No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks at West Virginia Mountaineers
Monday, 1/28/12, 9:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: Kansas -9
Current Betting Line: Kansas -9
Opening Total: 130
Current Total: 130
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Kansas owns the nation’s longest winning streak of 17 games, as it comes off a 67-54 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners as 12.5-point home favorites Saturday, while going UNDER the total for a fifth consecutive contest. The Jayhawks are averaging 74.6 points per game, while giving up 58.8, which has resulted in a Big 12 Conference-leading plus-15.8 scoring margin. The team also leads the conference with a 48.0 field goal percentage. Kansas is 3-2 ATS as road favorites of 6.5 to 9 points the last two-plus seasons, with the UNDER going 4-1 in that situation.
The Jayhawks start four seniors, including three fifth-year seniors, and one freshman. Kansas is aiming to start 7-0 in conference play for the second-straight season and fifth time under Bill Self. Redshirt freshman Ben McLemore is the player to watch offensively, as he’s scored 10 or more points in seven consecutive games. Out of its 19 games, the program has held 14 of its opponents to 60 points or less, including each of its last five Big 12 foes.
West Virginia has dropped four of its last five games, including an 80-66 setback to the Oklahoma State Cowboys as 9.5-point road underdogs Saturday, while going OVER the total for the fourth time in five opportunities. The Mountaineers have 20 wins over ranked teams since Bob Huggins arrived on campus in Morgantown, including eight over top-10 ranked squads in the last six seasons. West Virginia is 3-10 ATS when playing with one or less days rest over the last two-plus seasons, which can’t be ignored when making your NCAA basketball picks Monday night.
The Mountaineers have started 12 different players this season with 10 different starting lineup combinations. West Virginia ranks 189th in the country in averaging 67.0 points per game, while sitting 174th in allowing 65.9 points per game. The squad doesn’t have a single player scoring in double figures, with four starters averaging between 7.1 and 7.9 points per game.
Sports bettors will likely back the Jayhawks due to their 19-8 ATS mark on Mondays, while the Mountaineers are 0-6 ATS at home versus a team with a winning road record.
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