The Arizona Wildcats take on the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence, Kansas. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Arizona is favored by 2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -155. The total is set at 152.5 points.
Here’s my Arizona vs. Kansas prediction and college basketball picks for February 9, 2026.
Arizona Wildcats vs Kansas Jayhawks Prediction, Picks
My Pick: Kansas ML +130
My Arizona vs Kansas best bet is on the Jayhawks to win outright. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Arizona vs Kansas Odds, Lines, Spread
| Arizona Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -108 | 153.5 -112o / -108u | -152 |
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -112 | 153.5 -112o / -108u | +126 |
- Arizona vs Kansas Spread: Arizona -2.5, Kansas +2.5
- Arizona vs Kansas Over/Under: 153.5
- Arizona vs Kansas Moneyline: Arizona ML -152, Kansas ML +126
Arizona vs Kansas Preview
Arizona Wildcats
Arizona enters Monday night’s showdown posting a 23-0 record, with Quad I victories over the likes of Florida, UConn, UCLA, BYU and Alabama. The Wildcats are one of just two teams that remain unbeaten, with Miami (OH) as the other.
Upon entering his fifth season in Tucson, head coach Tommy Lloyd had arguably the best offseason of any coach in the country.
In one of the most talented freshman classes in recent memory, Lloyd landed two top-12 prospects in 6-foot-7 forward Koa Peat and 6-foot-4 guard Brayden Burries. Both freshmen are projected to be lottery selections in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Burries leads the charge for a Wildcats offense that's scoring over 90 points per game, as he's posting over 15 points, along with five rebounds and three assists on average.
He's unbelievably efficient with the ball in his hands, converting on over 50% of his field goal attempts while only turning the ball over once per contest despite playing nearly 30 minutes a night.
Lloyd’s backcourt also features another five-star freshman in 6-foot-7 combo guard Dwayne Aristode, whose length and versatility add more firepower to this Wildcats offense.
Peat headlines a stacked Arizona frontcourt, thanks to his 15 points and six rebounds per game. Alongside Peat, Tennessee transfer Tobe Awaka has also been spectacular.
Lloyd earned his stripes as Mark Few’s right-hand man at Gonzaga for several years, and his offensive philosophy very closely mirrors the high-octane, up-tempo Zags offense that we’ve seen for over a decade.
Lloyd’s bunch constantly pushes the pace, often finding shots very early in the shot clock.
That said, the Wildcats also run some very intricate schemes in the half-court, using quick passes and great spacing to their advantage.
Arizona also loves to operate its offense through the post, given the athleticism and scoring ability in its frontcourt. Lloyd often implements off-ball screens to create open looks for his highly skilled bigs on the post. Lloyd’s offense ranks fourth in college basketball in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
While Arizona's offense has been stealing headlines this season, it's the Wildcats' defense that's actually been even more efficient, ranking second nationally.
Lloyd preaches physicality and crashing the glass above all else on the defensive end of the floor. He also uses a number of different defensive schemes, making it difficult for opposing offenses to find an offensive rhythm.
Europeans Ivan Kharchenkov and 7-foot-2 Motiejus Krivas have both been stellar rim protectors, making it very difficult for opponents to find open looks in the lane.
Despite playing one of the most difficult schedules in the country, Lloyd’s bunch is allowing just 68 points per game.
In spite of Arizona’s seemingly cursed luck in March — having not reached the Final Four since 2001 — I took a shot on the Wildcats in the preseason to cut down the nets at +3500, in what seemed like a donation at the time.
Fast forward three months into the season, and Arizona is the top dog in the sport.
Kansas Jayhawks
When you think of the most difficult venues in college basketball to earn an outright victory on the road, Allen Fieldhouse may be the single toughest. In the Bill Self era, which began at the start of the 2003 season, the Jayhawks are 341-22 at home.
That's what's on Arizona's plate, so it's bad news that Kansas is also finding its form.
After an up-and-down start to the season — losing three of its first nine matchups — the Jayhawks have won seven straight behind the spectacular play of freshman phenom Darryn Peterson.
The Peterson saga has drawn substantial media attention, with the freshman having missed several games, followed by a relatively inconsistent minutes restriction that Self seems very committed to.
When active, Peterson has been unbelievably dominant, scoring over 21 points per game, in addition to four rebounds. His stellar athleticism and seemingly effortless scoring abilities have drawn professional comparisons to the late Kobe Bryant.
In fact, he really is the most talented guard prospect that the sport has seen in quite some time.
Following losses to West Virginia and UCF in early January, Kansas looked like a fringe NCAA Tournament team without realistic national title aspirations. A matchup with No. 2-ranked Iowa State at home completely changed the long-term trajectory, though.
In a decisive 20-point victory over the Cyclones, Kansas finally showed its full potential, reaffirming its status as a title contender.
Alongside Peterson, 6-foot-7 senior guard Tre White has been phenomenal, scoring 14.5 points per game, with over seven rebounds and two assists on average.
Kansas’ frontcourt has also been spectacular on both ends of the floor behind the play of Flory Bidunga. He averages just under 15 points per contest and has been a monster on the glass with over nine rebounds per game.
Arizona vs Kansas College Basketball Pick
In what should be one of the best games of the 2025-26 season, the Wildcats will be put to the ultimate test in front of a hostile Jayhawks crowd.
While I'm holding an Arizona 35/1 futures ticket and I think it has as good of a chance as anyone in the country to cut down the nets, nobody runs the table in college basketball.
In the last 15 years, only Kentucky in 2015 and Gonzaga in 2021 have come into the NCAA Tournament without a single loss. This begs the question: Who has the best shot of taking down the Cats?
While the Wildcats have a few difficult matchups that lie in wait after Kansas — both Texas Tech and BYU — the most plausible potential upset spots will obviously be on the road, starting with Kansas on Monday and Houston in two weeks.
That being said, I'm willing to take a value shot on the Jayhawks at their plus-money underdog price.
My Pick: Kansas ML +130
