Opening odds for No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 8 Arkansas in 2023 NCAA Tournament second round

The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks showed up emphatically in the opening round game of the NCAA Tournament, defeating No. 16 Howard 96-68. Their second-round opponent will be the No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks, who held off No. 9 Illinois for a 73-63 victory. This West Region matchup will take place at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA, at 5:15 p.m. ET on CBS.

Here are the opening odds for the matchup courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

2023 NCAA Tournament, second round: No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 8 Arkansas odds

Spread: Kansas -4.5
Over/Under: 146.5
Moneyline: Kansas -195, Arkansas +165

The Jayhawks put down Howard in a 96-68 round one victory on Thursday. They were once again without head coach Bill Self for the win, as he is still recovering from a recent heart procedure. Norm Roberts stepped in for Self once again, as the team appeared to rise to the occasion against the lower-seeded opponent. They should be able to build off of their dominant performance in Round 2.

The Razorbacks held on against a late comeback effort from Illinois, surviving for a 73-63 victory. Arkansas led for nearly the entirety of the game, with Davonte Davis and Ricky Council IV leading the way. They struggled from the three-point line, going just 6-for-22 on the perimeter.