College Hoops: Kansas vs. Kansas State Prediction & Game Preview (Tuesday, Jan. 17)

Kansas redshirt junior forward Jalen Wilson (10) celebrates their 62-60 win over Iowa State Saturday inside Allen Fieldhouse.
Image Credit: Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

This is arguably the best game of the night. It’s the Sunflower Showdown, as No. 2 Kansas is set to face No. 13 Kansas State on Tuesday, Jan. 17. The game is scheduled for 7 pm ET while airing on ESPN. Kansas enters this game as 2-point favorites with the total set at 147.5. How will this one play out? Let’s dive into the Kansas vs. Kansas State predictions below.

Kansas vs. Kansas State Odds

  • Spread: Kansas -2
  • Total: 147.5

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. New to FanDuel? Check out our FanDuel Sportsbook Review to find out how to bet $5 to get $150 in free bets. This is FanDuel’s best offer of the year, and it expires on Jan. 31 — so act now! 

Game Info

  • Date: Tuesday, Jan. 17
  • Time: 7 pm ET
  • Location: Bramlage Coliseum — Manhattan, KS
  • TV: ESPN

Kansas Betting Trends

  • Jayhawks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
  • Over is 4-1 in Jayhawks last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
  • Favorite is 37-14-2 ATS in the last 53 meetings.

Kansas State Betting Trends

  • Wildcats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.
  • Over is 7-1 in Wildcats last 8 games following a straight up loss.
  • Over is 8-2 in Wildcats last 10 games following a ATS loss.

Kansas vs. Kansas State Predictions

Kansas State (15-2, 4-1 Big 12) has been a surprise team, but they aren’t exactly battle-tested at this point in the season. The Wildcats beat Texas and Baylor on the road, which is quite an accomplishment. However, is that a sign of things to come or just a good week for Kansas State? After all, the Wildcats fell to TCU 82-68 in their last game. 

Checking in with a 16-1 record, Kansas has all the makings of another March Madness run. However, the Jayhawks haven’t exactly blown teams out of the water, winning by four or fewer points against Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Iowa State recently. Now they’ll play in a hostile road environment in the Sunflower Showdown, which begs the question: is this where the Jayhawks finally stumble in a close game? 

This will be a close, chippy battle throughout. It should be a fun game to watch. However, the Jayhawks have more staying power, experience, and depth to get the job done in a game like this. We don’t know how good Kansas State actually is, and the Jayhawks could jump them in a similar fashion as TCU did last time out.

The Pick: Kansas -2 | -110 at FanDuel Sportsbook