NCAAB: Cincinnati vs #16 Kansas Odds, and Picks (Mar 13)

• Cincinnati picked up back-to-back wins over West Virginia, barely staying alive.
• Kansas will be aiming to bounce back from a brutal 30-point defeat to Houston.
• These two teams last faced off on January 22, in a game that Kansas won 74-69.

Selection Sunday is less than a week away! Let’s look at this Big-12 Tournament matchup between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Kansas Jayhawks. The Bearcats are stuck on the bubble, needing a win here.

How to Watch

• ESPN2

Preview

Cincinnati wasn’t able to improve their bubble case much in their two wins over 9-23 West Virginia. Their favorable NET ranking has slid to outside the top-40 over the past two weeks, and their 7-11 record in conference play is a glaring mark to the committee. On the other hand, wins over TCU, Texas Tech, and BYU are keeping the Bearcats in the bubble conversation. This is likely an elimination game for Cincinnati.

On February 3, Kansas defeated Houston by 13 points, improving to 18-4, and rising to the 1-seed line in most brackets. Since then, they’ve gone just 4-5, with their most recent game being a 30-point loss to the same Cougars they beat five weeks ago. The Jayhawks have fallen to a projected 4-seed in that span, creating true cause for concern. They will aim to get back to their winning ways in the Big-12 tournament.

Prediction

With the way that Kansas has been playing recently, this game is wide open. Cincinnati will be extra motivated, needing a win here more than the Jayhawks for their bubble case, and the Bearcats lost by just 5 points at Kansas earlier in the year. On a neutral court, it’ll come down to the wire. I’ll take Kansas by 3.

NCAAB Picks:

• Kansas 75, Cincinnati 72 (CINCY +5.5)