Battle Of Big 12 Odds: No 22 Kansas State vs No 15 Kansas
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Frank Martin
No. 15 Kansas Jayhawks will try to keep its streak of victories in conference openers alive when it takes on No. 22 Kansas State Wildcats on Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
The Jayhawks have won 20 straight conference openers since the 1991-92 season, which spans the Big Eight and Big 12 conferences. Eight of those have come at home, where Kansas has owned the Wildcats through the years. Kansas State has lost five straight against the Jayhawks at the Fieldhouse and 16 of the last 17.
-
#22 Kansas State Wildcats
@ #15 Kansas Jayhawks
When:
8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Where:
Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas
TV:
8 p.m. ET, Big 12 Network, ESPN FullCourt, ESPN3.com
The Jayhawks have opened as 9-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NCAA Basketball Odds.
Kansas State Wildcats (11-1, 0-0 Big 12): Kansas State, picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 preseason coaches poll, is looking more and more like a legitimate contender. The Wildcats have won eight of 11 games by 10 or more points, and their lone defeat came in an 85-80 double-overtime loss to West Virginia in Wichita. The concern coming into the season was replacing guard Jacob Pullen, who graduated after a record-setting four-year career. However, a backcourt consisting of Rodney McGruder and Will Spradling — who average 12 and 11 points, respectively — has helped the Wildcats stay on course. McGruder has scored 20 or more three times this season, and posted 10 in last year’s 84-68 victory over then-No. 1 Kansas.
Kansas Jayhawks (10-3, 0-0 Big 12): Consistency will be key if Kansas hopes to earn an eighth consecutive Big 12 regular-season title. The Jayhawks were picked to win alongside Texas A&M by the league’s coaches in the preseason, but currently they're ranked as the second-best team in the Big 12 behind No. 5 Baylor in the national polls. Kansas’ first two losses against Kentucky and Duke — ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively — were forgivable, especially since both came on a neutral court. But the most recent loss — an 80-74 defeat against Davidson in Kansas City, Mo. — qualified as a major surprise. Thomas Robinson (17.7 points), Tyshawn Taylor (15.3) and Elijah Johnson (10.2) lead the way, but they’ll need some help going forward.
1.
Kansas State enters on a six-game
winning streak, while Kansas
has won seven of its last eight.
2. Kansas has won its last five home games against the Wildcats by an average
of 19.6 points.
3. The
Wildcats force 16.7 turnovers per game.
Bet on NCAA College Basketball games with SBG Global Sportsbook, click here!
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Tags
allen fieldhouse - elijah johnson - jacob pullen - kansas jayhawks - kansas state wildcats - rodney mcgruder - thomas robinson - tyshawn taylor - will spradling
