The Kansas Jayhawks have faced off with two of the best teams in the country in their past two games and come away undefeated. The competition decreases this time, but the Jayhawks must keep the pedal to the metal against the Iowa State Cyclones in a Big 12 showdown.
Kansas is zeroing in on a top seed in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and a conference title but there are plenty of teams aiming to knock the Jayhawks off. The Cyclones are hoping to earn a March Madness berth and this would certainly be a signature win to help them get there, but it won’t be easy.
The Jayhawks will be heavy favorites as the better team and the one with home court advantage.
This war on the floor will go down Saturday, February 4, 2016, at 2 p.m. ET at the Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
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Odds at BookMaker.eu
Kansas is 19-2 straight up but just 7-12 against the spread. The Jayhawks have played in eight home games but have only covered in two of them. Kansas has been the favorite in 16 games this season and has only gone 5-11 against the spread.
Iowa State is 13-8 straight up and 9-9 against the spread. The Cyclones have played in six games on the road and have covered in three of them. Iowa State has gone 5-3 against the spread as an underdog on the year.
Revenge Angle
If the first meeting between these two schools is repeated, fans will be in for a barnburner. Although Kansas led the entire second half of the first matchup on January 16th, Iowa State kept things close before eventually falling to the Jayhawks 76-72.
The two teams split victories last season with Iowa State winning the first matchup and Kansas capturing the second contest. The team has proven it can hang with the Jayhawks, but it will want to show it can beat them as well this week in Lawrence.
The Cyclones are 0-4 against ranked opponents this season. What’s more, Iowa State enters this game on a two-game losing streak so the team will be eager to turn things around against Kansas.
Player to Watch
Frank Mason III – The Kansas senior combined for 40 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in back-to-back wins against No. 4 Kentucky and No. 2 Baylor. He had 16 points and six rebounds the first time Kansas faced Iowa State this year.
Mason is leading the team in points and assists, averaging 19.9 points and 5.1 assists per game. He averaged 20 points per game in January and has scored a season-high 30 points in two games this season.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Iowa State is an above-average college team and is hoping to put some signature victories on its resume. The Cyclones came close to knocking off the Jayhawks a few weeks ago but fell short.
It’s going to be a lot harder to do so on the road. That was the Cyclones’ best shot and it is unlikely that they can hang on the road. Kansas lost to West Virginia recently but came roaring back with the recent wins over Baylor and Kentucky.
The Jayhawks will be able to keep it rolling by winning this game at home rather easily. The big question which will be which team covers the spread. Kansas will be giving up a chunk of points since it is the better team and at home, but has the talent to win this one by double digits.
Check to see where the point-differential checks in because that will decide which team to back against the spread.
College Basketball Odds: Kansas 88, Iowa State 79
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