NBA Postseason Best Bets (5/17)
Alex Christenson
The college basketball season is less than three weeks away, and here at FTN Bets we have you covered for what promises to be another thrilling year of upsets and incredible finishes. I will be taking you around the country with a betting preview of the major conferences. I recap the betting trends from last season, list projected starters, preview the season, identify a key player and reveal how I’m backing or fading each team.
Let’s start with the best conference in college basketball, the Big 12. Last season ended a three-year streak of Big 12 representation in the NCAA Championship game, including consecutive championships from Baylor (2020-2021) and Kansas (2021-2022). This year, the conference will add four new teams in Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and UCF. With 14 total teams, will we see a change with the top teams, or will the dominance of national powerhouses such as Kansas, Texas and Baylor be magnified further?
Let’s start with our betting preview for the Kansas Jayhawks.
2023-2024 Kansas Jayhawks Betting Preview
Conference: Big 12
Head Coach: Bill Self (21st season)
2022-2023 Record: 28-8 (13-5)
ATS: 17-19
O/U: 17-19
Projected Starters: G Dajuan Harris; G Nick Timberlake; F Kevin McCullar Jr., F K.J. Adams Jr., C Hunter Dickinson
On Saturday, March 4, the Jayhawks traveled to Texas with the Big 12 regular season title already secure. They were 25-5 and 13-4 in the toughest conference in college basketball, cruising toward yet another No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Then, legendary head coach Bill Self missed the entire Big 12 Tournament with a heart issue, leading to a Jayhawks loss in the conference tournament finals to the Longhorns, and a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament to Arkansas. It felt like Kansas never fully returned to their elite play without Self as their leader.
It appears Self is back to full health and is once again ready to guide a loaded Jayhawks roster. Per 247 Sports, Kansas has the No. 1 overall transfer class, headlined by Michigan big man Hunter Dickinson. They added Parker Braun (Christian Braun’s older brother) from Santa Clara and sharpshooter Nic Timberlake (Towson). They return a fantastic nucleus, including floor general Dajuan Harris, defensive specialist Kevin McCullar Jr. and explosive forward K.J. Adams Jr. Just for fun? Kansas adds three high-level recruits, all four-star freshmen. The Jayhawks are refreshed and replenished.
Key Player: Hunter Dickinson
Just how good is Dickinson? He posted consecutive 18 PPG seasons at Michigan, and improved his rebounding average over the past three years. Dickinson scores at a fantastic 57% rate, but he now resides in the best conference in college basketball. He was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and second-team All-American in 2021 but has failed to improve on those accolades since his first college season. Self has been a magician with true big men before, such as Udoka Azubuike and Raef LaFrentz. Can Dickinson raise his game to an even higher level in Lawrence?
Projection: Self is the best coach in college basketball. His resume includes nine Conference tournament Championships, 17 Conference regular season Championships (14 consecutive), four Final Fours and two National Championships. The Jayhawks have a superb mix of freshmen and transfers, with the balance of veteran leaders who have proven how to win. They are again a heavy favorite to win the Big 12 and a fantastic futures bet for a National Championship.
How I’m Betting Kansas: They struggled against the spread last year, going just 17-19 ATS. However, they have historically been a fantastic conference road favorite and were 5-1 ATS last season. They struggled ATS in non-conference matchups last season, finishing just 9-10 ATS. In fact, over the past three years, Kansas is just 18-26 ATS outside of conference. I will look to fade Kansas early in the season, taking advantage of inflated lines, but will certainly be backing the Jayhawks in conference play again – especially as a road favorite.
