Kansas Jayhawks vs West Virginia Mountaineers Matchup

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

West Virginia vs Kansas Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Mountaineers and Jayhawks. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, KS. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this Big 12 conference game currently have Kansas as the -12.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 142.5 points.

West Virginia vs. Kansas Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: West Virginia Mountaineers at Kansas Jayhawks
Where: Lawrence at Allen Fieldhouse
Date: Tuesday, December 31st
Betting Odds KAN -12.5, WVIR +603 | KAN -941 O/U 142.5

Mountaineers Preview: Will the Mountaineers Win in Lawrence?

West Virginia improved to 9-2 on the season with a 67-46 win over Mercyhurst on Sunday. The Mountaineers were heavy favorites at -32, but they didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 113, well below the O/U line of 136.

West Virginia led 35-22 at halftime and added 32 points in the 2nd half while holding Mercyhurst to 24 points after the break.

Mountaineers Offense Breakdown

West Virginia put up 67 points in their last game, shooting 48.1% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 53.8%, with a strong 60.6% shooting inside the arc, though they struggled from three, hitting just 5 of 19 attempts (26.3%).

Javon Small led the team with 19 points and 7 assists, while Eduardo Andre was perfect from the field, going 6 for 6 and adding 6 rebounds. Toby Okani contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds in 24 minutes.

Mountaineers Team Defense

West Virginia's defense gave up 46 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 48% from the field, hitting 25 of 52 shots. Inside the arc, the Mountaineers allowed 60% shooting, with the other team making 20 of 33 two-point attempts.

From three-point range, West Virginia's defense held the opposition to 5 of 19 shooting, or 26%. At the free-throw line, the other team went 12 for 18, shooting 66%. The Mountaineers also gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Jayhawks Preview: Will the Jayhawks Win at Home?

Kansas improved to 9-2 on the season with an 87-53 win over Brown on Sunday. The Jayhawks, playing at home, were -24.5 favorites going into the game and managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 140, falling just short of the 145.5 O/U line.

After leading 42-31 at halftime, Kansas clamped down defensively in the 2nd half, holding Brown to just 22 points while scoring 45 of their own.

Jayhawks Offense Breakdown

Kansas put up 87 points in their latest game, shooting 50% from the field and posting an effective field goal percentage of 55.9%. They connected on 56.5% of their two-point attempts and hit 36.4% from beyond the arc, making 8 threes on 22 attempts. At the free-throw line, the Jayhawks shot 73.3%, converting 11 of 15 opportunities.

Zeke Mayo led the way with 25 points, shooting 66.7% overall and 62.5% from three, hitting 5 of 8 attempts. He also contributed 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Kino Lilly Jr. added 18 points, though he shot just 33.3% from the field and 30.8% from three. Hunter Dickinson chipped in 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while also dishing out 4 assists.

Jayhawks Team Defense

Despite Kansas allowing 53 points, their defense struggled, giving up 50% shooting from the field. The Jayhawks allowed 34 made baskets on 68 attempts.

Inside the arc, Kansas gave up 26 two-point field goals on 46 attempts, a 56% shooting rate. From three-point range, their opponents hit 8 of 22 shots, good for 36%.

Mountaineers vs Jayhawks Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although West Virginia has a straight up record of 2-8 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 5-5. The team averaged 71 points per game in these games.
Across their three previous home games, Kansas has an ATS mark of 1-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-2 while averaging 68 points per game.
As the betting underdog, the Mountaineers have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 2-1.
Through their last five games as the favorite, the Jayhawks have an ATS record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 3-2.