Kansas Basketball Opens as Betting Underdog in Pivotal Houston Showdown

Sportsbooks favor No. 2 Houston over No. 8 Kansas in Big Monday matchup at Allen Fieldhouse

Feb. 23, 2026 at 2:07am

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For the fourth time this season, the Kansas Jayhawks will enter a home game at Allen Fieldhouse as betting underdogs, a rare occurrence under head coach Bill Self. No. 8 Kansas is set to host No. 2 Houston on Big Monday, with sportsbooks favoring the visiting Cougars by 1.5 points. This marks just the sixth time in Self's 22-year tenure that the Jayhawks have been home underdogs.

Why it matters

Kansas being an underdog at home is an unusual situation, as the Jayhawks have typically been one of the most dominant home teams in college basketball under Bill Self. This game against Houston has major Big 12 title implications, making the betting line even more surprising.

The details

Kansas has been a home underdog just six times in Self's 22 seasons, with three of those instances coming this season alone. The Jayhawks have a 2-1 record in those games, with wins over Iowa State and Arizona. Their lone loss came against UConn. Houston has split its two previous trips to Allen Fieldhouse, winning in double overtime last season but losing by 13 points in 2024.

  • Kansas has been a home underdog three times already this season.
  • The last time Kansas was a home underdog was in February 2024 against Houston.
  • Kansas and Houston are set to tip off on Monday, February 23, 2026.

The players

Bill Self

The head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, who has led the program for 22 seasons and is known for his teams' dominance at home.

Kelvin Sampson

The head coach of the Houston Cougars, who has expressed surprise in the past at his team being favored over Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse.

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What they’re saying

“Somebody made a mistake and told me we were actually favored in this game. That's sacrilege. How is Kansas not favored in any game, especially here?”

— Kelvin Sampson, Houston Cougars Head Coach

What’s next

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The takeaway

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