The Kansas Jayhawks take on the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha, NE. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Kansas is favored by 4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -175. The total is set at 153 points.
Here’s my Kansas vs. Creighton predictions and college basketball picks for December 4, 2024.
Kansas vs Creighton Prediction
My Pick: Kansas -4.5
My Kansas vs Creighton best bet is on the Jayhawks spread, with the best odds currently available at FanDuel. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Kansas vs Creighton Odds, Lines, Pick
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4 -110 | 151.5 -110o / -110u | -190 |
| Creighton Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4 -110 | 151.5 -110o / -110u | +160 |
- Kansas vs Creighton spread: Kansas -4
- Kansas vs Creighton over/under: 151.5 points
- Kansas vs Creighton moneyline: Kansas -190, Creighton +160
- Kansas vs Creighton best bet: Kansas -4.5
My Kansas vs Creighton College Basketball Betting Preview
Kansas Basketball
While Creighton has struggled against high-major foes, Kansas has done just fine. The Jayhawks hold wins over Duke, Michigan State and North Carolina, but this is the first true road test for the No. 1 team in the AP Poll.
Kansas is elite on both ends of the floor, ranking 10th in offensive efficiency and 13th in defensive, per Bart Torvik.
Hunter Dickinson is the key — as always — but Kansas can still win a game even if its star struggles. That wasn't the case last year, but adding Zeke Mayo, Rylan Griffen and AJ Storr gives the Jayhawks another gear.
Each of the three newcomers averages eight-plus points per game and is a knockdown perimeter shooter.
The Jayhawks have eight players who average five-plus points per game, which speaks to their immense depth and talent. It was live and die by Dickinson last year once Kevin McCullar Jr. got hurt, and Bill Self wasn't letting that happen again.
Perhaps the most interesting stat is Kansas' elite perimeter defense. The Jayhawks hold opponents to just 28% shooting from 3, which matters in this game, given Creighton's propensity for attempting 3s.
Some regression could come, but Kansas' perimeter defense looks stout.
Point guard Dajuan Harris Jr. is one of, if not the best on-ball defenders in the country. He gives the Jayhawks the point guard advantage in virtually every game on both ends. Harris can lock down opposing guards while posting a 6:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Will this experienced Kansas squad have enough to win a true road game?
Creighton Basketball
There's no question about it: Creighton hosting No. 1 Kansas is huge for more reasons than just hosting the No. 1 team. The Bluejays' lousy metrics could use a boost.
First and foremost, getting healthy is of utmost importance for Creighton. All-American center Ryan Kalkbrenner sat versus Notre Dame, while Steven Ashworth and Pop Isaacs have battled injuries.
Assuming Kalkbrenner is in, he will make life tough on Kansas' star, Dickinson. There is a reason Kalkbrenner is the back-to-back Big East Defensive Player of the Year; he's one of the top defenders in the country.
Nebraska deployed a formula teams plan to follow to slow down Kalkbrenner's scoring. It's common to front bigger players to make the catch tough, but Fred Hoiberg fronted and put a player behind the man nicknamed "Kalk."
That led to him attempting one shot. He has also scored fewer than 10 points in three straight games.
Putting more attention on Kalkbrenner is an option because Creighton doesn't have Trey Alexander or a plethora of shot-creators who make defenses pay. It comes down to Ashworth, Isaacs and Jamiya Neal hitting jumper, and if they don't, it's a lost cause.
Ashworth has been consistent, shooting 40% from 3, Isaacs shoots 36% from the floor, and Neal provides 27% from 3.
College hoops fans have grown accustomed to elite offensive Creighton teams. I don't know if this team has the upside of being an elite offense without international transfer Fedor Zugic joining the fray. The NCAA has yet to clear Zugic for game action.
Defensively, Creighton is pretty solid but nothing special, ranking 52nd in defensive efficiency, per KenPom.
Kansas vs. Creighton Betting Analysis
You might see a trap here with Kansas as short road favorites, but the Jayhawks are the better team.
I don't see Creighton as an NCAA Tournament team as currently constructed, and its 3-point volume will lead to extreme variance.
In games Creighton shoots well, it can beat anybody. In games it doesn't, then Creighton can lose to anybody.
The Bluejays won't be able to hit 3s against this stout perimeter Jayhawks defense, which shifts the game in Kansas' favor.
