NCAA Betting Picks: Kansas Jayhawks and Kansas State Wildcats
Monday, February 13, 2012
by Mike Stewart
Kansas State Wildcats, once viewed as a lock to make the NCAA Tournament, suddenly finds itself squarely on the bubble.
The Wildcats, who climbed as high as 18th in the national rankings in early January, had a chance to move two games above .500 in Big 12 play for the first time all season on Saturday against Texas.
But the Longhorns rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit to defeat the Wildcats, 75-64. Now, the Wildcats must try to bounce back against the 10th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks, who have dominated the series. Though Kansas lost last year’s meeting in Manhattan, it has won 11 of the last 13 meetings overall.
- Kansas Jayhawks @ Kansas State Wildcats
When: 9:00 PM ET, Monday, February 13, 2012
Where: Fred Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, Kansas
TV: ET; ESPN, ESPN3.
The Jayhawks have opened as 4-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NCAA Basketball Odds.
Kansas Jayhawks (20-5): All season long, Kansas has waited on Jeff Withey’s offensive game to develop. Withey, the Jayhawks’ seven-foot center, has been an accomplished defender — his Big 12-best 79 blocks providing proof. But recently, Withey’s offensive game has been just as strong. The junior had a career-high 25 points in Kansas’ win over Baylor on Wednesday, and then followed with an 18-point, 20-rebound effort in Saturday’s 81-66 victory against Oklahoma State. If Withey can continue to make an impact on the offensive end, the Jayhawks will be even more dangerous come March.
Kansas State Wildcats (17-7): After failing to defeat Kansas at home for 24 straight years, the Wildcats have won two of the last four under coach Frank Martin. That includes last year’s 84-68 victory, a wire-to-wire win against the then-No. 1 Jayhawks. The Wildcats’ postseason fate will likely be determined in the next eight-day stretch. After playing the Jayhawks, the Wildcats will take on a pair of opponents ranked in the top 10 — No. 6 Baylor and fourth-ranked Missouri. Rodney McGruder, who scored a team-high 15 points in Kansas State’s 67-49 loss in Lawrence earlier this year, leads the Wildcats with 14.6 points per game.
1. Kansas State is 13-1 in February home games over the last four years.
2. The Jayhawks have won 20 or more games in each of the last 23 seasons.
3. Kansas is 18-15 in Big Monday road games since the Big 12’s inception in 1996.
NCAA BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Jayhawks 72, Wildcats 65.
Bet on NCAA College Basketball games with SBG Global Sportsbook
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frank martin - fred bramlage coliseum - jeff withey - kansas jayhawks - kansas state wildcats - rodney mcgruder
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