The Kansas Jayhawks are 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS in their last four games against the Kentucky Wildcats, but the Wildcats came out on top 71-63 when these two teams last met on January 26, 2019. The Jayhawks and Wildcats will both be looking for a big win Tuesday night when they meet in Indianapolis.
- Date/Time: December 1, 9:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
- TV Coverage: ESPN
- Sportsbook Odds: Kansas -4 | O/U 145.5 (Line History)
- Kentucky vs Kansas Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Kansas opened as a 4-point favorite and has received enough action to move up to a 4.5-point favorite in the Champions Classic. The movement on the total has been more significant as the line is now 147 points after Sportsbook at 145.5 points. The UNDER is 3-0 in the last three games between Kentucky and Kansas.
Kentucky News & Notes
The Wildcats kicked off their season in style with an 81-45 win over the Morehead State Eagles, easily covering the spread as 25.5-point favorites and getting solid contributions from freshmen Terrence Clarke, Devin Askew and Brandon Boston Jr. But the positive vibes from that game didn’t last long as Kentucky laid an egg in its very next game, losing 76-64 as a 7-point favorite against the Richmond Spiders.
Growing pains are of course one of the pitfalls of going with a freshmen-heavy lineup as head coach John Calipari always does. Boston looked good in the loss with 20 points and 10 rebounds; he has led the team in scoring through each of its first two games. Kentucky has performed well as an underdog in recent seasons with an 8-3 SU and ATS record in its last 11 games as one.
Kansas News & Notes
Kansas was on a 16-0 SU and 11-5 ATS run last season when the coronavirus pandemic brought the 2019-20 season to an early end. The two leading scorers from that team are gone in Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike, but this year’s squad looks plenty potent on offense through its first two games. The Jayhawks are averaging 92 points per game thus far with a 102-90 loss to the Gonzaga Bulldogs and a 94-72 win and cover over the St. Joseph’s Hawks.
This team is stacked with returning talent including Ochai Agbaji, Marcus Garrett and Christian Braun. Add a few exciting freshman recruits into the mix in Jalen Wilson and Bryce Thompson and there is plenty of reason for optimism in Lawrence this year. Kansas is 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS in its last six games as a favorite of 8 points or less.
Betting Pick: UNDER 147 points
Kansas’s first two games this season have been high-scoring affairs. But Kentucky will look to slow things down and play strong defense. The last two games in this head-to-head series have averaged 130 points per game, and this could be another tight one on Tuesday night.
- Kentucky is 9-3 ATS over its last 12 games.
- Kansas is 14-2 SU in its last 16 December games.
- The UNDER is 6-1 in the last 7 games in this matchup.
