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Familiar foes will reignite their rivalry in the West Region when the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament kicks off on Thursday. The No. 7 seed Kansas Jayhawks (21-12) and the No. 10 seed Arkansas Razorbacks (20-13) faced each other in a preseason exhibition game, which the Razorbacks won 85-69. Things didn't go so well for the SEC side after that, as early-season injuries plagued John Calipari's first year in Fayetteville. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks were favorites to top the Big 12, but fizzled after a hot start and ended the season sixth in the standings.

Tip-off from Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence is set for 7:10 p.m. ET. The Jayhawks are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Kansas vs. Arkansas odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points is 146.5. The Jayhawks are -211 money-line favorites. Before making any Arkansas vs. Kansas picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2025 NCAA Tournament on a 228-166 roll (+2025) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. This model has also produced brackets that have beaten over 91% of CBS Sports entries in four of the last six tournaments and nailed 24 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds. Anyone following could have seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Kansas vs. Arkansas and just locked in its March Madness predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball odds and lines for Arkansas vs. Kansas:

  • Kansas vs. Arkansas spread: Kansas -4.5
  • Kansas vs. Arkansas over/under: 146.5 points 
  • Kansas vs. Arkansas money line: Kansas -211, Arkansas +174
  • KANSAS: The Jayhawks are 15-16 ATS 
  • ARK: The Razorbacks are 13-17-1 ATS
  • Arkansas vs. Kansas picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Arkansas can cover

Arkansas ranked fourth in the SEC in defensive rebounds per game (26.1) and fifth in offensive rebounds allowed per game (10.3), so the Razorbacks have the tools to harness a Kansas side that leans on its rebounding abilities. The Razorbacks can get a leg up if they make enough trips to the free throw line, as the Jayhawks allowed 17.2 free throws per game this season.

Arkansas has elite tournament experience in players like Florida Atlantic transfer Johnell Davis. Calipari himself brings a winning pedigree to this Razorbacks squad, as he is making his 24th March Madness appearance with a 57-22 tournament record. That includes seven Elite Eights, four Final Fours and a national championship on his resume. See which team to pick here.

Why Kansas can cover 

Dajuan Harris Jr. and KJ Adams Jr. were on Bill Self's title-winning Jayhawks team in 2022, and they have kept Kansas competitive with 9.2 points per game each. Another returning player is team points leader Hunter Dickinson, who is averaging 17.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. The senior center could cause a problem for the Razorbacks, who have struggled to contain athletic big men this season.

The Jayhawks covered the spread in four of their last five games of the regular season including close battles against Houston and Arizona. They also took down Michigan State and Duke in neutral site games at the beginning of the year, covering in both instances. See which team to pick here.

How to make Arkansas vs. Kansas picks

SportsLine's model has simulated Kansas vs. Arkansas 10,000 times and is leaning Over on the total, projecting 147 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only get the model's picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Kansas vs. Arkansas, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Arkansas vs. Kansas spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $2,000 on its top-rated college basketball picks, and find out.