Kansas St Wildcats at Texas Longhorns
Frank Erwin Special Events Center – Austin, Texas
Saturday, February 11, 2:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Texas -4
Current Line: Texas -4
Opening Total: 133
Current Total: 132 1/2
Opening Money Line: Texas -180 / Kansas St +160
Current Money Line: Texas -180 / Kansas St +160
At the beginning of the season many predicted Kansas St and Texas would compete for the Big 12 title. However, both teams find themselves in the middle of the conference as they meet for the second time this season. Kansas St is 17-6 overall and 6-5 in conference as they travel to 15-9 Texas, who is 5-6 in conference. The Wildcats are 3 games behind first place Kansas and Missouri, and the Longhorns are 4 back. With only 7 games left in the regular season, both teams find themselves squarely on the bubble for the NCAA tournament and could use a quality win to bolster their resumes.
Kansas St leads the series 13-9 against Texas. The Wildcats have won 4 of the last 5 against Texas and 3 straight. K-State won 84-80 last month in Manhattan, after holding off a late Longhorn rally. Rodney McGruder had 33 points in the win for Kansas St. He also played great defense on Longhorn star J’Covan Brown, who scored 22 points but was only 8/28 from the field and 4/14 on three pointers.
Kansas St is coached by Frank Martin. The Wildcats have wins over George Washington, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Southern Illinois, UTEP, Long Beach St, Missouri, Oklahoma St, Texas Tech twice and Texas A&M. The Wildcats have won two straight games including 65-46 at home against Texas Tech Tuesday night. K-State has losses to West Virginia, Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma twice, and Iowa St.
Texas is coached by Rick Barnes. The Longhorns have wins over Rhode Island, UCLA, Temple, Rice, Oklahoma St, Texas A&M twice, Iowa St, and Texas Tech. The Longhorns have also won two straight games including 70-68 at Texas A&M Monday night. Texas has losses to Oregon St, NC State, North Carolina, Iowa St, Missouri twice, Kansas, and Baylor.
Kansas St is outscoring opponents 73-63 this season. The Wildcats are shooting 44% from the field including 33.1% on 3 point shots. KSU makes 66.1% of their free throws. The Wildcats average 38.7 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of +6.4. K-State averages 14.2 assists and 15.1 turnovers, 6.1 steals and 4.5 blocks a game. Kansas St opponents are shooting 39.5% from the field, including 30.4% on three pointers. The Wildcats force 16.8 turnovers a game.
KSU Guard McGruder averages 14.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists a game and 1.3 steals a game, and is shooting 34.8% from 3 point range. He leads the team in scoring and steals. Will Spradling averages 10.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists a game to lead the team. He makes 37.8% of his three pointers. Forward Jamar Samuels averages 9.9 points, 6.2 rebounds a game to lead the team, and 1.2 assists a game. Thomas Gipson averages 8.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists a game. Angel Rodriguez averages 7.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1 steal a game. Jordan Henriquez averages 6.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2 blocks a game to lead the team. Forward Nino Williams is questionable with a knee injury. Forward James Watson is out indefinitely due to being ineligible.
Texas is outscoring opponents 74-65 this season. The Longhorns are shooting 44.2% from the field, and 33.2% from 3 point range. Texas makes 72.4% of their free throws. The Longhorns average 37.1 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of +4.1. Texas averages 12.9 assists, 12.6 turnovers, 4.1 blocks, and 6.8 steals a game. Texas opponents are shooting 40.2% from the field and 34.7% from 3 point range. The Longhorns force 13.8 turnovers a game.
Texas guard Brown averages 19.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.2 steals a game. Brown makes 37.5% from 3 point range, and is in the top 20 nationally in scoring. Sheldon McClellan averages 11 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1 steal a game. Myck Kabongo averages 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists to lead the team, and 1.3 steals a game to also lead the team. Jonathan Holmes averages 7.8 points, and 5.1 rebounds a game. Julien Lewis averages 7.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals a game. Clint Chapman averages 5.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks a game to lead the Longhorns in both categories. He also scores 7.3 points a game.
Texas is 6-12-1 ATS and the total is 9-10 this season. Kansas St is 9-10 ATS and the total is also 9-10 this season. Kansas St is 9-2-1 in the last 12 against Texas including 5-0 in Austin. The underdog is 10-1-1 ATS recently in this series, and the road team is 5-1-1. The last 4 played in Austin have gone over. The Wildcats are 7-3 ATS as an underdog, including 4-1 as an underdog of 6.5 points or less, 7-15 in road games, 6-13 in Saturday games, 4-9 in Big 12 games, 6-15 in road games against teams with winning home records, 3-10 as a road underdog, including 2-7 as a road underdog of 6.5 points or less, 0-3-1 after allowing 50 points or less, and 0-6 against teams with winning records. The Longhorns are 3-0-1 ATS at home against teams with winning road records, 5-12-1 against teams with winning records, 1-3-1 overall, and in Big 12 games, 1-4-1 at home, 1-5 after a straight up win, 2-12 as a favorite, 0-4 as a home favorite, and 0-5 as a favorite of 6.5 points or less.
These two teams have been inconsistent this year. They both have some upset wins and some puzzling losses. I think Kansas St will win a close game on the road.
