Off an embarrassing defeat in Lubboch to Tortilla Tech earlier this week, look for a strong effort today at home by the Kansas Jayhawks when they host the Longhorns.
Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas, will be the site of today’s Big 12 battle between the host Jayhawks and the visiting Longhorns from the University of Texas.
Kansas went into Lubbock last Wednesday night as a 10-point road favorite to the Texas Tech Red Raiders and had their ass handed to them, 84-65. This is a very important game for the Jayhawks on a couple of fronts; first they can bounce back from that embarrassing performance a few nights ago and they can also clinch the Big 12 regular season title with a win over the Longhorns this afternoon.
From a fundamental standpoint the Longhorns shoot a little better than 41 percent from the field on the road and they are terrible from 3-point land averaging 29 percent from behind the arc. Those types of numbers will get you beat in Lawrence. If you shut down Longhorns guard A.J. Abrams, which the Kansas defense can do, there is little left to threaten this quick and decisive Jayhawks attack.
Kansas averages 81.4 points per game at home this season and only allows 61.8 points per game on 37 percent shooting from the field. They hold the opposition to 32 percent from behind the arc and out-rebound their opponents by almost 11 boards a game. Kansas is:
- 12-0 ATS when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season;
- 9-0 ATS versus teams allowing <=42% from the field after 15+ games this season;
- 11-0 ATS versus teams outscoring their opponents by 4+ points per game after 15+ games this season, and;
- 12-0 ATS versus teams committing <=14 turnovers per game after 15+ games this season.
Looking at the Jayhawks' situational angles we see that they are 8-1 ATS as a home favorite of 6½-12 points the last three seasons, and 12-2 ATS against conference opponents this season. Lay the chalk with the host as the Jayhawks right the ship and crown themselves Big 12 regular season champions.
Projected Final Score: Jayhawks-79 Longhorns-62
Free Pick: Kansas -8 (-110)