The No. 2 seed Houston Cougars face the No. 3 seed Kansas Jayhawks in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament tonight.
The Jayhawks are 10th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, which is why my Houston vs. Kansas predictions and college basketball picks are fading one of the Cougars best players.
Houston vs Kansas prediction
Houston vs Kansas best bet
Houston vs Kansas best bet: Emanuel Sharp Under 2.5 threes (-115)
Emmanuel Sharp is the Houston Cougars best perimeter shooter but has been misfiring lately. He went 1-6 from deep yesterday and also went 1-6 from the arc against the Kansas Jayhawks last month.
Sharp has hit fewer than 2.5 treys in five of his last six games, with the only exception coming against Baylor who ranks 275th in the country in 3-point defense (35.5%).
Meanwhile, the Jayhawks elite defense ranks 13th in opponent 3PT% (30.2%). Sharp thrives at corner threes but Kansas does a great job funneling shooters above the break where he's far less accurate.
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Houston vs Kansas same-game parlay
The Cougars are in a revenge spot after losing 69-56 at the Phog last month. That said, there are too many points to spot Kansas in what should be a low-scoring game between two elite defensive teams.
The O/U assists for Melvin Council Jr. also seem too low since the Kansas point guard has cleared this number in 10 straight games, averaging 5.4 apg over that span.
Houston vs Kansas SGP
- Emanuel Sharp Under 2.5 threes
- Kansas +5.5
- Melvin Council Jr. Over 3.5 assists
Our beyond the arc SGP: Freshmen Duel
Despite being freshmen, Darryn Peterson and Kingston Flemings might be the two most talented guards in the country. Peterson finally looks healthy and has grabbed 5+ boards in four straight games while scoring at least 24 points in three of those contests.
Meanwhile, Flemings has dropped 7+ dimes in three of his last four games. He looks for his own shot more in big games, scoring more than 16.5 points in eight of nine contests against ranked opponents.
Houston vs Kansas SGP
- Darryn Peterson Over 20.5 points
- Darryn Peterson Over 4.5 rebounds
- Kingston Flemings Over 16.5 points
- Kingston Flemings Over 4.5 assists
Houston vs Kansas odds
- Spread: Houston -5.5 | Kansas +5.5
- Moneyline: Houston -240 | Kansas +195
- Over/Under: Over 136 | Under 136
Houston vs Kansas betting trend to know
The Cougars have gone Under their team total in seven of their last nine games (+4.60 Units / 44% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Houston vs. Kansas.
How to watch Houston vs Kansas
| Location | T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO |
| Date | Friday, March 13, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Houston vs Kansas key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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