| MATCHUP | Houston Cougars | Kansas Jayhawks |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 23-4 | 20-7 |
| Spread | -1.5 -115 | +1.5 -105 |
| Moneyline | -135 | +114 |
| Total | Over 137.5 (-115) | Under 137.5 (-105) |
| Where | Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS | |
| When | Monday, February 23, 2026 | |
| Time | 09:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN | |
The Houston Cougars and the Kansas Jayhawks meet Monday in college basketball action from Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence. Here’s a Houston vs Kansas prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Houston vs Kansas pick. We will examine the recent form and player performances for both teams, as well as the recent betting trends and streaks pertaining to this matchup. As we conclude, we will tie it all together with a summary that produces a sensible pick for a favorable betting outcome in this game.
Houston Cougars Betting Preview
Houston took wins in six of their first seven games this year. After that were wins against Notre Dame, Florida State, Jackson State, New Orleans, Arkansas, Middle Tennessee, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Baylor, West Virginia and Arizona State ahead of a loss to Texas Tech. Next came wins against TCU, Cincinnati, UCF, BYU, Utah and Kansas State, then a loss to Iowa State. In the first 26 games that made for a 23-3 record in the books.
On Saturday versus Arizona, the Cougars were down by five points 36-31 in the locker room. Houston hit a 37-35 deficit the rest of the way and ended up falling at home 73-66 as the game finished up. Kingston Flemings was tops on 17 points with eight boards and four assists. Chris Cenac added a double-double with his 10 points and 13 rebounds and Emanuel Sharp had 14 points on 2-of-11 from the field.
Kansas Jayhawks Betting Preview
Over on the Jayhawks’ side, they posted a pretty solid 11-5 run in their first 16 games this year. Kansas fell versus North Carolina, Duke, UConn, Central Florida and West Virginia during that stretch. The Jayhawks would take wins in the next eight over Iowa State, Baylor, Colorado, Kansas State, BYU, Texas Tech, Utah and Arizona. After a loss to Iowa State and a win over Oklahoma State, Kansas was sitting at 20-6 in the first 26 outings.
Matched up against Cincinnati over the weekend the Jayhawks were down by two points 36-34 going into the second half. Kansas got worse from there on a 48-34 deficit and limped to the loss in the end 84-68. Leading the team in scoring was Flory Bidunga with 18 points and 12 rebounds alongside three steals. Darryn Peterson added 17 points with four rebounds and one steal as well.
Houston Cougars @ Kansas Jayhawks Betting Trends: February 23, 2026
Why the Kansas Jayhawks will win
- Kansas has won 75 of its last 78 night games at Allen Fieldhouse.
- Houston has lost four of its last five games as a top-5 AP-ranked team against an AP-ranked team.
- Houston has lost the first half in each of its last three games as a top-10 AP-ranked team against a top-15 AP-ranked team.
Why the Houston Cougars will win
- Houston has won 19 of its last 20 night games against the Big 12 Conference.
- Kansas has lost six of its last eight games against Top 5 AP-ranked opponents.
- Houston has won the first half in 14 of its last 15 February night games as a top-15 AP-ranked team.
Total Points Facts
- Nine of Kansas’ last 10 games against the Big 12 Conference at Allen Fieldhouse have produced a total of 142+ points.
- Each of Houston’s last four games against AP-ranked opponents have produced a total of 137+ points.
Houston vs Kansas Prediction
I’ll lean toward Kansas but I’m probably staying away. The Jayhawks put up 44.3 percent shooting in their loss to Cincinnati this past weekend, adding a rough 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from outside and a 37-28 rebounding deficit. Kansas is just 1-2 in their last three games and desperately needs a good showing on Monday to defend their home court.
As for Houston, they didn’t shoot very well from the field (35.7 percent) in their loss to a great Arizona team over the weekend. The Cougars did have a 34-32 rebounding edge and 81.8 percent (18-of-22) from the line but also got outscored 38-20 in the paint. Houston has lost consecutive games against ranked teams, scoring a combined 133 points in that pair.