Kansas will take on Kentucky in the 2026 Champions Classic on Tuesday night without starting guard Melvin Council Jr., who suffered a broken right foot during Monday’s practice and is set for surgery. The Jayhawks, currently 2-0, are preparing to face the Wildcats at the United Center in Chicago, with tipoff scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET.
Council’s injury comes shortly after Kansas’s dominant 89-45 victory over Middle Tennessee on Friday. The Wildcats, also unbeaten at 2-0, narrowly defeated James Madison 89-80 on the same night. The absence of Council, a key figure in Kansas’s rotation, is a significant blow ahead of a matchup that pits two strong programs against each other early in the college basketball season.
Kansas enters the game as a 4.5-point favorite, according to the latest betting odds, while the over/under is set at 158.5 points. SportsLine’s projection model, which has been successful in predicting college basketball outcomes since 2025, recommends taking the Under on the total points for this game. The model notes that the Under has hit in seven of the last 10 head-to-head meetings between Kansas and Kentucky, in seven of the past 10 Kansas games, and in two of Kentucky’s last three matchups.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates each game 10,000 times and has been on an 11-1 run with its top-rated over/under college basketball picks. It projects four Kansas players to score in double figures, with Trey Kaufman-Renn expected to lead the Jayhawks, averaging more than 16 points. For Kentucky, four players are projected to score at least 11 points, with Alex Wilkins anticipated to top the Wildcats’ scoring with over 17 points.
Kansas’s loss of Council is seen as a factor in the model’s prediction, suggesting a tighter, lower-scoring contest. The model also indicates that one side of the spread hits in nearly 70% of simulations, but it has not publicly confirmed which team that is. Fans and bettors are directed to SportsLine for the full picks and analysis.
The Jayhawks will need to adjust their backcourt rotation quickly without Council, who was expected to contribute significantly this season. Kentucky, meanwhile, will look to capitalize on home-court advantage at the neutral United Center venue and maintain their unbeaten record.
This game marks the latest edition of the Champions Classic, an early-season tournament that regularly features some of college basketball’s top programs. Kansas and Kentucky have a history of competitive meetings, and Tuesday’s matchup promises to be a test of depth and resilience, particularly for the Jayhawks as they navigate the loss of a starter.
The latest updates confirm Council’s injury and surgery plans, but there has been no further detail on his recovery timeline. The game’s outcome may hinge on how Kansas adjusts to his absence and whether Kentucky can exploit the disruption. The tipoff is confirmed for 9:30 p.m. ET at the United Center.
According to CBS.
