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College Basketball

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Colorado Buffaloes Picks, Predictions, Odds

Daniel Dobish
Daniel Dobish Sports Betting Expert
6 minute read
Dec. 21, 2021
Dan Dobish
VI Betting Expert
VegasInsider.com

The Kansas Jayhawks (9-1) travel to meet the Colorado Buffaloes (9-3) at the CU Events Center in Boulder, Colo. on Tuesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on ESPN2.

Score Prediction

Kansas 74, Colorado 67

Best Bets

Colorado +9.5 (-110) at Bet365

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Colorado Buffaloes Predictions

The Jayhawks, ranked inside the Top 10 of all the major polls, have picked up five consecutive victories since their stunning loss on a neutral floor against a very mediocre Dayton team back on Nov. 26. Kansas lost that game as a 16-point favorite. Rock Chalk won last time out against a decent Stephen F. Austin team, scratching out an 80-72 victory against a Lumberjacks team which shot 53% from the field, including 7-of-17 from downtown. What was a bit shocking is that SFA outrebounded Kansas by a 28-25 margin. That simply cannot happen, not as a Big 12 team ranked inside the Top 10 against a WAC team with marginal size. If that happens against Colorado, Kansas might get buried.

Speaking of burials, the Buffaloes dropped CSU Bakersfield last time out by a 60-46 score, pushing against the 14-point number. The Buffs held the Roadrunners to just 27% shooting, or 15-of-55, while CSUB went 2-for-14 (27%) from downtown. Colorado needed that kind of defense, as it was just 42% from the floor, or 19-for-45. The good news is that CU had its threes dropping, going 7-of-17 (41%), which is exactly what Kansas did against Stephen F. Austin.

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Colorado Buffaloes Betting Odds

  • Kansas -9.5 (-110)
  • Colorado +9.5 (-110)
  • Over 144 (-110)
  • Under 144 (-110)

More Odds | Futures Odds

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Colorado Buffaloes Betting Resources

  • Matchup: Big 12 vs. Pac-12
  • Date: Tuesday, December 21, 2021
  • Venue: CU Events Center
  • Location: Boulder, Colorado
  • TV-Time: ESPN2 - 9:00 p.m. ET

Kansas Jayhawks Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

  • SU: 9-1
  • ATS: 5-4-1
  • O/U: 8-2

It's been a tale of three seasons for Kansas, in terms of against the spread. It opened with a 2-0-1 ATS mark in three games to open the season, including an 87-74 victory as 4.5-point favorites against Michigan State in New York City on Nov. 9. The Jayhawks followed that up with an 0-3 ATS skid, including its only loss against Dayton on Nov. 26, and a 13-point win as a 13.5-point favorite over Iona on Nov. 28, both on a neutral floor. They rebounded with a 3-0 ATS run, starting with a win at St. John's on Dec. 3, and a home win over Mizzou Dec. 11. After a non-cover to Stephen F. Austin last time out, is this the start of another losing skid against the number?

The Jayhawks are 4-1-1 ATS in the past six games on the road, and hey, it's Tuesday, and they're 3-0-1 ATS in the past four games played on a Tuesday. However, they're also 1-5 ATS in the past six against teams with a winning percentage over .600, and 1-4-1 ATS in the past six on the road against a team with a winning home record, too.

Against the total, the Jayhawks have rolled up five OVER results in the past six games, and the OVER is 4-0 in the past four on the road. Better yet, the OVER is 9-0 in the past nine on the road against teams with a winning home record.

Colorado Buffaloes Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

  • SU: 9-3
  • ATS: 2-8-2
  • O/U: 5-7

Colorado has grinded out three very defensive wins from Dec. 8-18, topping Eastern Washington 60-57, Milwaukee 65-54 and CSU Bakersfield 60-46. The Buffaloes are just 0-3-1 ATS across the past four outings, and a dismal 2-8-2 ATS across the past 12 games overall this season.

The Buffaloes are 1-8-2 ATS in the past 11 at the CU Events Center, too, while going 1-4-2 ATS in the past seven games against winning teams, too. And unlike KU, Colorado doesn't care for Tuesdays, going 0-5 ATS in the past five played on the day.

Also oppo of Kansas, the UNDER has hit in five straight for Colorado, while going 4-0 in the past four at home, too. The OVER is 5-2 in the past seven games for Colorado against winning teams, however.


The Colorado Buffaloes have posted a dismal 1-8-2 ATS in the past 11 home games in Boulder. (AP)

Inside the Stats - Kansas Jayhawks

  • Record: 9-1
  • VI Ranking: 8
  • PS/G: 85.8 (8th)
  • PA/G: 67.5 (169th)
  • ORtg: 119.0 (5th)
  • DRtg: 93.6 (121st)

Inside the Stats - Colorado Buffaloes

  • Record: 9-3
  • VI Ranking: 63
  • PS/G: 71.0 (204th)
  • PA/G: 65.2 (108th)
  • ORtg: 103.6 (168th)
  • DRtg: 95.1 (141st)

Key Players to Watch

  • KU: Ochai Agbaji - G (22.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 48.4 3P%)
  • KU: Christian Braun - F (16.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG)
  • CU: Evan Battey - G (12.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 55.2 FG%, 53.3 3P%)
  • CU: Jabari Walker - F (13.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.3 APG, 44.0 FG%)

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Colorado Buffaloes Betting Conclusion

Kansas has picked up five consecutive victories in a row, and they'll get a sixth straight win in Boulder. It isn't going to be easy, however, as Jabari Walker, Evan Battey and company are a lunch-pail team which make you work for everything, win or lose.

These teams last met Dec. 7, 2019 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., with the Jayhawks posting a 72-58 win. Prior to that, these teams used to meet once or twice per season as fellow members of the Big 12 Conference. The Buffaloes won the most recent meeting in Boulder way back on Dec. 7, 2013, a 75-72 win. That team was a lot more talented than the one we'll see Tuesday night. Colorado has some solid starters, but a lack of depth is what will be their undoing. Kansas has a ton of size in the frontcourt, and you can bet your bottom dollar that they have been worked hard since that narrow win over Stephen F. Austin, and they won't be outrebounded again. Expect KU to come out with a fire lit under them.

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Colorado Buffaloes Betting Trends

  • Kansas is 4-1-1 ATS in the past six games on the road.
  • Colorado is 1-8-2 ATS in the past 11 home games.
  • Colorado is 0-3-1 ATS in the past four games overall.
  • The OVER is 5-1 in the past six games overall for Kansas.
  • The OVER is 4-0 in the past four road games for Kansas.
  • The UNDER is 5-0 in the past five games for Colorado.
  • The UNDER is 4-0 in the past four home games for Colorado.

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Daniel Dobish

Daniel Dobish

Dan is a handicapper and sports betting expert for VegasInsider with years of experience writing for a number of top publications in the industry. More from Daniel Dobish
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