- Houston has lost just one game since the beginning of December, winning 21 of their 22 games in the past three months.
- The Jayhawks were the consensus 1 Seed entering the season, but have disappointed with a 19-10 record alongside a 10-8 record in conference play.
HOUSTON – With March Madness looming around the corner, the college basketball landscape will soon be seeing a consistent diet of marquee matchups, including Monday night’s game between the Kansas Jayhawks and Houston Cougars.
Kansas vs Houston Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | +9.5 (-110) | +415 | O 132.5 (-110) |
| Houston | -9.5 (-110) | -520 | U 132.5 (-110) |
College basketball sportsbooks online like the Cougars to win this game comfortably, and for good reason. Houston has lost just one game in the past three months and is currently riding an eight-game win streak.
This will be the second time these two teams face off this season, with the first game being an absolute thriller, ending in a 2OT victory for the Cougars.
Kansas has had a let down of a season to this point after being ranked first in the country entering the year, but a good game tonight could spark a deep run in March for a team loaded with top end talent.
| Team | Poss. Per Game | oPPG | 3PT% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 65.6 (357th) | 67.7 (50th) | 39.8% (3rd) |
| Houston | 71.4 (116th) | 58.0 (1st) | 34.0% (167th) |
Houston has been elite defensively, ranking first in the country in opponent points per game. A big factor in this is their deliberate pace of play, ranking 357th of 364 qualifying teams in possessions per game.
They make up for this on the offensive end by being hyper-efficient, with the third best three-point field goal percentage in the country and 8th most efficient offense, according to KenPom.
The Cougars are led by senior guard LJ Cryer, averaging almost 15 points per game while shooting 41% from the field and 41% from deep. Emanuel Sharp, J’Wan Roberts, and Milos Uzan each average over 10 points per game as well.
Kansas has been stellar on defense as well, ranking 50th in opponent points per game and 6th in defensive efficiency. However, the offense has not been up to par, ranking just 59th in offensive efficiency.
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Hunter Dickinson has been somewhat of a disappointment in his Jayhawk career after being one of the most sought after transfer prospects after deciding to leave Michigan. He has averaged 16.9 points per game this season, his worst since his freshman year, while also shooting a career low 53.3% from the field.
Zeke Mayo has averaged 14 points per game while shooting 39% from deep, but outside of him the Jayhawks don’t have any reliable scoring threats from the outside.
Best Bets
Online sportsbooks set the point total at 132.5, exactly where it would have landed in regulation of the previous matchup (132). Both teams left plenty of points on the board in that game, missing a total of 24 combined free throws between the two teams and shooting just 17-50 from three.
Look for improved shooting from the stripe in this game and take the over.
- The Pick: O 132.5
These two teams have played just three times ever dating back to last season, when they split the season series. However, last season when they faced off in Houston, the Cougars took home a 30 point victory, 76-46.
Expect history to repeat itself tonight as the Cougars stay rolling.
- The Pick: Houston -9.5
Drew is currently a student at Florida State University majoring in Communication / Media Studies. He enjoys playing, watching, reading, and writing about sports. If you need to know anything about football or basketball, Drew’s your guy.
