The Kansas Jayhawks take on the Missouri Tigers in Columbia, MO. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Kansas is favored by 6.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -265. The total is set at 154.5 points.
Here’s my Kansas vs. Missouri predictions and college basketball picks for December 8, 2024.
Kansas vs Missouri Prediction
My Pick: Missouri +6.5
My Kansas vs Missouri best bet is on the Tigers spread, with the best odds currently available at FanDuel. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Kansas vs Missouri Odds
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -110 | 154.5 -110 / -110 | -265 |
| Missouri Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -110 | 154.5 -110 / -110 | +215 |
- Kansas vs Missouri spread: Kansas -6.5
- Kansas vs Missouri over/under: 154.5 points
- Kansas vs Missouri moneyline: Kansas -265, Missouri +215
- Kansas vs Missouri best bet: Missouri +6.5
Spread
I'm taking the Tigers on the spread.
Moneyline
I'm passing on the moneyline.
Over/Under
I'm passing on the total.
My Pick: Missouri +6.5
Kansas vs Missouri College Basketball Betting Preview
I don’t care what anybody says, the Border War is the best college basketball rivalry in the country. Yes, I am biased because my fondest memory of college is storming the court in Columbia in the spring of 2009.
Kansas has dominated this rivalry as of late, winning four in a row, nine of the last 10, and 12 of the last 14. The Jayhawks haven’t really even sweat (can birds sweat?) in the three contest since Mizzou left the Big 12. But there’s a buzz in the middle of Missouri for this game. Players and coaches have talked about how much this game means – a stark departure from the usual trite “it’s just another game” mantra.
For Mizzou to compete, a few things need to happen. First and foremost, Dennis Gates needs to figure out his rotations. Gates has played the third most bench minutes in the country, which is not a good thing. 12-man rotations are rare because they are notoriously difficult to manage. Players cannot get into rhythms and the best five get their minutes cut. If Gates sticks to even a 10-man rotation, nails guys like Jacob Crews firmly to the pine, that will go a long way towards winning.
Caleb Grill will likely remain out for the Tigers, a tough blow but not a death knell. Sophomore Anthony Robinson has emerged as this team’s best player and is more than capable of leading the offense alongside the talented Tamar Bates and athletic specimen Mark Mitchell.
Mizzou needs to get out in transition – KU is too good defensively in the halfcourt. To date, the Tigers are 7th nationally in rate of possessions used in transition and 48th in efficiency. KU ranks just 278th nationally in points per possession allowed in the open floor. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they run the most following live ball turnovers, and this Kansas team has been one of the nation’s best in protecting the rock.
KU’s offense isn’t infallible, and in fact it has some clear flaws. The Jayhawks aren’t a fantastic outside shooting team, they do not get second chances on the glass, and they have one of the lowest FTA rates in the country.
If Mizzou can stay positionally solid, it can keep KU at bay. Hunter Dickinson is a problem, and if Mizzou throws Josh Gray out there, he will stretch him to the arc. However, Gates and Co. would likely gladly take Dickinson trying to beat them with 3s versus pounding them near the cup. Gates can go smaller and put guys like Mitchell on Dickinson for spurts.
Like the Tigers, KU thrives in transition. The Jayhawks don’t force as many turnovers, but they push off the defensive glass as well as any team in the country. KU is very sound on the defensive boards, though Mizzou will give it its toughest test. If the Tigers can create second chances on the glass, it not only allows them more scoring opportunities, but it also severely cripples KU’s ability to get out in transition and thus get efficient buckets.
This game will be a war. Mizzou fans will pack the arena and make it an unpleasant experience for all red and blue clad individuals in the building. Expect the Tigers to give an all-out max effort against a Kansas team that has failed its only road true test to date.
