The college basketball betting board is headlined by two of the most exciting early-season matchups on Tuesday night with the yearly Champions Classic, which features four elite NCAA basketball programs.
In the second game, tipping off at 9:30 p.m. ET, the Kentucky Wildcats take on the Kansas Jayhawks at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
College basketball odds have No. 7 Kansas installed as a 4.5-point favorite against Kentucky, who will look to bounce back from an upset loss against Richmond on Sunday.
We break down the NCAA odds with our best free Kentucky vs. Kansas picks and predictions for Tuesday, December 1.
Kentucky Wildcats vs Kansas Jayhawks Betting Preview
Key Injuries
Kentucky: Keion Brooks Jr. F (Questionable)
Kansas: None
Find our latest NCAA basketball injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
The Jayhawks have a recent history of covering and cashing the Under against quality opponents, going 6-1 ATS and 1-6 O/U in their previous seven games against teams with a winning record. Find more NCAA betting trends for Kentucky vs. Kansas.
Against the Spread (ATS) Pick
Both these teams enter with identical 1-1 records, but there's a massive difference between the Jayhawks' season-opening loss to a terrific Gonzaga team and Kentucky's 76-64 home defeat against previously-unranked Richmond.
Early season upset losses hit John Calipari's squad last year too when they fell to Evansville and Utah before the Christmas break. That's the risk you run when you roll with a squad of freshman every year, and this season looks no different.
The Wildcats' inexperience was highlighted against Richmond's senior-heavy squad. Although freshmen Brandon Boston and Terrence Clark have impressed, three other first-year players receiving a ton of playing time (Isaiah Jackson, Devin Askew and Cam'Ron Fletcher) have all underwhelmed.
While the Jayhawks don't have quite the experience that Richmond does, they have a veteran core led by Ochai Agbaji, Marcus Garrett and Christian Braun, and are far more athletic than the Spiders. Take Kansas to win and cover.
PREDICTION: Kansas -4.5 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
Kansas has sizzled on offense so far this season, coming off a 94-point performance against Saint Joseph's and putting up 90 against Gonzaga. However, the Zags have been the best Over bet in the country over the last year, while the Hawks were simply overwhelmed by vastly superior talent.
Typically Bill Self's squads play at a slower pace and tend to lock down on the defensive end of the floor. Last season, the Jayhawks ranked 250th in the country in possessions per game, while holding opponents to just 60.6 points per game on 37.5 percent shooting.
John Calipari is also known for his strong defensive system, and last season coached a young Wildcats team that held foes to a field goal percentage of 39.4 – which ranked 18th in the country.
Kansas was one of the best Under bets in the nation last year and went a perfect 7-0 to the Under against ranked teams. Expect a return to that sort of tempo as they take on a dangerous Wildcats side that comes into this game at No. 20 in the latest AP rankings.
PREDICTION: Under 148 (-110)
Kentucky vs Kansas Betting Card
- Kansas -4.5 (-110)
- Under 148 (-110)
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