A second round contest in the East region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament has the No. 6 seed Kentucky Wildcats squaring off against the No. 3 seed Kansas State Wildcats on Sunday afternoon. Kentucky knocked off Providence 61-53 in its first round matchup. Meanwhile, Kansas State defeated Montana State 77-65.
Tipoff from Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina is set for 2:40 p.m. ET on CBS. Kentucky is favored by 3-points in the latest Kentucky vs. Kansas State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 144.5. Before making any Kansas State vs. Kentucky picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters the 2023 NCAA Tournament 79-53 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,300 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Kentucky vs. Kansas State and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the NCAA Tournament 2023. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Kansas State vs. Kentucky:
- Kentucky vs. Kansas State: Kentucky -3
- Kentucky vs. Kansas State over/under: 144.5 points
- Kentucky vs. Kansas State money line: Kentucky -155, Kansas State +130
- UK: The Wildcats are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall
- KSU: The Wildcats are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five Sunday games
- Kentucky vs. Kansas State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Kentucky can cover
Senior forward Oscar Tshiebwe continues to be an energetic and active presence in the paint. Tshiebwe has relentless strength when fighting to gain position for boards and good looks at the rim. The native of Congo ranks first in the nation in rebounds (13.5) with 16.2 points and a block per game. He was also tied for fourth in the country in double-doubles (19). On March 1 against Vanderbilt, Tshiebwe notched 21 points and 20 boards.
Freshman guard Cason Wallace is an athletic and assertive playmaker. Wallace can set up the offense and make impactful plays on both sides of the court. The Texas native averages 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. In the Feb. 25 contest against Auburn, Wallace finished with 19 points, nine assists and four steals.
Why Kansas State can cover
Senior forward Keyontae Johnson is a mobile and athletic scorer. Johnson has been a solid and consistent scorer from all three levels while being a secure rebounder. The Virginia native leads the team in both points (17.7) and rebounds (7.1). In the opening-round win over Montana State, Johnson racked up 18 points and eight rebounds.
Senior guard Markquis Nowell is a skilled and instinctive playmaker. Nowell scans the floor with ease and makes the right read. The New York native is second in the nation in assists (7.8) along with 16.8 points per contest. On March 4 against West Virginia, he amassed 24 points, eight assists and six steals.
How to make Kansas State vs. Kentucky picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 144 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits over 50% of the time. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Kentucky vs. Kansas State? And which side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
