#7 Kansas Jayhawks at Kansas State Wildcats
Fred Bramlage Coliseum – Manhattan, Kansas
Monday, February 10, 2014, 9:00 pm Eastern, TY: ESPN
Opening Line: Kansas -3 1/2
Current Line: Kansas -3 1/2
Opening Total: 134 1/2
Current Total: 137
Opening Money Line: Kansas -170 / Kansas State +145
Current Money Line: Kansas -170 / Kansas State +145
The 18-5 Kansas Jayhawks lead the Big 12 with a 9-1 record by two games over Texas. Next up for the Jayhawks is a trip to in-state rival Kansas State Monday night. The Wildcats are 16-7 overall and tied for fourth in the Big 12 with at Iowa State at 6-4.
Kansas has dominated the series against their “little brother” 187-91. The Jayhawks have won 48 of the last 51 meetings against the Wildcats, including 6 straight games. Kansas won in Lawrence 86-60 January 11.
Kansas is coached by Bill Self. The Jayhawks have losses to Villanova in the Bahamas, at Colorado, Florida and Texas, along with a home loss to San Diego State. Villanova, Florida, San Diego State and Texas are all in the top 20. Kansas has key wins over Duke in Chicago, Wake Forest and UTEP in the Bahamas, New Mexico in Kansas City, plus home wins over Georgetown, Toledo, Kansas State,Oklahoma State, Baylor, Iowa State and West Virginia Saturday 83-69 plus road wins at Oklahoma, Iowa State, TCU and Baylor. Kansas has won 9 of the last 10 games. Kansas is 12-10-1 ATS and the the total is 14-8 this season.
Kansas is outscoring teams 79-70 this season. The Jayhawks are #29 in scoring nationally. Kansas is shooting 50.3% from the field and 36.8% from 3 point range. The Jayhawks are #4 nationally in field goal percentage. Kansas makes 69.9% of their free throws. Jayhawk opponents are shooting 40.4% from the field and 33.8% from 3 point range. Kansas averages 38.5 rebounds per game and opponents average 28.3. The Jayhawks are #44 or better in both categories. Kansas averages 16 assists, 5.6 steals, 6 blocks, and 13.7 turnovers per game, and opponents average 11.7 assists, 6.5 steals, 3.2 blocks and 11.3 turnovers per game.
Freshman guard Andrew Wiggins is projected to be an NBA lottery pick. Wiggins averages 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Forward Perry Ellis averages 13 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assist per game. Center Joel Embiid averages 10.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game. He is also a likely lottery pick. Guard Wayne Selden, Jr. averages 10.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Guard Naadir Tharpe averages 9.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. Frank Mason and Jamari Traylor also get significant minutes in the rotation. Little used guard Connor Frankamp is questionable with a knee injury.
Kansas State is coached by Bruce Weber. The Wildcats have losses to Northern Colorado, Charlotte and Georgetown in a tournament in Puerto Rico, and at Kansas, at Texas, at Iowa State and at West Virginia. Kansas State has key wins over Oral Roberts, Long Beach State twice (once in Puerto Rico), Ole Miss, Gonzaga in Wichita, Tulane in Brooklyn, George Washington, Oklahoma State, at TCU, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas Tech and Texas Saturday 74-57. Kansas State has gone 2-3 in their last 5 games. The Wildcats are 13-7-1 ATS and the total is 6-14 this season.
Kansas State is outscoring teams 69-62 this season. The Wildcats are #21 in points allowed nationally. Kansas State is shooting 43.5% from the field and 32.1% from 3 point range. The Wildcats are #226 or worse out of 351 teams nationally in scoring, field goal percentage and three point shooting. Kansas State is #323 in free throw shooting at 64.7% from the line. Wildcat opponents are shooting 39.8% from the field and 29.2% from 3 point range. Kansas State is #34 in field goal defense and #17 in three point defense. The Wildcats average 36.5 rebounds per game and opponents average 31.5 per game. Kansas State averages 15.2 assists, 12 turnovers, 6.1 steals, and 2.9 blocks per game. Opponents average 10.7 assists, 13 turnovers, 6.2 steals and 3.6 blocks.
Guard Marcus Foster averages 14.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. Forward Thomas Gipson averages 11.7 points and 6.5 points per game. Guard Shane Southwell averages 10.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Forward Wesley Iwundu averages 7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Guard Will Spradling averages 7.8 points, 3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Forward Nino Williams averages 5.6 points and 3 assists per game. Nigel Johnson, Jevon Thomas, D.J. Johnson, and Omari Lawrence will also get time in the rotation.
Kansas is 4-1-1 ATS in Monday games and overall, 4-1 in road games and against teams with winning home records, 3-1-1 after a straight up win, 6-2-1 against teams with winning records, 19-7-1 in big 12 games, and 15-7 after a cover. The Jayhawks are 26-8 ATS in the last 34 games against Kansas State, and were favored in each of those contests. Kansas has covered 11 of the last 14 games in Manhattan.
Kansas State is 8-1 ATS at home, 12-2 against teams with winning records, 8-2 after a win and a cover, 11-3 overall, 22-6-1 against teams with winning road records, 5-2 in Big 12 games, and 2-5 in Monday games. The home team is 9-2 ATS in this series recently.
Kansas State is much better at home than on the road. However, kansas has dominated this series recently. Kansas wins but it will be a lot closer than 26 points like the last time they played last month.
