The college hoops betting action goes on Friday, March 25, with the Midwest Region Sweet 16 showdown from United Center in Chicago, so we bring you the best Providence vs. Kansas betting pick and odds.

The Friars and Jayhawks have never met before. According to Bookmaker Sportsbook, Kansas is a firm 7.5-point favorite with a total of 141.5 points, while Providence is listed as a +280 moneyline underdog.

Providence bounced back from a heavy loss in the Big East Tournament                 

The Providence Friars (27-5; 19-13 ATS) entered the Big Dance as the No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region despite a humiliating 85-58 defeat to the Creighton Blue Jays in the Big East Championship Tournament semifinals. They bounced back in style, outlasting the No. 13 South Dakota State 66-57 in the first round and the No. 12 Richmond 79-51 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Friars trounced the Spiders as 3.5-point favorites, holding them to 39.6% shooting from the field and 4.5% from beyond the arc (1-for-22). Providence made 51.9% of its field goals and 54.5% of its 3-pointers, while five guys scored in double figures.

Senior guard Aljami Durham leads the way for the Friars, averaging 13.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Junior guard Jared Bynum tallies 12.6 points, 3.0 boards, and 4.1 dimes a night, while senior center Nate Watson adds 13.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest. The Friars, who rank 32nd in the KenPom, are scoring 112.0 points per 100 possessions (31st in the country) and surrendering 96.3 in a return (56th).

Kansas aims for its eight straight W                 

The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (30-6; 18-18 ATS) are rolling on a seven-game winning streak following a 79-72 victory over the No. 9 Creighton Bluejays in the second round of the Big Dance. They failed to cover a huge 13-point spread, putting an end to a five-game ATS win streak, as the Jayhawks barely held off the resilient Bluejays.

Senior guard Remy Martin led the way for Kansas in the second round, tallying a season-high 20 points on 7-for-14 shooting from the field. Sophomore forward Jalen Wilson posted a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double, while senior G Ochai Agbaji added 15 points on a poor 5-for-14 shooting from the field.

The Jayhawks entered the Big Dance as the No. 5 in the KenPom rankings. They are scoring 119.5 points per 100 possessions (6th in the nation) on 47.9% shooting from the field (17th) while yielding 93.4 points in a return (27th) on 41.4% shooting from the field (71st).

Trends:

Providence:

  • 5-2 ATS in the last seven games overall    
  • 9-1 ATS in the last ten outings as underdogs
  • 4-1 ATS in the last five games against the Big 12 Conference 

Kansas:

  • 1-4 ATS in the last five NCAA Tournament games
  • 2-5 ATS in the last seven games against the No. 4 seed

Providence vs. Kansas Pick

The Friars have been terrific when chasing points as of late, going 9-1 ATS in their last ten showings as underdogs. During that stretch, Providence has gone 8-2 straight up, while nine of those ten contests have been decided by five or fewer points.

Kansas is arguably a better team than Providence, but the Jayhawks might struggle to cover a 7.5-point spread. The Friars are a tough defensive team and rank in the top 50 in both opponent field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. Slowing down the tempo will be a key task for Providence.

Pick: Take Providence +7.5 at -110                       

The Total:

The Friars are capable of adapting to any style of play, but they have to slow down things against this Kansas team. While the Jayhawks average 69.4 possessions per 40 minutes (64th in the country), the Friars record only 65.1 (283rd).

The under is 4-2 in the Friars’ last six games overall, and it is 6-2 in their previous eight contests played in March. On the other side, the total has gone under in five of the Jayhawks’ last eight contests overall and nine of their previous 13 appearances in the Sweet 16.

Pick: Go under 141.5 points at -110