February marks Bill Self’s time to own the Big 12, so our Kansas vs. Kansas State prediction sees Kansas using Saturday’s big win as a springboard to win in a tough environment, extending K-State’s losing streak to five.
Kansas vs. Kansas State Picks & Best Bets Featuring Kansas -4.5 (-105 at DraftKings)
Beyond the bad juju that surrounds the outset of tonight’s matchup, the media has harped on the concern for Kansas’ depth, especially on a quick turnaround. On Saturday, all five Kansas starters played 33+ minutes, while no bench player reached 10 minutes. Per KenPom, on the season, Kansas ranks 345/362 teams in bench minutes. How will short rest affect these Jayhawk stars in a tough environment tonight? While we can’t quite answer that question, we do know Kansas State doesn’t get much help from depth in their own right, as the Wildcats rank 318th in bench minutes, and they also had to play on Saturday.
In a game in which both teams are proficient on the defensive end of the floor, lack depth, are on one day of rest, and where Kansas has been worse on the road and K-State is offensively challenged, we like Under 145 Total Points (-110 at DraftKings) as the first of our Kansas vs. Kansas State picks.
On Saturday, we saw Kansas pick apart an elite Houston defense with quick-hitters in transition, elite ball movement and constant player movement without the ball. There is a fluidity to Bill Self’s offense, led by point guard Dajuan Harris, that trumps even the best defenses, and K-State plays a similar style of basketball to Houston, but they are not as good at it.
From a talent standpoint, Kansas has a distinct advantage, with all five starters in sync, bringing different skill sets and strengths to the table. Last year, Tang and K-State leaned on the wonderful two-man duo of Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson. He doesn’t have either of those guys this year, and while he’s tried to recreate the tandem with Tylor Perry and Arthur Kaluma, it hasn’t worked to the same effect.
Before Saturday's three-point loss to Oklahoma State, K-State had lost three in a row by double digits to ranked Big 12 teams, including once at home by 20 points to Oklahoma. Kansas has a chance to wind up atop the Big 12 once again, and handling K-State in their building has to be part of that recipe. Road struggles aside, trust in Bill Self and the savvy of his veterans to overmatch the Wildcats and win comfortably enough to cover -4.5 (-105 at DraftKings).
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Kansas vs. Kansas State Betting Odds, Lines & Spreads at DraftKings
Presented below are the official Kansas vs. Kansas State odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. A $105 bet on our Kansas vs. Kansas State prediction concerning the Kansas vs. Kansas State spread earns $100 if the Jayhawks win by five points or more.
- Point Spread: Kansas -4.5 (-105) vs. Kansas State -4.5 (-115)
- Money Line: Kansas (-198) vs. Kansas State (+164)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 145 (-110) / Under 145 (-110)
If a bet on the game total side of our Kansas vs. Kansas State prediction is more your speed, a $110 bet on Under 145 Total Points (-110 at DraftKings) profits $100 if the two teams combine for 144 points or fewer.
Probable Lineups for Kansas vs. Kansas State Today, 2/5
Below, we’ve listed the projected starting lineups for both squads in this epic matchup:
Kansas:
- Dajuan Harris Jr.
- Kevin McCullar Jr.
- Johnny Furphy
- K.J. Adams
- Hunter Dickinson
Kansas State:
- Tylor Perry
- Dae Dae Ames
- Cam Carter
- Arthur Kaluma
- Jerrell Colbert
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