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The Kentucky Wildcats take on the Kansas Jayhawks in the second Champions Classic matchup of the night at the United Center on Tuesday. This is the first time the number-one-ranked Jayhawks will face a fellow-ranked side this season, with Kentucky at 17 in the latest AP Rankings. Both teams are unbeaten this term, so something has to give when they clash. Here, we tell you the best bets to make in our latest NCAAB betting picks.
- What; 2023/24 NCAA Men’s Basketball
- Who; Kentucky Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks
- Where; United Center, Chicago, Illinois
- When; Tuesday, November 14th 2023
- Time; 9.30 pm ET
This year, the Champions Classic is in Chicago, with the United Center hosting the event for the first time since 2017. This will be the second match on the night, following MI State vs. Duke, which gets underway at 7 pm ET.
Both sides go into this matchup with 2-0 records. In the 2022/23 season, Kentucky was 22-12 overall, with a non-conference record of 10-5. Kansas was 28-8 overall, with a non-conference record of 13-2. In the last meeting between the two teams, a struggling Jayhawks won 77-68 thanks to a 22-point haul by Jalen Wilson. That fixture was played in January, with the Jayhawks ranked down at No.9 at the time.
Betting to win the 2024 Championship
This time around Kansas will enter the match as the favorites to win the 2024 National Championship. Bill Self’s team is +1000 to win the championship game when it takes place in early April 2024. According to the latest college basketball odds, their closest rivals are Duke (+1400) and Purdue (+1400).
The Blue Devils and the Boilermakers are followed in the betting by Arizona at +1600. The 2023 Champions UConn are next at +1800, the same odds as Creighton and Kentucky.
Kentucky vs. Kansas Betting Odds
The best college basketball betting sites make the Kansas Jayhawks their favorites to win the match at -230 on the money line. The Kentucky Wildcats are +190.
The Wildcats are receiving a 6-point head start on the handicap spread. At Bovada, they are -110, but with BetOnline, they are -105. The Jayhawks are also -110 with Bovada. But they must be getting backed with BetOnline, as they have been cut to -115.
On the total points line, over and under 147.5 are both -110. More betting options can be found on our NCAA Basketball betting table.
| Kentucky vs Kansas Match Betting |  |  |  |
| Kentucky | +190 | +190 | +190 |
| Kansas | -230 | -230 | -230 |
| Kentucky (+6) | -110 | -105 | -110 |
| Kansas (-6) | -110 | -115 | -110 |
| Over 147.5 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 147.5 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Two wins from two for the Wildcats
The Wildcats have started their 2023/24 season with two wins from two matches. The wins came against the New Mexico State Aggies (86-46) and Texas A&M (81-61). Kentucky never looked in any real danger in either match, and both ended up being routine victories that were expected.
Against the Aggies, Kentucky started slowly, leading by eight points at the halfway stage. But in the second half, they put their foot down and scored 49 points, with New Mexico only managing 17 in return.
In the win over Texas A&M, the Wildcats were 38-30 up at the halfway stage but hit the boosters in the second half, taking it 43-31, to kill off any hope of an upset for the Lions.
Solid start for the Jayhawks
The Jayhawks have got their season off to a solid start with two routine wins over NC Central and Manhattan. In both matches, Kansas racked up 99 points.
In their season opener against NC Central, the Eagles were blown away in the first half, with the scoreline showing 59-18 after 20 minutes. North Carolina improved in the second half, but they ended up losing the match 99-56.
Then in their second match, the Jayhawks defeated the Manhattan Jaspers 99-61. Again, the majority of the damage was done in the opening 20 minutes, with Kansas 44-19 up at the halfway stage.
Kansas head coach Bill Self has again managed to do his best to take the pressure off his team. This time, the veteran coach stole the headlines last week with his latest pay rise, making him the highest-paid basketball coach at a public college.
JUST IN: KU has made Bill Self the highest-paid basketball coach in the country. https://t.co/2N67yNUxNy
— KCTV5 News (@KCTV5) November 7, 2023
Our Picks
The form so far this season shows that Kansas is the quicker side out of the blocks, with Kentucky coming on stronger in the second period. Despite this, we feel the Jayhawks are too short to be backed on the money line at -230. But we do think they will win.
The question is, do we think that the Jayhawks will cover the 6-point spread? And the answer to that question is yes. Kansas has started the season well, and we see no reason why that won’t continue.
In the latest AP Rankings, the Jayhawks have retained their number-one status. They are also getting backed in to cover the spread with BetOnline, showing that the majority think Kansas is the best bet.
We feel the same, and for our NCAAB pick, we are getting on the -110 available with Bovada for Kansas to win and cover before those odds get cut or the spread line is moved.
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