KU vs. KSU Betting Line – February 3
Carrie Stroup has your KU vs. KSU betting line for Wednesday night. Kansas -12.5, Total: 144
KANSAS ST WILDCATS (13-8) at KANSAS JAYHAWKS (17-4)
Kansas State looks for its first win in Lawrence since 2006 as it visits in-state rival No. 7 Kansas.
Coach Bruce Weber’s Kansas State Wildcats come into this in-state rivalry game having lost 12 straight to Bill Self’s Jayhawks away from the friendly confines of Manhattan, KS. Kansas is actually 19-1 SU (14-6 ATS) when playing Kansas State either at home or in the Big 12 tournament. Last season, the Wildcats covered (68-57, Kansas St. +11.5) in Allen Fieldhouse for the first time in their last eight tries (dating back to 2007).
The Wildcats are coming off of a home win over Ole Miss (69-64, Kansas St. -7) which got them out of the cellar of the Big 12 conference standings (2-6 in conference play). Kansas also defeated their SEC foe this weekend, taking down No. 20 Kentucky, 90-84 in overtime on Saturday (Kansas -5.5).
The Jayhawks have uncharacteristically struggled, by their standards, in conference play so far and stand at 5-3. Kansas had been 0-5 ATS since Jan. 12th before covering Saturday’s game in overtime. Kansas’ struggles, however, have all been on the road against ranked teams, as the Jayhawks are 11-0 SU (5-4 ATS) in Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas State is 1-5 this season as an away underdog, however, the Wildcats are solid ATS (4-1-1) in that same scenario. The total has gone OVER in five of Kansas State’s last seven road games, and it has also gone OVER in four of the last six times the Jayhawks and Wildcats have met.
While Kansas holds a decidedly upper hand at home over Kansas State, the Wildcats do currently have the last laugh in this rivalry, having beaten the then-No. 8 Jayhawks 70-63 last February (Kansas -5). Kansas State was 14-15 at that time. B
Coach Weber’s teams usually make it very difficult for opposing offenses to score, and this season’s Wildcats are no exception. Allowing just 28.7% 3PT (7th NCAA), Kansas State will have a stern test defending beyond the arc against the nation’s fourth best team from deep (Kansas – 42.5% 3PT).
Unfortunately, Kansas State’s offensive struggles from that same spot could prove their undoing, as the Wildcats shoot a woeful 28.6% from deep (344th NCAA). In fact, coach Weber’s club is actually an abysmal 4-38 (10.5%) from three over their last two games. Kansas State will have to rely on their ability to create offense with their active hands on defense, (7.6 SPG, 40th NCAA) their energy on the offensive glass (12.3 OR/G, 23rd NCAA) and their ability to get to the free throw line (25 FTA/G, 32nd NCAA).
Coach Weber has seven players contributing at least 6.5 PPG for the Wildcats and, more impressively, five players averaging at least 4.4 RPG. F Wesley Iwundu (12.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG) leads the team in scoring in what’s been a breakout season for the junior. Iwundu averaged 5.8 PPG last season.
G Justin Edwards (11.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.9 SPG) is the only senior who plays more than 20 minutes for the Wildcats. Coach Weber plays a rotation of big men in F Dean Wade (10.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG), F D.J. Johnson (7.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG) and F Stephen Hurt (6.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG) who are all big bodies (6’9”+) but not great rim protectors (less than 1 BPG).
Kansas looks to continue their winning ways after the thrilling overtime win over Kentucky at home on Saturday. That victory saw junior G Wayne Selden Jr. (15.4 PPG, 51% FG, 47% 3PT) explode for 33 points, a career high. The Jayhawks offense is very good, averaging 82 PPG (17th NCAA) on 47.5 FG (30th NCAA) versus D1 opponents.
Kansas does have just an average defense (69.8 PPG allowed, 128th NCAA vs D1 opponents) but that shouldn’t come back to haunt them against the offensively challenged Wildcats. The Jayhawks take care of the ball well, with a 1.35 A/TO mark (38th NCAA vs D1 opponents) which should negate Kansas State’s quick hands on defense.
G Frank Mason III (13.3 PPG, 5 RPG, 4.7 APG) is the catalyst for the offense, but while the normally sure-handed point guard has gotten careless with the ball on the road recently (13 combined turnovers at West Virginia and Iowa State) Mason III has only committed 5 turnovers in his last three home games. Mason III has struggled with his shot recently though, shooting only 32.8% FG (31.6 % 3PT) over his last five games.
F Perry Ellis (16.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 49.8% FG) is a model of consistency in the paint for the Jayhawks, having hit double figures in all but one game this season. Ellis struggled with the size and length of Kentucky on Saturday night, but got to the free throw line enough to squeeze out 10 points along with 9 rebounds.
Along with Selden, Mason III, and Ellis, G Devonte’ Graham (10.5 PPG, 42.5% 3PT) is the fourth Jayhawk that sees 30+ minutes per game in an otherwise thin rotation for Self’s Kansas squad. Graham has actually been the primary setup man for this Jayhawk offense over their past five games, boasting 5.1 APG in that stretch to just 1.8 TO/G.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
