The UCF Knights take on the Kansas Jayhawks in the Big 12 Tournament. Tip-off is set for 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Kansas is favored by 10.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -575. The total is set at 155.5 points.
Here are my UCF vs. Kansas predictions and college basketball picks for March 12, 2025.
UCF vs Kansas Prediction
My Pick: Kansas -10.5 (Play to 11.5)
My UCF vs Kansas best bet is on the Jayhawks to cover the spread, with the best odds currently available at bet365. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
UCF vs Kansas Odds
| UCF Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10.5 -108 | 154.5 -115o / -105u | +425 |
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10.5 -112 | 154.5 -115o / -105u | -575 |
- UCF vs Kansas spread: Kansas -10.5, UCF +10.5
- UCF vs Kansas over/under: 154.5
- UCF vs Kansas moneyline: Kansas -575, UCF +425
- UCF vs Kansas best bet: Kansas -10.5
Spread
My best bet for this game is on Kansas to cover the spread. Despite not being the Bill Self-coached team we're used to seeing, the Jayhawks are still clearly the better team. Plus, the tournament will be played in Kansas City, giving KU something of a home-court advantage.
Moneyline
While I'm betting the Jayhawks to cover, I don't see value on the extremely juiced moneyline.
Over/Under
I'm staying away from the total in this Wednesday night Big 12 Tournament clash.
My Pick: Kansas -10.5
UCF vs Kansas College Basketball Betting Preview
UCF impressed in its first-round victory over Utah last night, putting on an offensive showcase in Kansas City. However, the Knights must now turn right around and face a Kansas team that had their number in their regular-season meetings, which the Jayhawks won, 99-48 and 91-87.
In the 51-point loss, the Knights were forced to take a lot of 3s, which is not their strongest suit. They rank just 203rd in 3-point percentage and 129th in 3-point rate.
Last night, we saw UCF have a ton of success inside, going 19-for-29 inside the arc, but it's doubtful we'll see even a fraction of that production against Kansas.
The Jayhawks have been phenomenal at defending inside the arc, ranking 12th in 2-point percentage allowed. The length of Hunter Dickinson and Flory Bidunga will give the Knights issues and likely force them to take low-percentage shots from the perimeter.
UCF's inconsistency on the offensive end will only amplify its defensive struggles in this one, as the Jayhawks have big edges inside the arc on that end of the floor as well.
Kansas has generated over 64% of its offense off 2-pointers, and the Knights rank 240th in 2-point percentage allowed.
However, it won't stop there for Kansas. The Jayhawks also hold a tremendous edge on the glass.
UCF is a team that can push the tempo and likes breakouts off misses, but that leaves it very vulnerable to allowing offensive rebounds. It ranks 344th in defensive rebounding rate and 340th in defensive second-chance conversion rate.
While Kansas isn't quite the juggernaut it was thought to be entering this season, it's clear this team is head and shoulders above UCF. Look for the Jayhawks to dominate defensively and take control by dominating the paint on the offensive end.
I'll take Kansas to cover the spread and advance in the Big 12 Tournament.
