Arizona at Kansas Point Spread Winner | Big 12 Tourney

Kansas Jayhawks (21-11 SU, 14-17-1 ATS) vs. Arizona Wildcats (20-11 SU, 16-15 ATS)

When: Thursday, March 13th, 9:30 PM (ET)

Where: T-Mobile Center, MO, Kansas City

TV: ESPN

Point Spread: KAN +1.5/ARZ -1.5

Total: 152.5

Money Line: Kansas Jayhawks +102/-124

Notable Injuries

Jayhawks

• Shakeel Moore (Out) Foot
• Zach Clemence (Out) Groin
• Noah Shelby (Out) Undisclosed
• Elmarko Jackson (Out) Knee
• Jamari McDowell (Out) Redshirt

Wildcats

• Motiejus Krivas (Out) Lower Leg

Recent Form

Kansas Jayhawks Recent Game/Games

Kansas improved to 21-11 on the season with a 98-94 win over UCF on Wednesday. The Jayhawks were -10.5 favorites going into the game but didn’t cover the spread. The total points of 192 exceeded the O/U line of 154.5.

Leading 40-37 at halftime, Kansas put up 43 points in the 2nd half but allowed 46, making the game closer than expected.

Arizona Wildcats Recent Game/Games

Arizona’s season record dropped to 20-11 after an 83-76 loss to Kansas on Saturday. The Wildcats were +4.5 point underdogs going into the game but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 159, surpassing the over/under line of 153.5.

Arizona found themselves down 39-30 at halftime but managed to score 46 points in the 2nd half. However, they allowed 44 points to Kansas in the same period, which ultimately led to the loss.

Analysis

Kansas put up 98 points in their last game, shooting 44.7% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range, hitting 12 of 27 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 52.6%, and they connected on 78.3% of their free throws, going 18 for 23 from the line.

The Jayhawks grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and dished out 22 assists. Keyshawn Hall led the way with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Zeke Mayo added 24 points, hitting 5 of 7 threes. Hunter Dickinson also contributed 23 points and 13 rebounds, making 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.

Despite Kansas’s defensive efforts, they allowed 94 points in their previous game, with their opponent shooting 44% from the field. The Jayhawks gave up 22 two-point field goals on 49 attempts, also at a 44% clip.

From beyond the arc, Kansas allowed 12 three-pointers on 27 attempts, again at 44%. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 23 times, where they converted 18 free throws, shooting 78%. Kansas also gave up 17 offensive rebounds.

Hunter Dickinson dominated for Arizona, scoring 33 points on 15-of-23 shooting and adding 10 rebounds in their recent game. Jaden Bradley contributed 21 points, hitting 7 of 11 shots, while Zeke Mayo knocked down five threes, finishing with 20 points and six assists.

Overall, the Wildcats shot 47.3% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 52.7%. They hit six threes at a 37.5% rate and were strong from the line, making 18 of 21 free throws (85.7%).

Arizona’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 83 points on 49% shooting from the field. The Wildcats allowed the opposing team to hit 54% of their two-point attempts, going 25/46 inside the arc.

From three-point range, Arizona’s opponents shot 38%, connecting on 8 of 21 attempts. The Wildcats also sent them to the free-throw line 14 times, where they made nine free throws. Arizona gave up 13 offensive rebounds in the game.

Betting Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Jayhawks have a straight-up record of 4-6 while going 4-5-1 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 68 points per game in these contests.
• Through their last three home games, Arizona has an ATS record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 72 points per game.
• The last three games that Kansas was the underdog, they had an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 0-3 straight up.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Wildcats have gone 7-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 8-2.

Joe’s Pick To Cover The Spread

Kansas needed overtime to take down the 14th-seeded UCF Knights in the Big 12 tourney; UCF had just seven conference wins this season but gave Kansas everything they could handle. The Jayhawks went into the season with some high expectations but, by all accounts, did not live up to the hype. I see Arizona’s offense being too much to handle for Kansas, and I have the Wildcats winning and covering.