Big 12 Underachievers Meet in Manhattan: Baylor at Kansas St.

Baylor Bears at Kansas St., Fred Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan Kansas
Monday, January 24, 2011, 9:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Kansas St – 5 1/2
Current Line: Kansas St -5 1/2
Opening Total: 136
Current Total: 138 1/2
Money Line: KSU -230 / Baylor +190

Jacob Pullen and the Kansas St Wildcats take on the Baylor Bears in Manhattan ina big 12 match-up of teams that haven't met expectations this season. Kansas St is a 5 1/2 point favorite at home.

Last year both these teams made it to the elite 8. Both teams returned most of their starters and the expectations were sky high for both teams. Both were ranked in the pre-season top ten and expected to compete with Kansas for the big 12 conference title. This game was circled on the calendar as one of the best potential match-ups on the college basketball schedule. Now neither team is ranked and both are squarely on the bubble to even make the NCAA tournament. Baylor is 13-5 with a 3-2 conference record. They are tied for fourth in the league. Kansas St is 13-7 overall and 1-4 in the Big 12 which is tied for last with Iowa St and Texas tech. Baylor has wins over Arizona St, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma St on the year. They have losses to Gonzaga, Washington St, Florida St, Iowa St, and Kansas. In Baylor’s last game, Saturday in Waco, Baylor beat Oklahoma St 76-57. Kansas St has wins over Virginia Tech, Gonzaga, Washington St, and Texas Tech on the season. Kansas St has losses to Duke, Florida, UNLV, Oklahoma St, Colorado, Missouri, and Texas A&M on the year. On Saturday, Kansas St lost at then #10 Texas A&M 64-56. Kansas St leads the overall series between the teams 12-10 including 7-4 in Manhattan. Kansas St has won and covered two of the last 3 in the series, and 2 out of 3 have gone over the total as well. Kansas St is 0-6 ATS this season when the total is between 130 and 140 points. They are 0-7 ATS the last 3 seasons after scoring 60 points or less in the previous game.

Baylor has no significant injuries right now. Guard LaceDarius Dunn leads the team in scoring with 21.3 points a game. He also averages 4.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.6 steals a game. Dunn is shooting 42.3% from 3-point range. Freshman forward/center Perry Jones III is averaging 14.1 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists a game. Forward Quincy Acy leads the team in rebounds with 7.7 a game and blocks with 1.3 a game. He also averages 13.1 points. Guard A.J. Walton leads the team in assists with 5.4 a game and steals with 2.4 a game. Baylor is outscoring opponents 73-61 on the season. Baylor is shooting 48.1% from the field and 37.1% from 3-point range. Baylor opponents are shooting 41.1% from the field. The Bears shoot 69.1% from the free throw line. Baylor averages 37.4 rebounds a game and has a rebounding margin of +8.7. Baylor averages 12.6 assists and 16 turnovers a game. Baylor forces 16.1 turnovers a game on defense. The Bears average 7.9 steals and 4.2 blocks a game.

Kansas St has been battling injuries and suspensions all season. Top scorers Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly missed multiple games due to being suspended for accepting improper benefits from a local department store. Guard Pullen is averaging 18 points to lead the team, 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists to lead the team, and 1.6 steals a game to also lead the team. He missed 3 games due to the suspension. Guard Rodney McGruder averages 11.2 points, 6.7 rebounds to lead the team, and 1.7 assists. Forward Kelly is averaging 10.3 points, 5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks a game to lead the team. Kansas St is outscoring opponents 74-65. The Wildcats are shooting 44.1% from the field and 36.7% from 3-point range. The Wildcats are holding opponents to 40.5% shooting from the field. Kansas St is shooting only 59.3% from the free throw line. K-State averages 40.6 rebounds a game and a rebounding margin of +8.8. They average 14.7 assists and 16.1 turnovers a game. The Wildcats force 16.5 turnovers a game on defense. The average 6.4 steals and 4.8 blocks a game.

Both of these teams score and rebound very well, but they do struggle with defense and turning the ball over. Both teams allow opponents to shoot over 40% from the field and they both average 16 or more turnovers a game. It is for these reasons that neither Baylor nor Kansas St are living up to the lofty expectations at the beginning of the season.