The Kansas Jayhawks take on the Michigan State Spartans in Atlanta, GA. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Kansas is favored by 6 points on the spread with a moneyline of -238. The total is set at 150.5 points.
Here are my Kansas vs Michigan State predictions and college basketball picks for November 12, 2024.
Kansas vs Michigan State Odds
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
-6 -110 | 150.5 -110o / -110u | -238 |
| Michigan St Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
+6 -110 | 150.5 -110o / -110u | +195 |
- Kansas vs Michigan State spread: Kansas -6
- Kansas vs Michigan State total: 150.5
- Kansas vs Michigan State ML: Kansas -238
- Kansas vs Michigan State best bet: Kansas -5.5
Kansas vs Michigan State Betting Analysis
It might be time for Kansas to ditch David Coit starting and playing 20+ minutes per game. Zeke Mayo was probably the Jayhawks' best player in their win over North Carolina, as he scored a team-high 21 points with a trio of 3s. Meanwhile, Coit didn't score and was one of three Kansas players with a negative plus-minus.
The Jayhawks' core remains their three returning starters — defensive whiz Dajuan Harris Jr., KJ Adams Jr. and All-American Hunter Dickinson.
Bill Self added shooting via the portal and the AJ Storr, Mayo and Rylan Griffen trio turned Kansas into an instant title contender. Kansas boasts the clear shooting advantage in this matchup, particularly when Dickinson drags Michigan State's slower bigs out to defend the perimeter.
Dickinson is one of the country's best passing bigs and shoots around 35% from 3.
How will Jaxon Kohler and Szymon Zapala defend outside the arc? Probably not well — speed and defensive ability aren't their strong suits.
The Jayhawks can take advantage and force Tom Izzo to pull the more traditional bigs off the floor. That would mean Izzo pivoting to a smaller lineup, which would then lead to more post-up chances for Dickinson.
Defending the ball has been a real issue for Kansas. It seems like speedy guards give the Jayhawks problems, as Seth Trimble, Elliot Cadeau and RJ Davis combined for 47 points and reached the foul line 25 times.
The good thing is Michigan State doesn't have a trio of guards like North Carolina.
Michigan State took care of business in its first two games of the season, crushing Monmouth 81-57 and Niagara 96-60. Now heading into the Champions Classic, Michigan State has its sights set on knocking off the No. 1 team in the AP Poll.
The Spartans built their roster in a vastly different way than the Jayhawks. Kansas' roster is based on transfers, while Michigan State brought in just two transfers — but both (Frankie Fidler and Zapala) started in each of the first two games.
The biggest difference for the Spartans is the inexperience at the point guard position. Jeremy Fears Jr. assumes the role from the departed AJ Hoggard. Fears has done a nice job — tossing 16 dimes across the first two games — but he has yet to face a tenacious defender like Harris.
Will Fears be able to initiate Izzo's offense with Harris in his grill?
With Tyson Walker also departing, it was big for Jaden Akins to take a leap as the Spartans' go-to scoring option. So far, that's happened, as Akins leads the team with 16.5 points per game through two games.
The one thing Akins needs to do better is make 3s, a common theme for the Spartans through two games. I don't have many long-term concerns about Michigan State's shooting as Fidler, Xavier Booker and Akins can all shoot. They just haven't found their stroke yet.
Fidler, who averaged 20 points per game at Omaha, could be key to unlocking the perimeter shooting. It's a jump in talent level, but his shot-creating and catch-and-shoot ability flashed in the Summit League.
The other key is freshman guard and program legacy Jase Richardson (Jason Richardson's son), who could eventually end up as the Spartans' second scoring threat.
Jase is more than the son of a former college champion and long-time NBA player — he's a big-time scorer in his own right and has posted double digits in each of his first two games.
Michigan State wants to win with defense, but that won't be easy against the Jayhawks.
I'm on Kansas -5.5. I'm willing to take the Jayhawks up to -7 due to their strengths on the offensive end.
It feels like Michigan State still wants to find its identity on the offensive end, while Kansas knows how to score 90+ points in a game.
If this game is an up-tempo showdown in the 80s or 90s, Michigan State can't compete against Kansas.
Pick: Kansas -5.5
