Cincinnati Bearcats vs Kansas Jayhawks Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Kansas vs Cincinnati NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Cincinnati.

Kansas vs Cincinnati Prediction

Looking to win big? The Jayhawks and Bearcats face off at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bearcats are hosting the game at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH. The odds for this Big 12 conference game currently have Cincinnati as the -2.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 137.5 points.

Kansas vs. Cincinnati Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Kansas Jayhawks at Cincinnati Bearcats
Where: Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena
Date: Saturday, January 11th
Betting Odds CIN -2.5, KAN +109 | CIN -133 O/U 137.5

Jayhawks Preview: Will the Jayhawks Defense Show Up in Cincinnati?

Kansas improved to 11-3 on the season with a 74-55 win over Arizona State on Wednesday. The Jayhawks, who were -14.5 point favorites, covered the spread in the victory.

After trailing 42-36 at halftime, Kansas turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring the Sun Devils 38-13. The game’s total points of 129 fell short of the 144.5 O/U line.

Jayhawks Offense Breakdown

Kansas put up 74 points in their last game, shooting 43.5% from the field. They hit 30.4% from beyond the arc, connecting on 7 of 23 attempts, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 48.4%. Inside the arc, they shot 51.3%, making 20 of 39 two-point shots.

The Jayhawks were perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all 13 attempts. They grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and dished out 15 assists. Zeke Mayo led the way with 23 points, hitting 5 of 8 threes, while Alston Mason added 19 points and 3 assists. Hunter Dickinson contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds, despite shooting 5 of 15 from the field.

Jayhawks Team Defense

Despite Kansas holding their opponent to just 55 points, they allowed a 43% shooting performance, with 27 made field goals on 62 attempts. Inside the arc, the Jayhawks gave up 20 two-pointers on 39 attempts, a 51% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Kansas limited their opponent to 7 made threes on 23 attempts, a 30% success rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 13 times, where they made all their free throws. The Jayhawks allowed 14 offensive rebounds.

Bearcats Preview: Will the Bearcats Win at Home?

Cincinnati Bearcats Recent Game/Games

The Bearcats dropped to 10-4 on the season after a 68-48 road loss to Baylor on Tuesday. Cincinnati entered the game as +5.5 point underdogs but couldn’t cover the spread.

Trailing 35-20 at halftime, the Bearcats managed 28 points in the 2nd half while allowing 33. The game’s combined 116 points fell well short of the 139.5 O/U line.

Bearcats Offense Breakdown

Cincinnati struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 48 points on 34.7% shooting from the field. They hit 34.8% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8 of 23 attempts, and managed only 50% from the free-throw line, going 6 for 12.

Dan Skillings Jr., Norchad Omier, and VJ Edgecombe each contributed 18 points, with Omier shooting 77.8% from the field and adding 10 rebounds. Skillings hit 5 of 7 from three-point range, while Edgecombe connected on 2 of 4 from deep.

Bearcats Team Defense

Despite Cincinnati's defensive efforts, they allowed 68 points on 50% shooting from the field. The Bearcats gave up 22 two-point baskets on 40 attempts, with the opposing team hitting 55% of their shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, Cincinnati's defense held their opponent to 5 made threes on 14 attempts, a 35% shooting performance. The Bearcats also sent the other team to the free-throw line 11 times, where they converted 9 of those attempts, shooting 81%.

Jayhawks vs Bearcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five road games, Kansas has averaged 76 points per game while allowing 68 . The team's record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
When looking at their past five home matchups, Cincinnati has an ATS record of 2-3 while averaging 66 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Jayhawks have gone 4-6 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 3-7.
Going back to their last three games as the favorite, the Bearcats have a straight up record of 1-2. But, their mark vs the spread was just 1-2.