The Kansas Jayhawks and the Cincinnati Bearcats continue Big 12 Conference men’s basketball action on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. central on ESPN+. Kansas (11-3, 2-1 in Big 12) is No. 11 in the AP Top 25 while Cincinnati (10-4, 0-3) is unranked.
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The Jayhawks have won two straight games since they were dumped at home in the Big 12 opener by West Virginia. Those wins came against UCF and Arizona State. Kansas has won four of their last five.
The Bearcats have lost three straight conference games and that includes losses to Kansas State, Arizona and Baylor. That was after a terrific non-conference and staking a claim to a Top 25 ranking starting with the preseason poll. Cincinnati lost that ranking earlier this week.
Here is a preview of Saturday’s game.
How to Watch Kansas vs. Cincinnati
Date: Saturday, January 11, 2025
Time: 1 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN+
Sign up for ESPN+ now to stream Kansas vs. Cincinnati!
Site: Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kansas vs. Cincinnati Betting Odds, Lines
Opening Line: Kansas -2
Current Line: Kansas -1
Over/Under: 137
Kansas vs. Cincinnati Basketball Predictions
Our Mark Van Sickle wrote about the idea that Kansas may have found its starting five just in time for Big 12 play. In the last two games, coach Bill Self has started Hunter Dickinson, KJ Adams Jr., Dajuan Harris Jr., Zeke Mayo and Shakeel Moore. The sample is small, but overwhelmingly positive. Kansas won those two games by an average of 35 points.
Moore is an intriguing addition to the mix. He’s only played seven games due to a stress fracture. But he’s fit nicely. He averaged 21 minutes in those two games, with 14 points, four rebounds, seven assists and three steals. He’s offensive-minded enough to go get his own shot but complementary enough to not take chances away from the rest of the starting lineup. His defense could be a differentiator, too.
Cincinnati is in a rough spot right now. The Bearcats, I felt, were a contender for one of the Big 12’s four double-byes at the conference tournament. They have not looked the part. The losses are getting worse, too. Cincy’s first two were by a combined eight points. The last loss, to Baylor in Waco, was by 20 points. This is a team in dire need of a win, and one that nearly stole one in Lawrence last season.
Cincinnati will give Kansas fits. The Bearcats’ one home loss was to Arizona and was by only five points. But Cincinnati must get guard Simas Lukosius going. He’s averaging 13 points this season and is one of the team’s best 3-point shooters. But, in his three league games he’s averaging just six points and shooting less than 25% from the 3-point line. He’s in a slump and for the Bearcats to get to the NCAA Tournament, he needs to come out of it.
The Bearcats may need to wait one more game for that first Big 12 win of the season. The Jayhawks appear to have figured some things out. The matchup inside between Dickinson and Cincinnati forward Aziz Bandaogo may determine who wins.
Kansas 73, Cincinnati 69
ESPN Matchup Predictor: Kansas (56.9% Chance of Winning)
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
