Texas vs Kansas Odds, Picks and Predictions: Stars Shine in Big 12 Championship

The Big 12 Tournament title game is here and will feature a battle between the two best teams in the conference when Kansas meets Texas.

Kansas put up just over a point per possession on the best defense in the conference in Iowa State and Jalen Wilson was dominant as the Jayhawks got a second straight double-digit win.

Texas defeated TCU last night, and although the game was significantly closer than Kansas against Iowa State, the Longhorns rarely felt too threatened. Texas has now won three straight games, two of which were by double-digits, including the win over Kansas to end the season.

What's the best bet for this one? Find out in our college basketball picks and predictions for Kansas vs. Texas.

Texas vs Kansas best odds

Texas vs Kansas picks and predictions

The best bet today relies on, for my money, the best player in college basketball: Jalen Wilson.

Let's look at the two meetings between these schools and where Wilson was effective for Kansas.

In the most recent matchup, Wilson dropped 23 points. It was a product of a few things. Volume was undoubtedly one, as no other Jayhawk could do a ton. Beyond that, though, Wilson was able to get points from a variety of spots on the floor. He had three 3-pointers, but his eight points at the rim really got him his scoring.

In the prior matchup, Wilson had just two points. It was his worst game of the season, and he missed many open looks, going 1-for-6 on jumpers, most of which were deep ones. In addition to that, Wilson was kept off the offensive backboard completely, which eliminated his elite put-backs.

Right now, Jalen Wilson is playing like the best scorer in the country. He's eclipsed 20 points in every game of the Big 12 Tournament. A switch has indeed flipped for him to elevate his game, something that shouldn't surprise such a veteran player. 

If you look at the places Wilson scored in his previous matchup, they are all still issues for Texas. The Longhorns are still poor against spot-up shooters. Tyrese Hunter is the only good perimeter defender, while teams regularly target Marcus Carr in switches as he allows an eFG of over 51% to spot-up shooters. 

Another issue for Texas is the absence of Timmy Allen. Texas has allowed 1.1 points per possession on offensive rebounds, which is slightly above average. That problem is made worse without the big man in the lineup. 

Wilson's rebounds have been a pure goldmine. He's averaging over 10 in the Big 12 Tournament and has parlayed those into put-back scores. A same-game parlay of Wilson rebounds with points is a good bet.

We're putting our money on Wilson tonight. It's as simple as the best player on the best team in a championship game sometime. That's the case here. Don't overcomplicate it. 

My best bet: Jalen Wilson Over 18.5 points (-120 at DraftKings)

Texas vs Kansas spread analysis

You get the feeling that Kansas does this, whether it be a cultural win or talent-based. It's hard to go against the Jayhawks now. 

My projections make this a coin-flip game, so it's not an actionable line, but let's assess the matchup.

You can't overstate what the Jayhawks can do on the offensive backboard here. They've attacked it over the past month or so and now get a Texas team without its best rebounder. When a subpar defensive team is giving up second-chance points, it's difficult for that team to come back from that.

Of course, there are paths for Texas to win this game. I've talked glowingly about Kansas, but the Horns are an incredibly talented team. Something to monitor early on for those looking to live bet: How effective is Tyrese Hunter in pick-and-roll situations?

Hunter's scoring is a legitimate X-Factor for this Texas team. He's an inconsistent scorer, but that inconsistency makes you ponder what the Horns' ceiling could be if he wasn't. He's easily the best scorer in screen situations, averaging around 40% as a shooter. 

If you want to get at Kansas on the offensive end, one of the paths is getting KJ Adams in high-ball switches and using uber athletes to get to the rim. Hunter can do that, when he's on. I'd watch early to see if he's getting the rim and becoming a factor in this game. If he is, I'd consider a live bet on Texas, mainly if I can get it better than the pregame number. 

In all likelihood, though, I'll sit back and enjoy what should be a great game.

Texas vs Kansas Over/Under analysis

Here are the trends for these two teams:

• The Under is 6-0 in Kansas's last six games.
• The Under is 5-0 in Kansas's last five games after a straight-up win.
• The Under is 4-0 in Texas' last four games.
• The Under is 4-1 in Texas' last five games after a straight-up win. 

The Under is the logical choice, but I cannot get past it being in both teams' interest to increase the pace and show off their athleticism.

Last night's Over in Kansas vs. Iowa State was a horrific beat, as it was a missed free throw away from cashing. Fool me once? I will be looking for a live number of 137.5 to grab the Over. That's a few possessions off the pregame number. 

There's a reasonable chance that both of these teams could start slow, however, early game jitters should present a decent opportunity to get good in-game numbers.

Texas vs Kansas betting trend to know

The favorite is 3-1-1 ATS in the last five meetings between these schools. Find more college basketball betting trends for Texas vs. Kansas.

Texas vs Kansas game info

Texas vs Kansas key injuries

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