The Kansas Jayhawks (6-1) head to Lubbock to play the Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-1) in each teams’ Big XII opener. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Kansas-Texas Tech college basketball betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
The Jayhawks are No. 5 and the Red Raiders are No. 14 in the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.
Kansas at Texas Tech: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:05 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Kansas +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | Texas Tech -160 (bet $160 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Kansas +3 (-110) | Texas Tech -3 (-110)
- Over/Under: 133.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Kansas at Texas Tech: Three things to know
- Kansas has won six straight games, including a 95-50 beatdown of Nebraska Omaha as a 24.5-point favorite Dec. 11. Outside of the previous win, the Jayhawks haven’t exactly blown by competition and are just 2-4 ATS this year.
- Texas Tech has its own four-game win streak going, winning three by double-digits, but the Red Raiders failed to cover as 28-point home favorites in a 77-57 win over Texas A&M Corpus Christi Dec. 12.
- Since head coach Chris Beard took the Texas Tech gig in 2016-17, the Red Raiders are 2-6 straight up and 4-4 ATS against Kansas. The Jayhawks were 2-0 against the Red Raiders last season, but they covered the spread in only one of the two games.
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Kansas at Texas Tech: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Kansas 67, Texas Tech 63
Money line (ML)
This is the squarest play ever—backing a nationally popular, blue blood Kansas basketball program against an up and coming Texas Tech team, but GIMME KANSAS (+135) for three-fourths of a unit.
According to Pregame.com, this is a Pros vs. Joes game with 57% of the cash on Texas Tech but 53% of the bets placed are on Kansas. So I’m rolling with the public, aka, the people that make bookmakers rich.
Texas Tech has a higher net efficiency rating but the Red Raiders have played a cupcake schedule (ranked 210th in the nation). Kansas’ only loss is to No. 1 Gonzaga, and the Jayhawks have wins over top-10 (at the time) ranked teams in Kentucky and Creighton.
Against the spread (ATS)
TAKE KANSAS +3 (-110) for 1.25 units. It’s just a wiser strategy long-term to insure a money line wager with a full possession, especially in a rivalry game, if you can get it.
Texas Tech is incorporating new pieces—transfers G Mac McClung and F Marcus Santos-Silva—who have yet to play in this atmosphere whereas Kansas has three upperclassmen in its lineup.
Over/Under (O/U)
PASS ON THE TOTAL with a slight lean on the Under 133.5 (-110). Texas Tech has one of the slower paces in the country and with this being a conference game, I think the possession by possession intensity helps the Under.
However, the Over has cashed in seven of the last eight meetings and I don’t have a strong enough handicap of the total to step in front of that trend.
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