Monday features few college basketball matchups, but it packs a punch with a top-25 doubleheader on ESPN. The No. 2 Houston Cougars (23-4) against the No. 8 Kansas Jayhawks (20-7) is the top clash of today and caps the action with a 9:00 p.m. ET tipoff.
Houston is stumbling with back-to-back losses, and Kansas is 1-2 over the previous three matchups. Both teams are in the top-five logjam of Big 12 standings, with four games remaining in the regular season.
Who could gain the upper hand in our Houston vs. Kansas prediction, spread, and picks? Plus, we’ll dive into player projections found on PrizePicks.
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Houston vs. Kansas Prediction, Spread, Picks
Since joining the Big 12, Houston is 3-1 against Kansas but only 2-2 against the spread (ATS). The over/under is also knotted at 2-2 in the split.
The Cougars are 7-3 in their last 10 games, but they’ve failed to cover four consecutive point spreads. KU is 8-2 and 7-3 ATS over the past 10 collisions.
Houston vs. Kansas Over/Under, Spread
Houston is 1-2 ATS in its last three away games, yet the Cougs still feature a 1.58x payout to win as 1.5-point favorites. Both squads sport strong defenses, contributing to tonight’s 139.5 total for the over/under.
- Spread: Houston Cougars -1.5
- Over/Under: 139.5
- Gamer Winner Payout: Houston 1.58x | Kansas 2.17x
Team picks data is live as of publishing and is subject to change.
Houston vs. Kansas Prediction for Spread
Tonight’s game could boil down to the great mystery of Kansas G Darryn Peterson. Supported by 19.6 points per game (PPG), he’s one of the top talents in college basketball, ranked first in Jeremy Woo’s 2026 NBA Draft Big Board.
The freshman’s availability has been as inconsistent as Midwest weather, playing in only 18 minutes on February 18 and a hefty 32 minutes on Saturday. While drama surrounds Peterson, he’s played in five of six February games while averaging 16.6 PPG this month.
According to Bart Torvik, the Cougars rank sixth in adjusted defensive efficiency, spearheaded by elite Defensive Bayesian Performance Ratings (DBPR) from Houston F Chris Cenac Jr. (3.69) and F Joseph Tugler (4.77), per EvanMiya.
Peterson could play a significant role in Monday’s matchup, as Houston’s guards can be susceptible on defense. For example, Arizona G Jaden Bradley (17 points) and G Anthony Dell’Orso (22 points) excelled in Saturday’s 73-66 win over the Cougars.
The Jayhawks feature an excellent paint presence in Kansas F Flory Bidunga, who totals 14.6 PPG and 9.3 rebounds per game (RPG). Led by Bidunga’s elite 5.00 DBPR, KU is in the 88th percentile of close-2 shot distribution allowed. If Houston struggles to score in the paint, it shoots only 34.0% from 3-point land (51st percentile).
After recording a dreadful 38.9% field goal percentage in their last two losses, the Cougars’ scoring struggles could continue, as the Jayhawks allow a 45.3% effective field goal percentage (99th percentile).
Houston vs. Kansas Picks for PrizePicks: Monday, February 23
Guards could be the name of the game tonight, as Houston G Emanuel Sharp and Kansas G Melvin Council Jr. have favorable matchups for player projections on PrizePicks.
Houston G Emanuel Sharp vs. Kansas Projection: 16 Points
- Kansas ranks in the 17th percentile of 3-point shot distribution allowed and surrenders 27.7 attempted triples per game (fourth percentile).
- Sharp leads Houston with 7.2 3-point shots and 2.7 made treys per game.
- The senior posts 16.4 PPG and has increased that to 20.0 PPG in the last four games.
- He’s made 17-of-39 triples (43.6%) in the four-game split, surpassing his 37.9% season-long mark from beyond the arc.
Kansas G Melvin Council Jr. vs. Houston Projection: 11.5 Points
- Among Kansas guards, Council could get the most favorable one-on-one matchup against Houston G Milos Uzan, whose 2.73 DBPR is the starting lineup’s worst mark.
- The senior guard’s 12.8 field goal attempts per game rank second on the team, and he’s posted 13.9 shots per matchup in the last eight games.
- Council reached at least 12 points in six of his last nine outings and recorded 14.3 PPG in the split.
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Make Houston vs. Kansas CBB Picks on PrizePicks
According to PrizePicks Team Picks, Kansas is tied as the third favorite to win the Big 12 with a 16.66x payout. Houston, meanwhile, remains the second favorite to win the conference (5.88x). Will the Cougars chip away at Arizona’s Big 12 lead, or will the Jayhawks stay alive in the conference title race?
Make your Houston vs. Kansas picks at PrizePicks, where you can earn real-money rewards for your predictions if you’re right. Just choose players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and follow the hoops action to see if your picks hit. You can make picks on winners, spreads, and over/unders on Team Picks, now available in 34 states.
Keep tabs on the Playbook for continued College Basketball predictions, picks, and news.
