Get set for the annual Border War when the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks invade Mizzou Arena for a matchup with the Missouri Tigers.
Kansas is coming off its worst game of the season, but my Kansas vs. Missouri predictions expect the Jayhawks to declaw the Tigers today.
Read on for my college basketball picks for Sunday, December 8.
Kansas vs Missouri prediction
My best bet
Kansas -5.5 (-110 at bet365)
My analysis
I can’t imagine Kansas Jayhawks coach Bill Self is too happy with his team.
They might be No. 1 in the polls, but they’ve hardly played like a No. 1. Sure, they’ve beaten some good teams, but losing to Creighton on the road must be eating him alive.
They’ve snuck past North Carolina, Michigan State, and Duke, but they haven’t delivered a true Kansas performance or a convincing victory over a top 100 KenPom team.
I think that changes today.
The Missouri Tigers will be without leading scorer Caleb Grill. That’s a big miss in a big game when the most formidable team the Tigers played was Memphis, and Missouri lost by eight.
The Tigers rely heavily on points from turnovers. They average 23 points from opponents' miscues. Kansas doesn’t turn the ball over much, but without Grill and the points from miscues, the Tigers will have to deal with a Kansas defense that’s tough to crack in the half-court set.
This yearly Border War rivalry with the Missouri Tigers can be intense, but the Jayhawks are 9-1 in their last 10 with the Tigers and a solid 6-2-2 ATS.
The Jayhawks enter this matchup with a considerable size advantage. They are tough to stop inside the arc, and Missouri will have its hands full. The Tigers rely on swipes and offensive caroms, which likely won’t be there today against the tidy Jayhawks.
Kansas hasn’t put together a convincing victory over a team with a pulse, but they will against Missouri. Look for a focused Kansas group on both ends of the floor and a dominant road victory for the Jayhawks.
Kansas vs Missouri same-game parlay
Kansas -5.5
Hunter Dickinson Over 0.5 made threes
Hunter Dickinson Over 15.5 points
Kansas center Hunter Dickinson has looked seemingly disinterested at times, but he has a nice matchup against a much smaller team, and he’s the key to the Kansas cover.
Dickinson averages 17.2 points per game over his collegiate career. He hasn’t cleared that number in his last five and averages only 14.5 points per game.
The Jayhawks star has a real chance for a big bounce-back day. He’s had career lows from everywhere thus far, but Dickinson is a career 56% shooter inside and drains 35% from downtown.
Dickinson isn’t shooting well from anywhere yet, but Missouri won’t be able to contain the Jayhawks center, and he will be massive today from everywhere.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Kansas vs Missouri odds
Kansas vs Missouri live odds
Kansas vs Missouri opening odds
- Spread: Kansas -5.5 (-110) | Missouri +5.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Kansas -245 | Missouri +250
- Over/Under: Over 154.5 (-110) | Under 154.5 (-110)
Odds courtesy of bet365
Kansas vs Missouri betting trend to know
Missouri has only covered the Spread in 10 of their last 31 games (-13.00 Units / -38% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Kansas vs. Missouri.
How to watch Kansas vs Missouri
| Location: | Mizzou Arena, Columbia, MO |
| Date: | Sunday, 12-8-2024 |
| Tip-off: | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN2 |
Kansas vs Missouri key injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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