The No. 7 Kansas Jayhawks go for their ninth
straight victory when they visit the Texas Longhorns in a Big 12 matchup in
Austin. Game time is 4:00 PM ET at the Frank Erwin Special Events Center in
Austin.
Sportsbooks opened Kansas as a -3 point favorite in
the NCAA basketball odds with the total at 136.5.
The Jayhawks (15-3 SU, 10-7 ATS) are coming off a
92-74 win against No. 3 Baylor on Monday and are looking to go 6-0 in Big 12
play for the third time under head coach Bill Self and the sixth time
in conference history. Meanwhile Texas (12-6 SU, 4-9 ATS) will be out to
snap a two-game losing streak after its 84-80 defeat at Kansas State on Wednesday.
Kansas lost two of its first five games falling to
perennial powers Kentucky and Duke. There’s certainly no shame in losing to
either the Wildcats or Blue Devils, but the 80-74 loss to Davidson as a -13
point favorite no less was the real head scratcher. Since the Davidson debacle,
The Jayhawks have won eight straight and 12 of 13 including a victory over Ohio
State (78-67).
KU
spoilers
Kansas handed Baylor its first loss of the year as
Thomas Robinson had 27 points and 14 rebounds and Tyshawn Taylor matched a
career-high with 28 points in the decisive 92-74 victory. The Bears (17-1) had been riding the longest
winning streak in school history to its best start ever.
The Jayhawks have won 13 straight conference games
including the 2011 Big 12 tournament, during which they beat the Longhorns
85-73 in the title game March 12.
Top
25 troubles
Texas is 0-3 against ranked opponents, a big reason
they’re not anywhere to be found in the national rankings. The Longhorns latest
setback came on Wednesday when the fell to the Wildcats 84-80 loss to the
Wildcats.
Longhorns guard J’Covan Brown who leads the Big 12
in scoring (19.2 points per game) netted 22 against K-State but was just 8 for
28 from the field. He’s averaging 22.7 points and is shooting 48.8 percent from
the field in three career games against Kansas.
The Jayhawks are led by Robinson, who is a Player of
the Year candidate if not the favorite for the award. He’s the leader in the
Big 12 in double-double department with 13 and is averaging 17.8 points and
12.3 rebounds per game.
Stat
sheet
The Jayhawks are 10-0 at home, 3-0 in road games and
2-3 on neutral courts this season. Kansas averages 76.8 points per game and
allows 60.1 for a +16.7 scoring margin. KU is using solid defense as nine opponents
have scored 58 points or less. KU leads the Big 12 in rebound margin at +8.4.
The Jayhawks have outrebounded all but two teams this season. Additionally, KU
averages 16.4 assists per contest.
Stat
sheet, Part 2
Texas is 11-0 at home, 1-4 on the road and 0-2 on
neutral courts in 2011-12. They’re scoring at a 75.8 points per game clip and
are giving up 65.2 (+10.6 scoring margin). The Longhorns make a league-high
18.1 free throws per game and are outrebounding foes with a +3.8 margin. Texas
also averages 7.1 steals per contest in 2011-12.
The
Series
This series dates back to 1938 and Kansas holds a
decisive 18-7 lead. The Jayhawks have won four of the last five meetings
including four straight victories in the league title game dating back to 2006.
Kansas is 4-5 against Texas in games played in
Austin, including 3-4 in the Erwin Center. The Wildcats are 14-6 against Texas
with a 10-5 mark in regular-season play and 4-1 record in the conference title
games.
Harvey’s Take: Expect a close contest, as five of the last seven
battles have been decided by 10 points or less. Last year, Texas defeated
Kansas 74-63 on Jan. 22, 2011, to end KU's school-record 69-game home court
winning streak. My concern is that Kansas could suffer a letdown after beating
Baylor. But the Jayhawks are the superior team here and should eke out a win.
Good luck!