Kansas vs Kentucky Odds, Picks and Predictions: Dickinson Dominates Wildcats Down Low

The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks face off against the No. 17 Kentucky Wildcats in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night.

This annual showcase features four of the most prestigious programs in college basketball as they take turns playing against each other at neutral venues. This year's event takes place at the United Center in Chicago and both teams will be facing their first test of the year after demolishing small-school squads to begin the season.

College basketball odds have the Jayhawks as 6.5-point favorites with the O/U at 147.5. Here are my free college basketball picks for Kansas vs. Kentucky on November 14.

Kansas vs Kentucky best odds

Kansas vs Kentucky picks and predictions

When Hunter Dickinson announced he was transferring to Kansas in May, the Jayhawks immediately jumped to the top of the March Madness odds. Dickinson averaged 18.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while shooting 56.1% from the field over the last two years with Michigan, and that was while battling large frontcourts in the Big Ten.

The 7-foot-2 Dickinson will face smaller lineups in the Big 12 and today's matchup against the Wildcats is also favorable. Five-star freshman Aaron Bradshaw was signed by Kentucky with the intention he would start at center, but he's recovering from offseason foot surgery while backup center Ugonna Onyenso is sidelined by an injury as well.

That leaves the Wildcats undermanned in the low post with 6-foot-9 forward Tre Mitchell as their tallest starter and 6-foot-8 wing Justin Edwards as the second-biggest.

Dickinson has been highly efficient to begin the season, going 8-from-9 from the field for 21 points in 24 minutes in the Jayhawks season opener before dropping 18 points in just 20 minutes vs Manhattan. While Dickinson saw limited minutes in those blowout victories, he'll log more playing time against a Kentucky squad that should be far more competitive. 

Long-time Kansas coach Bill Self has praised Dickinson as "the most skilled and most talented offensive" center he has ever had, and the big man is the perfect anchor for this ball-screen offense. Expect Self to feed Dickinson the ball against this undersized Kentucky frontcourt and take the Over on his points.

My best bet: Hunter Dickinson Over 18.5 points (+102 at FanDuel)

Kansas vs Kentucky same-game parlay

Hunter Dickinson Over 18.5 points

Kentucky +6.5

Under 147.5

+961 at FanDuel

While the Jayhawks should have a big advantage inside with Dickinson, this won't be a blowout. The Wildcats have a young team with three freshmen in their starting lineup but there's a reason they're ranked No. 17 in the country. 

Those three freshmen were all five-star recruits with Justin Edwards projected to be a Top 5 selection in the upcoming NBA Draft, and guard D.J. Wagner also expected to be a lottery selection. Shooting guard Antonio Reeves gives them an experienced scorer on the perimeter and Mitchell is another senior who was a key part of West Virginia and Texas in the last two years.

The Wildcats are simply too talented and athletic to overlook, and even though the Jayhawks' defensive acumen and overall experience gives them an edge, 6.5 points is too much to spot UK. 

That said, the Jayhawks should be very stingy on the defensive end of the floor with guard Dajuan Harris and wing Kevin McCullar named to the Big 12 All-Defensive team last season. They'll likely also play at a slower tempo as they look to set up in the half court and get the ball to Dickinson inside.

Combine that with the Kentucky side that was outside the Top 250 in adjusted tempo last season and sits 283rd in that category so far this year, and the Under looks like a solid play. 

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Kansas vs Kentucky spread and Over/Under analysis

This spread opened with Kansas at -6.5 with the Over/Under at 146.5. The total has ticked up to 147.5 and while the spread has stayed steady at some books, other books have shifted the line to -7. 

The Jayhawks have taken care of business in their first two games of the year: destroying North Carolina Central and Manhattan by 43 and 38 points respectively. The Wildcats hammered New Mexico State by 40 points in their season opener and beat Texas A&M University-Commerce by 20 points in their last game but failed to cover as 29-point faves.

These schools faced off in Lawrence in January with Kansas winning 77-68 but both teams are very different this time around. Reeves is the only player on the Wildcats that averaged more than 10 minutes per game for them last season. Although the Jayhawks have three returning starters they lost their two-highest scorers and have a new bench as well.  

Kansas vs Kentucky betting trend to know

The Wildcats have gone 2-10 ATS in 12 games at neutral sites since the start of the 2021-22 season. Find more college basketball betting trends for Kansas vs. Kentucky.

Kansas vs Kentucky game info

Kansas vs Kentucky key injuries

Stay updated with the latest picks, odds, and news! Tap the to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Pages related to this topic