Miami vs Kansas State Prediction & Picks: ‘Canes, ‘Cats Battle for Bahamas Championship Crown

Miami and Kansas State were two of the best stories of March Madness last season, and both the Hurricanes and Wildcats will be eyeing more success this season. For the victor of today’s head-to-head matchup (2:30 pm ET, CBS Sports Network), their tournament resume will include a Bahamas Championship title.

The Hurricanes, who are currently ranked #12 in the AP poll, have opened the new college basketball season with four consecutive wins.

In their Bahamas Championship semifinal matchup on Friday, Miami defeated Georgia 79-68, with all five starters reaching double figures in scoring. Matthew Cleveland, a transfer from rival Florida State, continued his hot start to the season with 18 points and six rebounds.

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Kansas State (3-0) tipped off the season with a double-digit loss to USC, but the Wildcats have responded with three consecutive wins. To reach the title tilt in the Bahamas Championship, they edged Providence 73-70 in overtime.

Transfers led the way in the win over the Friars, with North Texas transfer Tylor Perry scoring a game-high 24 points, Creighton transfer Arthur Kaluma recording 18 points and seven rebounds, and Mississippi State transfer Will McNair Jr. contributing ten points, four rebounds, and two blocks.

Which one of these likely NCAA Tournament teams will take the trophy back to the States? With the numerous offensive threats on both sides, a high-scoring championship contest looks likely.

Miami vs Kansas State Odds

Odds are courtesy of Bovada.

Spread

• Miami -2.5 (-110)
• Kansas State +2.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 156 (-110)
• Under 156 (-110)

Moneyline

• Miami -145
• Kansas State +125

Miami vs Kansas State Prediction and Picks

Prediction: Miami to win

Picks: Miami -2.5 (-110 at Bovada) & Miami team total over 79.5 points (-105 at Bovada)

The Hurricanes lost their top two scorers from last year’s Final Four team, as Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller were both drafted in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft.

That is a lot of production to replace, but with Cleveland joining returnees Wooga Poplar, Bensley Joseph, Nijel Pack, and Norchad Omier, the Hurricanes aren’t lacking for options at all.

The player to watch in today’s game is Pack, who spent his first two seasons at Kansas State and averaged 17.4 PPG and shot 43.6% from three in his second season there before transferring to Miami.

Pack has 17 and 16 in his last two games, but he has not shot well from outside to start this season, making just 4 of 16 from three. Today would be a heck of a time to break out of that shooting slump.

His former team is doing just fine on the offensive end, largely thanks to Perry, who led the Mean Green to the NIT title last season. Through four games, he is averaging 21.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 4.8 APG, and he is shooting 44.4% from three.

A key for Kansas State today and going forward is Kaluma being able to replicate Friday’s performance. At his best, Kaluma is an NBA-caliber talent, but that hasn’t been on display consistently enough in his first two-plus seasons.

While today is another busy NFL Sunday, this game is definitely worth tuning into. Look for both teams to put points on the board, but in the end, I think Miami has a little too much firepower for Kansas State to contend with.

Where to Bet on College Basketball

If you are looking for college basketball odds, you will always be spoiled for choice. Sports betting sites all over the internet offer a vast array of NCAA basketball odds throughout the season, from the opening tip in November to the conclusion of the season in early April.

Along with being able to bet on countless games, many online sportsbooks offer men’s college basketball national championship odds, women’s college basketball national championship odds, men’s Wooden Award odds, women’s Wooden Award odds, and odds on who will win early season and conference tournaments.

Below are some of the books that we highly recommend for college basketball betting:

• BetDSI
• BetOnline
• BetUS
• Bookmaker
• Bovada
• MyBookie
• Sportsbetting.ag

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Other College Basketball Content

• UConn vs Indiana Prediction & Picks
• College Basketball Betting Guide
• Men’s Wooden Award Winner Odds
• Women’s Wooden Award Winner Odds