NCAA Basketball Prediction: Kansas Jayhawks vs Oklahoma Sooners
Saturday, January 07, 2012
by Frank Martin
Coming off one of its most impressive performances of the season, No. 15 Kansas Jayhawks will visit surprising Oklahoma Sooners Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center.
The Jayhawks defeated No. 22 Kansas State on Wednesday, a 67-49 victory, to earn their 21st straight conference-opening win. In the process, Kansas held its third opponent in the last four tries to less than 50 points, as the Wildcats shot just 31 percent from the field.
Oklahoma, meanwhile, lost 87-49 at Missouri in its Big 12 opener and has dropped two of three after a 9-1 start. Kansas has won six straight in the series, and owns a 15-4 advantage over the Sooners since the Big 12's inception in 1996.
- Kansas Jayhawks @ Oklahoma Sooners
When: 2:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 7, 2012
Where: Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, Oklahoma
TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPNU.
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SBG Global Sportsbook currently have the Jayhawks listed as 5½-point favorites versus the Sooners.
Kansas Jayhawks (11-3): Kansas coach Bill Self stressed the importance of rebounding before playing the Wildcats, widely considered to be one of the country's most physical teams each year. His players got the message, as they turned in a dominant performance on the glass, out-rebounding Kansas State 48-24. Thomas Robinson finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds — his 10th double-double of the season — and Travis Releford added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Jayhawks, who have won six of their last eight at Norman. Kansas won despite committing 19 turnovers, eight of which were from Tyshawn Taylor, who struggled against K-State's pressure defense.
Oklahoma Sooners (10-3): Oklahoma's loss against Missouri was its worst since joining the Big 12. The Sooners trailed by 22 points at the half and things got worse after the break, as the Tigers stretched the lead to 30 just seven minutes into the second half. If Oklahoma is going to bounce back, the Lloyd Noble Center — where the Sooners are 7-0 on the season — is likely the place to do it. Oklahoma, led by Romero Osby's 8.3 rebounds per game, has a Big 12-best plus-8.5 rebounding margin. The Sooners have won two of the last five against Kansas at home, including a 77-70 victory in 2003 and a 71-63 win in 2005.
1. Oklahoma is 10-5 in Big 12 home openers.
2. The Sooners have scored 75 points or more eight times. Last year, they reached the 75-point mark just seven times all season.
3. Kansas is the only Big 12 program to have a winning record against Oklahoma.
BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Jayhawks 72, Sooners 68.
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bill self - kansas jayhawks - lloyd noble center - oklahoma sooners - romero osby - thomas robinson - travis releford - tyshawn taylor