NC State vs. Kansas: How to watch, odds, predictions from ESPN, KenPom
NC State and Kansas are meeting in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis, which is an early season tournament that takes place in the Bahamas. Ahead of the game, here is a look at how to watch the game, as well as previews and predictions for it.
How to watch NC State vs. Kansas
Tip-off: 12 P.M.
Location: Imperial Arena, Paradise Island, The Bahamas
Channel: ESPN
Vegas odds
Kansas is an 8.5-point favorite, according to the Vegas Insider Consensus. The over-under total for the game is currently at 153.5 points.
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ESPN BPI prediction
Predicted winner: Kansas
Predicted point differential: 3.6
Win probability (for the Jayhawks): 62.7%
Matchup quality: 85.1
ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index, or BPI, is an analytical tool that can be used to help predict the outcomes of games. According to BPI, this is the fifth-highest ranked matchup of the day.
KenPom prediction
Predicted final score: Kansas 80, NC State 71
Win probability (for the Jayhawks): 78%
KenPom is another analytical tool used in college basketball. Like ESPN’s BPI, KenPom expects Kansas to win. However, unlike BPI, KenPom expects the Jayhawks to cover the spread.
More on NC State vs. Kansas
Coming off a national championship-winning season, Kansas has started 4-0 and is ranked third in the AP Top 25. For its part, NC State isn’t ranked but is also unbeaten at 4-0. Admittedly, however, that hasn’t come against any Power Five schools, so facing a premier program in Kansas that has proven itself against Duke this season is a big jump up in competition.
If the Wolfpack wants to have success against the Jayhawks, NC State will need Terquavion Smith will need to have a huge game. He’s capable of doing that too. On top of that, the Wolfpack have a legitimate shot at winning the rebounding battle in this game. At the same time, trying to score on the Kansas defense is going to be incredibly difficult.
The Battle 4 Atlantis is an eight-team tournament that happens around and during Thanksgiving. It’s considered one of the premier early-season tournaments.