Texas Longhorns at #18 Kansas State Wildcats
Wednesday, January 30, 2013, 8:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN2
Fred Bramlage Coliseum – Manhattan, Kansas
Opening Line: Kansas St -8
Current Line: Kansas St -9
Opening Total: 120 1/2
Current Total: 122 1/2
Opening Money Line: Kansas St -400 / Texas +330
Current Money Line: Kansas St -400 / Texas +330
The 15-4 Kansas St Wildcats are 4-2 in the Big 12. The Wildcats are tied for third in the conference with Oklahoma and Iowa St. All three teams are behind 7-0 Kansas and 5-1 Baylor in the conference. The Wildcats host the 9-10 Texas Longhorns Wednesday night. The Longhorns are 1-5 in the Big 12 ahead of only 0-7 TCU in the standings.
Kansas St leads the series 13-10 against Texas, including 7-3 in Manhattan. The Wildcats have won 4 of the last 6 in the series, including the last two in Manhattan. Texas won the last meeting 75-64 in Austin last February.Kansas St makes the trip to Austin February 23.
Texas is coached by Rick Barnes. The Longhorns Beat Texas tech 73-57 at home Saturday to snap a 5 game losing streak and get their first conference win of the season. Texas has losses to Chamindade and USC in the Maui Invitational, to Georgetown in New York City, to UCLA in Houston, at Michigan St, Baylor, Iowa St, and Oklahoma and at home to West Virginia. Three of their losses were in overtime. The Longhorns have key wins over Fresno St, Mississippi St in Maui, North Carolina and Rice. Texas is 9-7 ATS and the total is 5-8 this season.
Texas is outscoring teams 64-62 this season. The Longhorns are shooting 40.9% from the field and 30% from 3 point range. Texas makes 63% of their free throws. The Longhorns are 281th or worse in all three shooting categories out of 347 teams. The Longhorns are 32nd in rebounding with 39 per game, and they give up 33.6 per game. Texas opponents are shooting 35.3% from the field and 25.1% from 3 point range. The Longhorns are second in the former and lead the nation in the latter. Texas averages 12 assists, 6 steals, 5 blocks and 16 turnovers.
Guard Sheldon McClellan averages 14.8 points, and 4.2 rebounds. Guard Julien Lewis averages 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Guard Javan Felix averages 8.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Forward Jonathan Holmes averages 7.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and a block per game. he is out until early March with a broken hand. Forward Ioannis Papapetrou averages 7.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Center Cameron Ridley averages 5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. Connor Lammert, DeMarcus Holland, and Prince Ibah will also get some time in the rotation. Guard Myck Kabongo has missed the entire season due to being ineligible. He won’t be reinstated until February 13.
Kansas St is coached by Bruce Weber. The only losses came to Michigan in the pre-season NIT at Madison Square Garden, and to Gonzaga in Seattle, Kansas at home, and last Saturday Iowa St 73-67. Michigan, Kansas and Gonzaga are currently ranked in the top 7 in the country. The Wildcats have lost two straight games in conference. K-State has key wins over Delaware in New York City, at George Washington, Florida in Kansas City, Oklahoma St, and Oklahoma and at West Virginia and TCU. The Wildcats are 6-8-1 ATS and the total is 5-5 this season.
Kansas St is outscoring teams 68-58 this season. The Wildcats are #20 in points allowed. K-State is shooting 43.1% from the field and 34.5% from 3 point range. The Wildcats make 64.8% of their free throws. Kansas St averages 37.6 per game, and they give up 29.8 per game. K-State opponents are shooting 40.4% from the field and 29.3% from 3 point range. The Wildcats are #25 in three point defense nationally. Kansas St averages 16 assists, 7 steals, 4 blocks, and 12 turnovers per game.
Guard Rodney McGruder averages 15.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Guard Angel Rodriguez averages 9.4 points, 4.9 assists, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. Guard Will Spradling averages 8.5 points, 3.2 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1 steal per game. Guard Shane Southwell averages 8.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. Forward Thomas Gipson averages 6.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Forward Nino Williams averages 5.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Forward Jordan Henriquez averages 4.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. Martavious Irving, Adrian Diaz, D.J. Johnson, and Omari Lawrence will also see significant time in the rotation. The Wildcats are deep but don’t have a lot of size. Diaz and Henriquez are the only players over 6′-8″ on the roster.
Texas is 4-1 ATS after a straight up win, and 7-2 against teams with winning records. The underdog is 10-2-1 ATS in this series, and the road team is 5-2-1. The under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 games in Manhattan in this series.
Kansas St is 5-2 ATS against teams with losing records, 2-6 at home against teams with losing road records, and 1-4 after failing to cover. The Wildcats are 9-3-1 ATS in the last 13 against Texas.
Texas has struggled to say the least without talented guard Myck Kabongo. I look for Kansas St to break out of their two game slump by beating an inferior rebuilding Texas team.
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