The Kansas Jayhawks take on the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson, Arizona. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Arizona is favored by 9.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -500. The total is set at 147.5 points.
Here’s my Kansas vs. Arizona prediction and college basketball picks for February 28, 2026.
Kansas vs Arizona Prediction
My Pick: Arizona 1H -5 | Arizona -9.5
My Kansas vs Arizona best bet is on the Wildcats to cover the full-game and first-half spreads. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Kansas vs. Arizona Odds
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -115 | 147.5 -110o / -110u | +375 |
| Arizona Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -105 | 147.5 -110o / -110u | -500 |
- Kansas vs Arizona spread: Arizona -9.5
- Kansas vs Arizona over/under: 147.5
- Kansas vs Arizona moneyline: Kansas +375, Arizona -500
Kansas vs Arizona College Basketball Betting Preview
Kansas Basketball
In what's been a very up-and-down season for the Jayhawks, Bill Self’s squad continues to impress on its home floor, having defeated the likes of Iowa State, Arizona, Houston, BYU and Texas Tech.
The Darryn Peterson saga is stealing all the headlines in Lawrence, with the Jayhawks’ freshman phenom missing several games over the course of the season, many of which have come with no explanation whatsoever.
The Kansas freshman has played in 17 of the team’s 28 contests this season, and is posting an impressive 20 points per game in just 27 minutes of play.
Alongside Peterson, Tre White has been phenomenal, scoring 14.5 points per game.
Kansas’ frontcourt has also been really impressive on both ends of the floor, particularly behind the play of Flory Bidunga. He's posting over 14 points per game, and has been a monster on the glass, recording over nine rebounds a night.
Bidguna is the second-leading scorer for the Jayhawks, and he's stepped up big-time in several games Kansas was without Peterson. The Jayhawks' offense is scoring nearly 77 points per game and ranks inside the top 35 in the country in offensive efficiency rating, per KenPom.
Bidguna's impact has been even greater on the other end of the floor, leading a dominant interior defense with 2.8 blocks a night, which ranks third in the country. Kansas is allowing its opponents to score under 65 points this season, an impressive number for a Big 12 squad.
Arizona Basketball
Tommy Lloyd’s bunch will continue its quest for the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Arizona started its campaign with a remarkable 23 consecutive victories, suffering its first defeat to Self’s Jayhawks in the first meeting between these conference foes.
After hitting some slight turbulence with a second defeat against Texas Tech, the Wildcats have rebounded nicely with three straight victories — all of which have come without two of its star freshman in Koa Peat and Dwayne Aristode.
Brayden Burries leads the charge for a Wildcats offense scoring over 90 points per game, as he's dropping over 15 points on average. The freshman point guard is unbelievably efficient with the ball in his hands, converting on over 50% of his field goal attempts while only turning the ball over once per contest despite playing nearly 30 minutes per game.
In the Wildcats’ last three games without Peat and Aristode, Burries has been phenomenal, having just scored 24 points on Baylor in the Wildcats’ last contest.
The Wildcats' offense loves to push the pace, often finding shots very early in the shot clock. Lloyd earned his stripes as an assistant coach at Gonzaga under Mark Few, and is considered by many to be an offensive mastermind.
Lloyd runs some very intricate schemes in the half-court, also implementing quick passes and great perimeter spacing by its perimeter guards. Arizona also loves to operate its offense through the post, given the athleticism and scoring ability in its frontcourt.
The Wildcats' frontcourt has tremendous size, featuring Motiejus Krivas and freshman Ivan Kharchenkov. On top of the stellar offensive efforts from Peat and several others, Arizona’s offense ranks sixth in the country in offensive efficiency, per KenPom.
The Wildcats have been even more efficient on the other end of the floor, ranking fourth in college basketball in defensive efficiency rating. Behind an impressive full-court press, along with the best defensive frontcourt in the country, the Wildcats boast one of the nation’s top defenses, allowing under 69 points per contest.
A deeper look into Arizona’s efficiency metrics reveals that the team has struggled on both ends of the floor without Peat and Aristode available in the last few games. The status of two of Lloyd’s premier freshmen will undoubtedly be a major headline heading into Saturday’s rematch.
Kansas vs. Arizona Betting Analysis
Injury news looms large for this handicap, as the status of Peterson — along with the Peat and Aristode — remains in question.
However, even if the Wildcats remain short-handed, I think this is a great spot to target them in a true revenge game.
The Jayhawks' scoring margin at Allen Fieldhouse versus on the road differs by nearly seven points, which shouldn't be very surprising considering the team’s success on its home floor both this season, and historically.
While Self’s defense has actually traveled pretty well this season, its offense has been miserable away from home and has one of its toughest matchups of the season versus a top-three defense in college basketball.
Though the Wildcats enter Saturday’s rematch as a rather large favorite, I'll definitely be looking to back Arizona.
In a game that could certainly impact Arizona’s seeding ahead of the Big Dance in a few weeks, the Wildcats will definitely be looking to show out in impressive fashion. While I hope Peat and Aristode are ruled active for the Wildcats, I'm still okay taking a shot on Arizona if the two freshmen are sidelined.
My Pick: Arizona 1H -5 | Arizona -9.5
