The top ranked Kansas Jayhawks enter the Big 12 Tournament on an 11-game winning streak and with a No. 1 seed in the NCAA’s all but locked up. The big question entering this week’s games will be motivation. K-State should be plenty motivated after dropping both regular season meetings by a combined 27 points.
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HOW THE KANSAS STATE WILDCATS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
The eighth-seeded Wildcats opened the Big 12 Tournament with a win over Oklahoma State on Wednesday and now face the No. 1 team in the country. At least K-State won’t be intimidated by the matchup – the Wildcats have played more games against the top-25 than anyone in the nation.
In their two losses to Kansas this season, the Wildcats struggled shooting the basketball, limited to 39.6 percent from the floor. But in their last three games, the accuracy has improved. The Wildcats’ field goal percentage is 48.4 and 39.2 from three-point range.
K-State has also unleashed its secret weapon at the end of the season. Freshman Dean Wade scored a career-high 20 points in the tournament opener and has averaged 14.3 points on 61.9 percent shooting in the past three games.
The Wildcats are not strong defensively and will have to score points to keep this one close. They have a good balance with six players averaging 8.8 points or better and will need everyone to contribute.
HOW THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
The Big 12 regular season champs enter the postseason with an 11-game winning streak and do so with a little more experience than in years past. Success this season has been defined more by guys who have stuck around the program.
Perry Ellis is one of them, and the senior has averaged 21.0 points on 60.0 percent shooting in the last two games as well as 16.6 points on 62.5 percent in his last seven games against the Wildcats.
Among Kansas’ strengths is a harmony within the roster. The Jayhawks move the ball well, generally get along, and have a working understanding of where each man fits. It’s no coincidence that the season took hold – from three straight blowout losses on the road to the top of the polls – after Ellis and others said they felt Landon Lucas should play more.
Lucas solidified the post. He does the dirty work allowing Ellis to be play more freely away from the basket. The backcourt play improved with Frank Mason and Wayne Seldon reducing turnovers and making better decisions. Devonte’ Graham also stepped up his game to another level. It resulted in a mammoth run to close the regular season, getting KU prepped for what lies ahead.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
There is no tomorrow for the Wildcats and that makes them a very dangerous team. And while the gap in talent between the clubs is wide, beating a team three times in five weeks is tough to do. K-State won’t be scared playing the No. 1 team in the country and should embrace the opportunity to pull off a huge win and advance their season. Plus, it’s Kansas, the bully that has 12 straight Big 12 regular season titles and eight consecutive wins over the Wildcats in the conference tournament. Emotion will get K-State only so far, the disparity in talent will do the rest. Kansas doesn’t have much to gain from winning at the Sprint Center other than pride, but then again, there should be plenty of that at stake against the team’s in-state rival.
Kansas 78, Kansas State 67
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