Iowa State Cyclones at #6 Kansas Jayhawks
Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPNU
Allen Fieldhouse – Lawrence, Kansas
Opening Line: Kansas -12 1/2
Current Line: Kansas -12
Opening Total: 149
Current Total: 148 1/2
Opening Money Line: Kansas -1000 / Iowa St +700
Current Money Line: Kansas -900 / Iowa St +650
The 10-3 Iowa St Cyclones travel to the #6 Kansas Jayhawks who are 12-1 Wednesday night. This is the Big 12 opener for both schools. Kansas leads the series 171-59. Iowa St won last year in Ames 72-64 to snap a 13 game game losing streak to the Jayhawks in the last meeting between the schools.
Iowa St is coached by Fred Hoiberg. The Cyclones have losses to Cincinnati in Las Vegas, at UNLV, and at Iowa. Iowa st has won 4 straight games. The Cyclones have key wins over BYU, Drake, and Yale New Year’s Day 80-70 in Ames. That was the Cyclones last game. Iowa St is 2-6 ATS and the total is 4-0 this season.
Iowa St is outscoring teams 82-67. The Cyclones are #7 in scoring nationally, and are the only team in the country to score 70 points or more in every game. Iowa St is shooting 45.8% from the field and 35.8% from 3 point range. The Cyclones make 68.8% of their free throws. Iowa St averages 43.4 rebounds per game and give up 28.5 per game. The Cyclones are #4 in rebounding nationally. Iowa St opponents are shooting 39.8% from the field and 30.1% from 3 point range. The Cyclones average 17 assists, 8 steals, 4 blocks, and 15 turnovers per game.
Forward Will Clyburn averages 14.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Guard Tyrus McGee averages 13.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Forward Georges Niang averages 10.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. Forward Melvin Ejim averages 10.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 steals. Guard Korie Lucious averages 9.7 points, 5.4 assists, 2.2 rebounds, and 1 steal a game. Chris Babb averages 9.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Percy Gibson, Anthony Booker, and Naz Long make up the rest of the rotation. Gibson leads the team in blocks with 1 per game. Guard Bubu Palo is suspended indefinitely.
Kansas is coached by Bill Self. The Jayhawks have won 8 straight Big 12 regular season titles and have won 21 straight conference openers. The only loss for the Jayhawks this season came against Michigan St in Atlanta early in the season. Kansas has won 11 straight games since then. The Jayhawks have key wins over Washington St, Saint Louis, and Oregon St all in Kansas City, along with a road win at Ohio St, and home wins over Colorado, Richmond and Temple 69-62 Sunday in the last game for Kansas. The Jayhawks are 6-6 ATS and the total is 6-3 this season.
Kansas is outscoring teams 78-59 this season. The Jayhawks are in the top 50 in both categories. Kansas is #12 in field goal percentage at 49.9% and they make 37.7% of 3 pointers. The Jayhawks are shooting 74.8% from the free throw line. Kansas averages 39.4 rebounds per game, and gives up 29.5 per game. Kansas opponents are shooting 34.3% from the field and 30.4% from 3 point range. Kansas is #2 in opponent’s field goal percentage. The Jayhawks average 17 assists, 7 steals, 8 blocks and 13 turnovers a game.
Guard Ben McLemore averages 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Center Jeff Withey averages 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.2 blocks per game. Guard Travis Releford averages 13.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Guard Elijah Johnson averages 10 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. Kevin Young averages 7.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. Perry Ellis, Naadir Tharpe, Andrew White III and Jamari Taylor make up the rest of the rotation. Forward Justin Wesley is questionable with a finger injury.
Iowa St is 19-6-1 ATS in Big 12 games, 9-4 after failing to cover, 1-4 against teams with winning records, and overall, 1-6 after a straight up win, 0-5 in road games, and against teams with winning home records. Iowa st is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 game in this series, and were underdogs in every game.
Kansas is 5-1 ATS in Wednesday games, 4-1 after a straight up win, overall, and against teams with winning records. Nine of the last twelve games in this series played in Lawrence have gone over the total.
Iowa St can score with any team in the country. The problem for the Cyclones is they struggle to stop teams on defense. Kansas scores almost 80 points a game themselves, but they are much better on defense. I think the Jayhawks roll in this game, and could even score 90 points or more.
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