Kansas Listed as Rare Home Underdog in Showdown With No. 1 Arizona

The highly anticipated Big Monday showdown between No. 11 Kansas and No. 1 Arizona is just one day away from tipping off. KU is looking to hand the Wildcats their first loss of the season as Allen Fieldhouse gears up for one of the biggest regular-season games in recent history.

On Sunday, sportsbooks began to release betting odds for the upcoming contest. According to opening numbers from DraftKings and FanDuel Sportsbook, the Jayhawks are consensus underdogs despite playing at home.

Kansas vs. Arizona Basketball Betting (Feb. 9)

Spread: +2.5 Kansas, -2.5 Arizona
Over/Under: 153.5 points
Moneyline: Kansas +112, Arizona -134

The betting odds slightly favor Arizona a little more than 24 hours ahead of the contest. DraftKings opened with the Jayhawks as 2.5-point underdogs, while FanDuel has already moved the line down to 1.5 points.

Regardless, the difference is negligible. Fans can currently take KU outright on the moneyline at +112 odds, with Arizona sitting at -134. The over-under suggests a predicted final score in the range of 78-76.

Bill Self and Kansas' History as a Home Underdog

Allen Fieldhouse is widely considered one of the toughest environments in college basketball, yet this marks the third time this season that KU has been a home underdog.

The Jayhawks first opened as 1.5-point underdogs to UConn in December, a game they lost by five points without star freshman Darryn Peterson. They were then listed as 3.5-point underdogs against a previously undefeated Iowa State squad last month, a matchup Kansas dominated by 21 points.

Prior to this season, Self had only been a home underdog in AFH twice this decade. The first came in 2021 against No. 2-ranked Baylor, followed by a matchup against Houston in February 2024. Unsurprisingly, KU won both of those games by double digits.

Kansas Jayhawks forward Bryson Tiller (15) reacts after scoring against BYU Cougars during the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 31, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That means Self is now 3-1 as a home underdog in Allen Fieldhouse over the past five years, and this marks just the fifth time ever that one of his KU teams was not favored in Lawrence. For nearly two decades from 2003 to 2020, the Jayhawks were betting favorites every game at home, an unbelievable accomplishment in itself.

If there were ever a team capable of beating the Jayhawks in Lawrence, though, it would be this Arizona squad. The Wildcats sit at 23-0 and have steamrolled nearly every opponent in their path.

It remains to be seen who will come out victorious, but history is going to have to budge one way or the other. Self is 38-0 on Big Monday games in Allen Fieldhouse, yet the school has never defeated an AP No. 1 team at home, meaning one of those records will be broken tomorrow.

Odds courtesy of DraftKings and FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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