Connecticut Huskies vs. Kansas Jayhawks Betting Odds, March Madness Pick

The top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks (31-4) will look to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in three years when they square off against the ninth-seeded Connecticut Huskies (25-10) Saturday in the South Region.

The Jayhawks are consensus betting favorites and bring a 15-game winning streak into this second-round matchup with UConn, going 12-3 against the spread.

Point spread: The Jayhawks opened as eight-point favorites; the total was 139, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).

March Madness pick, via Odds Shark computer: 76.3-69.4 Jayhawks

Why pick Connecticut to cover the spread

The Huskies simply find ways to win no matter what the situation. In their 74-67 first-round victory over the eighth-seeded Colorado Buffaloes, they trailed 36-27 at halftime but saw Rodney Purvis step up to score 15 of his team-high 19 points after the intermission.

UConn also made an impressive 22 of 23 free throws to overcome poor shooting from the field at only 39.7 percent. The Huskies have now won five in a row both straight up and against the spread, according to the Odds Shark College Basketball Database, giving Kansas a lot to worry about as live dogs.

Why pick Kansas to cover the spread

The Jayhawks are the more talented team and played in a much better conference. While that has been the case most years, they have lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament the previous two times as a No. 2 seed. The difference between a No. 1 and No. 2 is largely matchups—just ask the Michigan State Spartans, who were given the latter despite a better resume than the Virginia Cavaliers.

Kansas advanced to the Sweet 16 in its previous three appearances, including twice as a No. 1. Even though Connecticut is a dangerous team, the Jayhawks have learned from last year’s negative tourney experience and will make sure that does not happen this time.

Smart betting pick

You can never count out the Huskies, who are peaking again at the perfect time. They did not play in the 2015 NCAA tournament one year after winning it as a No. 7 seed. Kansas cruised in its first-round game, routing the Austin Peay Governors 105-79 as 24.5-point chalk Thursday. That will not be the case here, as UConn will stay close throughout and cover the spread, with a solid shot at an outright upset toward the end.

March Madness betting trends

Kansas is 2-5 against the spread in its last seven games with one day off between games.

The total has gone over in four of Kansas' last five games.

Connecticut is 5-0 straight up and against the spread in its last five games.

Connecticut has won and covered seven straight March Madness games.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, and all quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app for iOS or Android.