#6 Kansas Jayhawks at Iowa State Cyclones
Monday, February 25, 2013, 9:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
James H. Hilton Coliseum – Ames, Iowa
Opening Line: Kansas -1
Current Line: Kansas -1
Opening Total: 144
Current Total: 143 1/2
Opening Money Line: Kansas -120 / Iowa State +100
Current Money Line: Kansas -120 / Iowa State +100
After their first 3 game losing streak since 2005, the Kansas Jayhawks have since won 4 straight games. Kansas is now 22-4 and 11-3 in the Big 12. The Jayhawks are tied with Kansas St for first place in the Big 12. Kansas travels to 19-8 Iowa St Monday night. The Cyclones are 9-5 in conference and tied with Oklahoma for fourth in the conference. Iowa St has won 3 straight games and 22 in a row at home.
Kansas leads the series 172-59, including 66-37 in Ames. Kansas has won 14 of the last 15 meetings in the series, including 97-89 in overtime January 9 in Lawrence. It was the Big 12 opener for both teams. Kansas took an 8 point lead early in the second half, but Iowa St took a 54-49 lead with a 12-1 run. Kansas guard Ben McLemore hit a 3 point shot with a second left in regulation that sent the game into overtime. The Jayhawks scored the first 9 points of the overtime and would not trail again.
Kansas is coached by Bill Self. The losses for the Jayhawks this season came against Michigan St in Atlanta early in the season, at home against Oklahoma St, and at TCU and Oklahoma. The Jayhawks have key wins over Washington St, Saint Louis, and Oregon St all in Kansas City, along with a road wins at Ohio St, Texas Tech, Texas twice, Kansas St twice, West Virginia, and Oklahoma St and home wins over Colorado, Richmond, Temple, Iowa St, Baylor,Oklahoma, and TCU Saturday 74-48. The Jayhawks are 13-13 ATS and the total is 10-12-1 this season.
Kansas is outscoring teams 73-60 this season. The Jayhawks are #31 in points allowed. Kansas is #36 in field goal percentage at 46.8% and 35% from three point range. The Jayhawks are shooting 72.2% from the free throw line. Kansas averages 39.4 rebounds per game, and gives up 30.0 per game. The Jayhawks are #19 in rebounding nationally. Kansas opponents are shooting 35.5% from the field and 30.4% from 3 point range. Kansas is #1 in opponent’s field goal percentage. The Jayhawks average 15 assists, 7 steals, 7 blocks and 13 turnovers a game.
Guard Ben McLemore averages 16.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Center Jeff Withey averages 13.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game. He broke the Big 12 record for blocks in a career a couple of weeks ago. Guard Travis Releford averages 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Guard Elijah Johnson averages 9.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. Kevin Young averages 7.6 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. Perry Ellis, Naadir Tharpe, Andrew White III and Jamari Taylor make up the rest of the rotation.
Iowa St is coached by Fred Hoiberg. The Cyclones have losses to Cincinnati in Las Vegas, at UNLV, and at Iowa. Iowa St has conference losses at Kansas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma St, Kansas St, and Texas. The Cyclones have key wins over BYU, Drake, Yale, Texas, West Virginia, TCU twice, Kansas St, Baylor twice,Oklahoma and texas Tech 86-66 Saturday in Ames. Iowa St is 12-10 ATS and the total is 15-3 this season.
Iowa St is outscoring teams 80-69. The Cyclones are #5 in scoring nationally. Iowa St is shooting 45.8% from the field and 37% from 3 point range. The Cyclones make 72% of their free throws. Iowa St averages 39.6 rebounds per game and give up 31 per game. The Cyclones are #16 in rebounding nationally. Iowa St opponents are shooting 41.9% from the field and 30.7% from 3 point range. The Cyclones average 16 assists, 7 steals, 3 blocks, and 14 turnovers per game.
Forward Will Clyburn averages 14.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1 steal per game. Guard Tyrus McGee averages 13.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Forward Georges Niang averages 11.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Forward Melvin Ejim averages 11.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1 steal. Guard Korie Lucious averages 9.7 points, 5.8 assists, 1.7 rebounds, and 1 steal a game. Chris Babb averages 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Percy Gibson, Anthony Booker, and Naz Long make up the rest of the rotation. Gibson leads the team in blocks with 0.8 per game.
Kansas is 4-0 ATS overall, and against Big 12 teams, 6-1 after a straight up win of 20 points or more, 4-1 after a cover, 5-2 after a straight up win, and against teams with winning records, 20-9 in Monday games, 2-5 in road games, and against teams with winning home records. The over is 4-1 in the last 5 in this series.
Iowa St is 5-0 ATS at home, 6-1 against teams with winning records, 5-1 after a cover, and 4-1 after a straight up win, 7-2 overall, 37-16-2 in Big 12 games, and 36-17-3 against teams with winning road records. The Cyclones are 5-1 ATS in the last six in the series and were the underdog in each of those contests.
These two teams are hot right now. Iowa St has one of the longest home winning streaks in the country but Kansas is looking to win their 9th straight Big 12 regular season title. A win here would increase those chances, but Oklahoma St and Kansas St are lurking as well. I like Kansas to win a high scoring game on the road in one of the toughest places to play in the Big 12.
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