The Kentucky Wildcats take on the Kansas State Wildcats. Our March Madness odds series has our Kentucky Kansas State prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Kentucky Kansas State.
The college basketball season gets a lot more intense as the NCAA Tournament continues. In the East Region, there is a growing sense that the Kentucky Wildcats can make that elusive run to the Final Four. It's a relative observation. For Kentucky, not making the Final Four in eight years feels like forever. Other schools would love to go eight years between Final Fours. That would be incredible for most of the schools in the NCAA Tournament. At Kentucky, though, it is not acceptable.
Yet, you can see the bracket opening up for John Calipari's team. Big Blue doesn't have an easy game here against Kansas State, but if UK can win this battle of the Wildcats, it would go to the Sweet 16 as the probable favorite. Marquette or Michigan State would be the next opponent. Kentucky would likely be favored against either team, though against Marquette, it might be very close. Still, a lot of analysts would expect Kentucky's experience — with big man Oscar Tshiebwe playing well and Calipari pushing the right buttons — against a Marquette team which does not have a lot of March experience.
The open bracket refers in part to the Elite Eight, with Purdue — the top seed in the East Region — and fifth-seeded Duke both out of the tournament. Kentucky could face the Tennessee Volunteers in the regional final. Kentucky soundly outplayed the Vols in both meetings this season.
Get past Kansas State, and you're going to hear a Kentucky Final Four drumbeat all next week.
Here are the Kentucky-Kansas State March Madness odds, courtesy of FanDuel:
March Madness Odds: Kentucky-Kansas State Odds
Kentucky Wildcats: -2.5 (-115)
Kansas State Wildcats: +2.5 (-105)
Over: 144.5 (-105)
Under: 144.5 (-115)
How To Watch Kentucky vs. Kansas State
TV: CBS
Stream: CBSSports.com, fuboTV
Time: 2:40 p.m. ET, 11:40 a.m. PT
*Watch Kentucky-Kansas State LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why Kentucky Could Cover The Spread
The Kansas State Wildcats did a solid job against Montana State in the first round. They scored a workmanlike win and were not seriously threatened late in the contest. Yet, it's not as though KSU blew out its Big Sky Conference opponent. The Wildcats outscored Montana State by a modest six points in each of the two halves. Kansas State is a really good team, but it is not an especially imposing team. Kentucky and Tshiebwe have more power and strength inside. They can create a rockfight and win because of their strength on the glass. Grabbing loose balls and using size and length near the basket give Kentucky a set of matchups it can work with.
Why Kansas State Could Cover The Spread
Kansas State coach Jerome Tang was the Big 12 Coach of the year this season. He and his KSU team have been underestimated by many. John Calipari and Oscar Tshiebwe are going to get most of the publicity heading into this game, but Kansas State — despite being the higher seed — will be the under-the-radar team with a point to prove. It could be a great way for the Wildcats to enter this game. Compare this to Duke-Tennessee. Most people predicted Duke because of the national brand name associated with the Blue Devils, but Tennessee played a rugged, blue-collar game and punched Duke in the mouth. Kansas State can author the same basic scenario here.
Final Kentucky-Kansas State Prediction & Pick
This game is stay-away material. The matchup feels like a total coin flip.
Final Kentucky-Kansas State Prediction & Pick: Kentucky -2.5
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