Kansas was an underdog just four times all season.
Kansas Vs. Ohio State: Buckeyes To Emerge In Final Four Battle Of 2 Seeds
In 2010-2011, they were never an underdog all season long. Not once.
Needless to say, the situation facing the Jayhawks Saturday in their Final Four battle with Ohio State – as a 2.5-point underdog - is not a familiar one.
How they respond in that role is the million-dollar question for college basketball bettors. After all, one of those four games as a dog this year was against Kentucky, the team they will likely face Monday if they can dispatch the Buckeyes.
"The wagering is split pretty evenly, with 46 per cent of votes cast in favor of Kansas," said Mike Pickett of OddsShark.com, which provides college basketball lines to SBNation. "There are some books where the number has climbed to -3 for OSU, but it’s mainly sticking at 2.5."
In the past four seasons combined, Kansas was an underdog nine times. Interestingly, they lost seven times, including three of four this season.
"The question is whether they have the stomach for big games where the consensus says they are underdogs," said Pickett. "A lot of people doubted they would make it this far."
The teams met Dec. 10 in Kansas and the Jayhawks won 78-67 as 1.5-point chalk.
Predicted Score: 83-80 Buckeyes - Matchup Report
ATS Pick: Buckeyes -2.5
How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Kansas’s No. 39 nationally ranked offense (74.2 points per game) against a Buckeyes defense that sits as the No. 18 at 59.7 PPG. The Jayhawks have been averaging 47.6% from the field, less than the Buckeyes have managed so far this season (48% on average).
Jared Sullinger scored 19 points leading the Buckeyes to a 77-70 victory over Syracuse at TD Banknorth Garden on Saturday in the Elite Eight.
The Jayhawks grabbed an 80-67 win over the Tar Heels on Sunday, behind a 22-point effort from Tyshawn Taylor at Edward Jones Dome to get here.
