Kansas travels to take on Colorado on Tuesday night in Boulder, Colorado with tip off at 10:00 p.m. CT on ESPN. Kansas comes in 13-5 (3-2 Big 12), while Colorado is 12-6 (2-3 Big 12). Last time out, Kansas beat Baylor 80-62 and Colorado fell to West Virginia 72-61. As of Monday, the spread and over/under for total points has not yet been announced by any sportsbooks.
The Jayhawks opened up as 5.5-point favorites, but the line has moved to KU -4.5. This is possibly in part because of Bill Self’s health scare that is expected to keep him from traveling to Boulder for the game. The over-under opened at 153.5, but has moved to 156 or 156.5 in most sports books.
Top Storyline: Is Kansas’ Momentum Real?
After falling out of the Top 25, Kansas put together it’s best week of basketball this season with a 21-point win over Iowa State and then an 18-point win against Baylor. This team feels like it’s finally finding itself after an up-and-down couple of weeks. Darryn Peterson is playing more consistently and is one of the most efficient scorers in the country. Flory Bidunga is knocking on the door of a double-double almost every game, if not getting there. Tre White had the rare off night vs. Baylor, but has been finding his stroke from three-point range as well. This team can be dangerous if it starts piecing this all together as they did last week.
Top Match Up: Kansas’ Offense vs. Colorado’s Defense
It might seem obvious, but Kansas has had the most efficient offense based on advanced metrics since Big 12 play began. Meantime, Colorado is one of the worst defensive teams in the country. Colorado is third-worst in the Big 12 for field goal percentage defense, while ranking second-worst in the Big 12 in three-point defense.
Prediction: Kansas 85, Colorado 71
Colorado fans may be holding out hope, thinking they were able to take Texas Tech down to the wire, and being in games vs. Cincinnati and then taking lead in the second half at West Virginia last week. However, this Colorado team has just been too streaky for its own good. Don’t forget, they trailed Texas Tech by over 20 points before rallying. They trailed West Virginia by 12 in the first half. I don’t think they’ll be able to survive being that streaky against a Kansas team that is pouring it in as of late. Kansas’ defense is also ranked No. 1 in field goal and three-point shooting, which spells trouble for Colorado. The late tip is mildly concerning on the road, but Kansas will get over it and coast to a win.
