Long Beach St 49ers at #13 Kansas Jayhawks
Phog Allen Fieldhouse – Lawrence, Kansas
Tuesday, December 6, 2011, 9:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPNU
Opening Line: Kansas -12
Current Line: Kansas -12 1/2
Opening Total: 141 1/2
Current Total: 142
Opening Money Line: Kansas -860 / LBSU +650
Current Money Line: Kansas -860 / LBSU +650
Though Long Beach St is only 4-3 under Dan Monson, they have played an exceedingly difficult schedule with games at then #6 Pittsburgh, and then #6 Louisville. The 49ers got a split beating Pitt 86-76 and lost at Louisville 79-66. LBSU also has a loss at likely tournament team San Diego St 77-73 in overtime. It only gets more difficult for the 49ers with this game at #13 Kansas and upcoming games against top 10 teams North Carolina and Xavier. It will help in the RPI come March but doesn’t really help in the overall record. Kansas is 5-2 this season under coach Bill Self. The only two losses for the Jayhawks are to Kentucky 75-65 and Duke 68-61 both at neutral sites. This is the fourth meeting ever between Kansas and Long Beach St. Kansas leads the series 2-1 but they haven’t played since 1993.
Last Friday, Long Beach hosted BYU-Hawaii. The 49ers were a little sluggish in the first half as they were only up 32-28 at halftime. They pulled away in the second half by outscoring the Seasiders 47-15 in the second half to win 79-43. Long Beach shot 53.7% from the field and made 6/15 three pointers. The 49ers were 15/20 from the free throw line. LBSU had 34 rebounds, 12 assists, and 15 steals, along with 11 turnovers. The 49ers had 4 players in double figures. Forwards Eugene Phelps and T.J. Robinson each had double-doubles. Phelps had 14 points, 13 rebounds and a steal. Robinson had 12 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Guard Larry Anderson led the 49ers in scoring with 16 points and was 4-4 on 3 point shots. He also added 5 steals, 4 assists, and a rebound. Guard Casper Ware had 13 points, five steals, 4 assists and a rebound. BYU-Hawaii shot 35.4% from the field and were 3/16 from 3 point range. The Seasiders went to the free throw line 9 times and made 6 of them. BYU-Hawaii had 24 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals, 2 blocks and 23 turnovers in the loss.
Long Beach averages 73.7 points a game and is giving up 63.7 points a game. The 49ers are shooting 47.6% from the field including 33.6% from three point range. The 49ers make 73% of their free throws. Long Beach St averages 35 rebounds a game and opponents are averaging 31.6 a game. The 49ers average 15.4 assists and 14.5 turnovers a game. The 49ers average 7 steals and 2.7 blocks a game.
Ware is the leading scorer for Long Beach averaging 17.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.3 steals a game. Anderson averages 15.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals a game. He makes 48% of his three point attempts. Robinson averages 13.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 1 steal a game. Guard/Forward James Ennis averages 9.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 steals a game. Phelps averages 9.1 points, and 6.6 rebounds a game.
Last Saturday, Kansas hosted South Florida. The Jayhawks were 16 point favorites. The game was close in the first half with Kansas up only 24-21 at halftime. The Jayhawks pulled away in the second half to win 70-42. Kansas shot 46% from the field, including 7/25 from 3 point range. The Jayhawks were 17/24 on free throws. Kansas had 32 rebounds, 17 assists, 8 steals, 5 blocks and 14 turnovers. Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor led all scorers with 24 points, along with 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal. He was 4/6 on three point shots. Forward Thomas Robinson has 14 points, 8 rebounds, an assist, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Guard Conner Teahen added 11 points off the bench along with 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal. The Bulls shot 32.6% from the field, including 4/17 on three-pointers. South Florida made 8 out of 10 free throws. The Bulls had 24 rebounds, 8 assists, 9 steals, 2 blocks and 17 turnovers.
Kansas averages 73.1 points a game and is allowing 58.9 points a game. The Jayhawks are shooting 46.5% from the field, including 33.6% from the three point line. Kansas makes 74.4% of their free throws. Kansas averages 38 rebounds a game and allows 30. The Jayhawks average 14.4 assists, 13.9 turnovers, 7.9 steals, and 5.7 blocks a game.
Taylor averages 17.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists a game. He is shooting 57.9% from 3 point rage. Robinson averages 16.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and blocks a game, along with 1.3 steals a game. Elijah Johnson averages 9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals a game. Travis Releford, Jeff Withey, and Teahen also score significant points.
Kansas is 4-3 against the spread this season and 6 of the 7 games have gone under the total. Long Beach is 2-4 ATS and the total is 4-2 this season. The 49ers are 6-1 ATS after a straight up win of more than 20 points, 5-12 as a road dog of between 7 points and 12.5 points, 2-5 after a straight up win, 2-5 against teams with winning records, 2-5 in non-conference games, 1-5 in road games, and 1-5 in road games against teams with winning records. The Jayhawks are 4-1 ATS as a favorite, at home, and as a home favorite, 8-3 at home against teams with losing road records, 5-2 as a favorite of between 7 and 12.5 points, 35-16-1 as a home favorite of between 7 and 12.5 points, 2-5 after a cover, and 1-4 against teams with winning records.
Kansas should not take this team lightly as LBSU already upset Pittsburgh earlier in the season and played Louisville pretty tough. I see Long Beach hanging around for a while but Kansas winning late.
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