The Big 12 features some terrific teams, making conference play a grueling battle for many squads. The regular season is coming to a close, meaning these upcoming games are much more important for conference tournament and NCAA Tournament action.
Kansas enters this matchup following a loss to No. 5 Iowa State. This ended an eight-game win streak. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State is on a three-game losing streak, but is at home for this matchup.
The Jayhawks are 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 156.5 points.
Here’s my prediction, preview and pick for Wednesday’s Kansas vs. Oklahoma State matchup.
Kansas vs. Oklahoma State prediction, preview
Kansas has one of the best college players in the country in Darryn Peterson. The freshman is in line to be a top three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which is considered one of the most talented in recent history.
The main problem with Peterson is his availability. He’s dealt with injuries all season, limiting him to 14 games. In those games, he’s averaging 19.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 47.9% from the field and 41.3% from deep.
The Jayhawks are more than just a one-man army, however. The team is No. 8 in the country for a reason, and can win tough games even without its freshman star. Four different players led the team in scoring over the past five games.
The Cowboys are similar as six players average at least 9.3 points per game. The difference is that Oklahoma State isn’t churning out victories as often. The team is 16-9 overall but 4-8 in the Big 12. It started the year on a nine-game win streak and finished non-conference play at 12-1.
Oklahoma State has won some key Big 12 games, including against No. 16 BYU and No. 25 UCF. But it’s also lost by double digits to ranked Iowa State twice and by 37 against No. 1 Arizona.
These aforementioned factors certainly pave way for a Kansas victory, however, Oklahoma State has home-court advantage. The Cowboys are 13-3 at home vs. 2-5 on the road. The Jayhawks are 11-1 at home and 4-4 on the road.
Kansas vs. Oklahoma State pick, best bet
Sometimes home-court advantage is all a team needs to pull off the upset. The home crowd is energizing in any sport but especially in college hoops. The records indicate this.
That being said, Oklahoma State is on a poor stretch with a 37-point loss to No. 1 Arizona, a nine-point loss to 13-12 Arizona State, and a three-point overtime loss to 16-10 TCU.
Upsets are fun, but I’m not a firm believer it happens on Wednesday. Kansas will win, but Oklahoma State’s home-court advantage will make this a close game.