Kansas vs West Virginia

Kansas rolls into Morgantown having just bounced back from the UCF loss with a 104–100 OT win over TCU, fueled by Darryn Peterson’s 32-point return to form and a balanced core of Tre White, Melvin Council Jr., and Flory Bidunga, who headline an offense averaging about 78 points while allowing 67 against one of the nation’s tougher schedules. West Virginia counters with a stingy defense (just over 61 points allowed per game) and a hot backcourt of Honor Huff and Treysen Eaglestaff, plus a Coliseum edge where the Mountaineers have historically gone 7–5 against Kansas and have taken the last two meetings in this building—familiar terrain for Bidunga, whose foul late in last year’s 62–61 home loss to WVU will keep him locked in on this rematch. With Peterson finally healthy after earlier hamstring issues and limited minutes, Kansas’ ceiling is higher, but the road environment and WVU’s physical guard play make laying the price less attractive than the raw win probability suggests, so I’d play the Jayhawks’ moneyline more for safety than value at this number. Overall, I grade Kansas -188 on the moneyline as a **B**: a solid, relatively likely winner with only modest long-term value at this juice. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 10/01/2026 09:45

West Virginia’s defense, which is holding opponents to roughly 61.5 points per game and has already ground Cincinnati down in a 62–60 rock fight, should drag the tempo toward a halfcourt slog despite Kansas’ recent shootouts. Kansas has surged into Big 12 play with back-to-back 75- and 104-point outings, but over the full season the Jayhawks’ profile (about 77.7 scored and 66.9 allowed per game) and Bill Self’s willingness to tighten rotations on the road point to more controlled possessions, especially with Peterson still being managed after hamstring and cramping issues earlier in the year. The Mountaineers’ offense has been competent but not explosive (roughly 74 points per game) and heavily reliant on perimeter shot-making from Huff and Eaglestaff, which can be volatile in a noon local tip with a defense-first opponent; add in Kansas’ improved rim protection behind Bidunga and a WVU team that generally prefers games in the high 60s to low 70s, and 136.5 sits a touch high relative to the likely possession count. I’ll grade the **Under 136.5 (-125)** as a **B**—the number isn’t a steal at this vig, but the combination of elite defense, early tip, and conference grind leans toward a total landing below the mid-130s. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 10/01/2026 09:45

Darryn Peterson’s shot-making gives Kansas a clear talent edge, but when you fold in West Virginia’s unbeaten home record so far, a defense ranked near the top nationally in points allowed, and the program’s 7–5 all-time mark against Kansas in Morgantown (including last season’s 91–85 win here and the 62–61 road upset in Lawrence), the +3.5 hook on the Mountaineers becomes very attractive. WVU’s backcourt of Honor Huff and Treysen Eaglestaff has been in rhythm—Huff just dropped 24 with six threes and Eaglestaff hit the late dagger against Cincinnati—and their spacing threatens a Kansas team that has occasionally bled perimeter looks in true road games, especially when Bidunga is dragged into foul trouble as he was in last year’s loss to these Mountaineers. While analytics favor Kansas outright, models and market numbers generally project only a one- or two-possession margin, and with the Jayhawks just recently emerging from a UCF loss and an emotionally draining OT win, asking them to win comfortably in a building that has tripped up stronger KU teams offers West Virginia meaningful cover equity. I grade **West Virginia +3.5 (-120)** as a **B+** pick: not only a reasonable chance to cash in a tight game script where Kansas still ekes out a win, but also one of the more appealing value spots on this board given WVU’s home edge and current form. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 10/01/2026 09:45