The Missouri Tigers take on the Kansas Jayhawks in Kansas City, MO. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Kansas is favored by -4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -200. The total is set at 149.5 points.
Here’s my Missouri vs. Kansas prediction and college basketball picks for December 7, 2025.
Missouri vs Kansas Prediction
My Pick: Kansas -4.5 (play to -5.5)
My Missouri vs Kansas best bet is on Kansas -4.5 (play to -5.5). For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Missouri vs. Kansas Odds
| Missouri Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -110 | 149.5 -110o / -110u | +165 |
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -110 | 149.5 -110o / -110u | -200 |
- Missouri vs Kansas spread: Kansas -4.5 (-110 ), Missouri +4.5 (-110)
- Missouri vs Kansas over/under: 149.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Missouri vs Kansas moneyline: Missouri +165, Kansas -200
Missouri vs Kansas College Basketball Betting Preview
Missouri Basketball
Missouri took a fairly disappointing loss to Notre Dame earlier this week, its first loss of the season.
There's no shame in losing on the road, but Missouri has to play an even tougher road versus its rival in this one.
I'm a bit unsure if Missouri can remain a top-15 offense in America with a more grueling schedule looming. In a lot of ways, the Tigers could overwhelm mid-major foes with their size and strength. That won't be as easy against teams like Kansas.
That brings Missouri's shooting into question. The Tigers are without their best shooter, Jayden Stone, and that only exacerbates the issue. They start three players who are questionable shooters. Mark Mitchell is the best player on Mizzou's roster, but he's a dreadful shooter. Starting center Shawn Phillips isn't a shooter, and Sebastian Mack is also a bad shooter.
Notably, Mack appears to be losing favor with the staff. He barely played, despite starting in the Notre Dame game — and TO Barrett took his place; he's not much of a shooter, either.
Outside of Anthony Robinson and Jacob Crews, the Tigers' shooting is a real problem. We'll see if that stings Missouri against a tough defense that forces teams to shoot 3s on 43% of attempted field goals.
Defensively, the Tigers have really struggled. They rank 113th in defensive efficiency per Torvik when removing preseason bias. Defending inside the arc is a strength of Missouri, holding teams to 45% shooting from two. It struggles a bit to defend the arc, though, as opponents drill 33% of their 3s against it.
I could see Missouri improving on the defensive end, with its interior defense being a huge plus. However, the numbers say the Tigers' defense has been a weak spot to date. We'll see where it ends up.
Kansas Basketball
Welcome back, Darryn Peterson (probably). Barring a setback, the projected No. 1 overall draft pick should return from a hamstring issue. It's been one month to the date and seven games since Peterson last played. Peterson will float in like Superman to save the day for a Jayhawks offense that ranks 93rd in offensive efficiency from the day the star guard went down.
The Jayhawks lost to North Carolina with Peterson, but that was a road tout in Chapel Hill. They also lost to Duke and UConn in close battles sans Peterson.
In a way, Peterson's missing time showed Kansas how to win when he's back. He'll shoulder the scoring load and help improve the Jayhawks. And they need it, as they shot 29% from 3 without Peterson.
They'll remain a terrific defensive team with connecting pieces, like Melvin Council and Tre White, helping Peterson.
Kansas will likely see some regression in the three-point defense category. It holds teams to 24% shooting from deep, one of the four best marks in America. Missouri might not be the team to begin the swing due to its shooting problems. I'd monitor that moving forward, though.
I do not doubt that Kansas is an elite defensive unit, whether it holds teams to 24% shooting from 3 all year or not. The Jayhawks also hold squads to 48% shooting on 2s and hold opponents to hardly any offensive boards. Those are two important elements to determining how good a team's defense is.
Missouri vs. Kansas Betting Analysis
The three guarantees in life? Death, Taxes, and Bill Self winning non-conference home games in the Phog. He's lost just seven non-conference home games during his time in Lawrence.
Now, that doesn't mean Kansas will cover -4.5, but I think it will. Peterson should provide a substantial lift for a scuffling offense. Like, we can't forget how big a prospect he was. Peterson is the type of player who can carry an offense — and he'll destroy this dicey Missouri defense.
I don't buy Missouri much. The Tigers feel a bit overvalued. They aren't a top-30/35 caliber squad for me, as the metrics say. So, I'll fade them here.
My Pick: Kansas -4.5 (play to -5.5)
