Kentucky vs. Kansas Pick
Tuesday’s college basketball slate closes out with another top-10 matchup when No. 4 Kansas faces No. 7 Kentucky at 9:30PM ET.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Kansas is favored in today’s game, as the Jayhawks are getting odds of -4.5 points against Kentucky. The over/under total for the contest has been set at 155 points. Tonight’s game takes place from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois as part of the State Farm Champions Classic. The contest will air live on ESPN.
Kentucky is off to a 2-0 start with a 73-69 win over Vermont and a 73-63 win over Utah Valley. The Wildcats have failed to cover in both games, as they were double-digit favorites in both cases. Hamidou Diallo is averaging 17 points per game to lead the team thus far while Kevin Knox is putting up 11.5 points and 7 rebounds per contest. Kentucky was 19-17-2 against the spread this season.
Kansas opened the season with a 92-56 win over Tennessee State this past weekend. The Jayhawks covered the 27-point spread in the win. Kansas shot 60 percent in the win while holding Tennessee State to 32.8 percent shooting. Kansas also had a 45-23 edge in rebounding. Lagerald Vick had 23 points and five rebounds to lead Kansas in the win while Devonte Graham had 10 points with 12 assists and Marcus Garrett had 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Jayhawks are 14-19-1 against the spread on the season.
Kansas has won and covered the spread in the last two meetings with Kentucky. The Wildcats are very young, starting five freshmen. Their youth has shown in the first two games, not being able to pull away from much lesser teams than Kansas. Perhaps Kentucky will play up to its competition tonight, but I trust the Jayhawks to handle this young UK team. The public betting is behind Kansas tonight and I side with them on this one.
CBB DAILY PREDICTION: KANSAS -4.5