It's a battle of blue bloods Friday night when the Jayhawks take on the Tar Heels at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN.
SBR's Shane Jackson shares his best bets in his Kansas vs North Carolina prediction:
Over/Under pick: Over 157 (-110 via Caesars)
Game prediction: North Carolina moneyline (-130 via DraftKings)
"This year’s meeting is the second leg of a home-and-home series. Kansas prevailed with a 92-89 win during last year’s matchup in Lawrence, Kan. But North Carolina will benefit from the rematch taking place at home against a KU team still trying to figure things out.
This is a big early-season test for the Jayhawks following their 94-51 win over Green Bay in the season opener. It’s worth questioning if a team led by a freshman guard is ready to step into a road environment this soon.
Kansas hasn’t done well on the road in recent years with veteran rosters. The Jayhawks, who were preseason No. 1 for the past two seasons, went 4-8 on the road last year and 4-6 in such contests during the 2023-24 campaign.
Flory Budinga is the only returning player who had an active role on last year’s team, so the Jayhawks are still figuring out how to play together. Peterson will lead the way, but what are the roles behind him?
North Carolina, meanwhile, has a starting lineup of four upperclassmen around Wilson. The Tar Heels appeared in good form during their 94-54 victory over Central Arkansas in the opener, as five different players reached double figures.
The Tar Heels have more balance and experience. They are playing at home. I think they do enough to win this game."
Best prop bet: Tre White Under 4.5 rebounds (+105 via BetMGM)
"According to KenPom, North Carolina ranks 12th in the country in average height, featuring a 6-foot-10 Wilson and a 7-foot center in Henri Veesaar. The Jayhawks are 43rd in average height, but start a 6-foot-7 guard, Tre White, at the power forward spot to help with spacing next to a 6-foot-10 Budinga.
Basically, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jayhawks try more double-big lineups. If not, they might lose the rebound battle by a comfortable margin.
Either way, I could see White losing minutes or having less of an impact on the glass. He grabbed one rebound in the opener and collected three boards against Louisville in exhibition play."
SBR's Shane Jackson shares his best bets in his Kansas vs North Carolina prediction:
Over/Under pick: Over 157 (-110 via Caesars)
Game prediction: North Carolina moneyline (-130 via DraftKings)
"This year’s meeting is the second leg of a home-and-home series. Kansas prevailed with a 92-89 win during last year’s matchup in Lawrence, Kan. But North Carolina will benefit from the rematch taking place at home against a KU team still trying to figure things out.
This is a big early-season test for the Jayhawks following their 94-51 win over Green Bay in the season opener. It’s worth questioning if a team led by a freshman guard is ready to step into a road environment this soon.
Kansas hasn’t done well on the road in recent years with veteran rosters. The Jayhawks, who were preseason No. 1 for the past two seasons, went 4-8 on the road last year and 4-6 in such contests during the 2023-24 campaign.
Flory Budinga is the only returning player who had an active role on last year’s team, so the Jayhawks are still figuring out how to play together. Peterson will lead the way, but what are the roles behind him?
North Carolina, meanwhile, has a starting lineup of four upperclassmen around Wilson. The Tar Heels appeared in good form during their 94-54 victory over Central Arkansas in the opener, as five different players reached double figures.
The Tar Heels have more balance and experience. They are playing at home. I think they do enough to win this game."
Best prop bet: Tre White Under 4.5 rebounds (+105 via BetMGM)
"According to KenPom, North Carolina ranks 12th in the country in average height, featuring a 6-foot-10 Wilson and a 7-foot center in Henri Veesaar. The Jayhawks are 43rd in average height, but start a 6-foot-7 guard, Tre White, at the power forward spot to help with spacing next to a 6-foot-10 Budinga.
Basically, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jayhawks try more double-big lineups. If not, they might lose the rebound battle by a comfortable margin.
Either way, I could see White losing minutes or having less of an impact on the glass. He grabbed one rebound in the opener and collected three boards against Louisville in exhibition play."