The No. 6 seed Kentucky Wildcats and the No. 3 seed Kansas State Wildcats play in a second round showdown of the 2023 NCAA Tournament on Sunday afternoon. Kentucky has made the NCAA Tournament in six of the last eight years. Last season, the Wildcats were stunned by Saint Peters 85-79 in the first round. Kansas State last made the NCAAA Tournament in 2019, where the Wildcats lost 70-64 to UC Irvine in the first round.
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 142.5. 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: 142.5 points
- Kentucky vs. Kansas State money line: Kentucky -155, Kansas State +135
- 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 guard Antonio Reeves is a smooth, sharpshooter on the perimeter. Reeves has excellent range and owns a quick release to threaten the defense. The Illinois native puts up 14.6 points and shoots 41% from 3-point land on 5.8 attempts per game. He has scored at least 22 points in three straight contests. Reeves supplied 22 points and 5 3-pointers in the win over Providence on Friday.
Senior guard Jacob Toppin provides the Wildcats with an athletic, high-flying scorer. Toppin has good leaping ability to finish above the rim for dunks and alley-oops. The New York native averages 12.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. On March 10 against Vanderbilt, Toppin had 21 points and 11 rebounds.
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 Over 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.
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