Oklahoma St Cowboys at Kansas Jayhawks, Phog Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS
Monday, February 21, 2011, 9:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Kansas -18
Current Line: Kansas -17
Opening Total: 144 1/2
Current Total: 144
Money Line: Kansas -2600 / OSU +1500
Last Monday, Kansas lost at in-state rival Kansas St 84-68. Despite the loss, Kansas only dropped from #1 to #2 behind Duke as 7 of the top ten teams lost a game last week. Kansas rebounded with an 89-63 home win over Colorado Saturday. The Jayhawks are 25-2 overall and 10-2 in the Big 12 a game behind Texas in the standings. The Jayhawks host a slumping Oklahoma St team who has lost 6 of their last 8 and 3 in a row. Oklahoma St is 16-10 overall and 4-8 in the Big 12. They were on the bubble a couple of weeks ago, but now are looking more like an NIT team. The Cowboys have wins over DePaul, Murray St, Tulsa, Missouri St, Alabama, Stanford, Kansas St, Iowa St, Missouri, and Oklahoma. As part of their current 3 game losing streak, Oklahoma St lost at home to Texas A&M 67-66 Saturday night. The Cowboys have losses to Virginia Tech, Gonzaga, Texas A&M twice, Colorado, Baylor, Texas twice, Texas Tech, and Nebraska. Kansas has a loss to Texas in additon to the Kansas St loss. The Jayhawks have wins over Valparaiso, Arizona, UCLA, Memphis, Colorado St, USC, Cal, Miami-OH, Michigan, Iowa St twice, Nebraska twice, Baylor, Colorado twice, Kansas St, Texas Tech, and Missouri.
Kansas leads the overall series 102-53 against Oklahoma St. Oklahoma St upset the then #1 Jayhawks last season in Stillwater 85-77. The two teams have split the last two meetings. Oklahoma St is 6-15 ATS as an underdog the last 2 seasons. The Cowboys are also 5-13 ATS in road games the last 2 seasons, including 4-12 in conference road games in the same span. Kansas is 22-11 ATS against teams with winning records the last 3 seasons.
Oklahoma St forward Darrell Williams has missed the last 3 games due to a suspension and is out indefinitely. Williams averaged 7.1 points and was the teams second leading rebounder with 7.3 a game. The Cowboys are led by forward Marshall Moses, but Moses is listed as questionable with the flu tonight against Kansas. He played only 7 minutes in the Cowboys’ loss to Texas A&M Saturday. He is averaging 14.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and is shooting 50% from 3-point range. He is the teams’ leading scorer and rebounder. Guard Keiton Page averages 13.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1 steals a game. Forward J.P. Olukemi averages 11.6 points, and 4 rebounds a game. Ray Penn leads the team in assists with 2.2 a game. Matt Pilgrim leads the team in steals with 1.2 a game. Oklahoma St is outscoring opponents 69-67 on the season. The Cowboys are shooting 43.4% from the field and 29.8% from 3-point range. Cowboy opponents are shooting 41.4% from the field. The Cowboys make 72.4% of their free throws. OSU averages 35.2 rebounds a game and has a rebounding margin of +2.7. The Pokes average 10.1 assists and 13.7 turnovers a game. OSU forces 14.1 turnovers a game on defense. The Cowboys average 2.8 blocks and 6.9 steals a game.
Kansas forward Thomas Robinson has missed the last three games with a sprained MCL, and is listed as questionable tonight. Robinson is averaging 8.9 points, and 6.4 rebounds a game. Kansas is led by the Morris twins, 6’9″, 235 pound Marcus and 6’10”, 245 pound Markieff. “Little Brother” Marcus averages 16.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists a game. Big Brother Markieff averages 13.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 blocks a game. He leads the team in rebounding and blocks. Both Morris brothers shoot over 33% from 3-point range. Kansas Guard Josh Selby averages 10.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals a game. He also shoots 39.7% from 3-point range. He has missed numerous games this season due to injury and is still recovering from a stress fracture in his foot. Guard Tyrel Reed averages 9.9 points, 3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 steals a game. Tyshawn Taylor averages 8.8 points, 2 rebounds, leads the team in assists with 4.7 a game, and averages 1.2 steals a game. Brady Morningstar averages 6.6 points, and leads the team in steals with 1.6 a game. Reed, Taylor, and Morningstar will have to pick up the scoring slack while Selby gets his game back and/or Robinson can’t go. Kansas is outscoring opponents 84-65 on the season. Kansas is shooting 52.1% from the field and 39% from 3-point range. The Jayhawks are holding opponents to 39.4% shooting from the field. Kansas makes 66.8% of their free throws. Kansas averages 38.5 rebounds and has a rebounding margin of +7.2. The Jayhawks average 18.5 assists and 13.6 turnovers a game. They force 15.2 turnovers a game on defense. Kansas averages 8.6 steals and 4.6 blocks a game.
Oklahoma St was going to struggle in this game either way, but is in serious trouble without their top two rebounders Moses and Williams. Moses might play but needs to be way more effective than he was Saturday. Kansas has enough depth to overcome the loss of Robinson if he can’t go. I look for Kansas to win by double digits but Oklahoma st might get a backdoor cover with such a large number.
Our college basketball handicappers are red hot in 2011. Don’t miss out on any more winners this season.
