The last time the Tigers played at Auburn Arena they knocked off rival Alabama. The time before that an upset over Kentucky was in the making. Auburn makes full use of its home court advantage and will need that and more to upend Oklahoma State when the teams meet in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
You can bet on college basketball odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
HOW THE OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
It’s hard to tell which Oklahoma State team Auburn will see on Saturday: the one that got humbled by a not-so-good Kansas State team last weekend or the one that blew out Kansas just four days before that.
The Cowboys’ season took an unexpected turn early when Phil Forte was lost just three games in. And they do miss their senior leader, who entered this season as the face of the squad. Equally obvious now, however, the Cowboys have a new face and a new identity and a renewed reason for optimism, thanks to Jawun Evans.
And it’s possible, likely even, that Evans is only now getting going. The true freshman continues to transform the Cowboys, growing on the go and thriving in an enhanced role that is accentuating his talents, while also all those around him to look and play better. Coach Travis Ford has suggested he’ll let his emerging point guard push the pace when the time is right. Ford isn’t calling for a full run-and-gun, yet recognizing Evans’ skills and smarts, he believes the Cowboys could help themselves in picking spots to attack.
HOW THE AUBURN TIGERS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Nobody is declaring that coach Bruce Pearl has turned Auburn around. What is evident is that he‘s giving the Tigers hope for respectability that hasn’t existed in more than a decade. He’s given Auburn plenty of reasons for excitement, including an upset win over SEC kingpin Kentucky two weeks ago, which preceded another home win over rival Alabama. Those two big wins came in the suddenly hostile Auburn Arena and that should help the Tigers in their SEC/Big 12 Challenge matchup with Oklahoma State.
What is not going to help are the season-ending losses of Tahj Shamsid-Dean and T.J. Dunans, leaving the Tigers with four scholarship guards. The team has been decimated by injuries, and that’s definitely been a factor in their 9-10 record leaving little room for error. Auburn does play with great effort and energy, and right now that gives them the best chance to win games.
The key for the Tigers, however, is Kareem Canty. If he’s playing well, they have a good shot. If the point guard struggles from beyond the arc and defensively, so will the Tigers.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
We know Shamsid-Dean is not coming back and Dunans might be done for the NCAAB season, too. Not many roles outside of Canty and Cinmeon Bowers have been carved, and with Bowers sitting on the bench during long stretches, it doesn’t give the youngsters such as Bryce Brown, T.J. Lang and New Williams much time to develop without doing so in trial by fire games. Auburn was set up to improve game by game, but with injuries and the benching of Bowers during key stretches, it doesn’t appear that will happen this season.
Oklahoma State has dealt with injuries of its own but the Cowboys are a deeper squad and have the benefit of playing in the ultra-competitive Big 12. They have had difficulties on the road while the biggest wins of the season for Auburn have come at home, and that will make this game close. But in the end, OSU has too much Evans to overcome.
Oklahoma State 68, Auburn 63
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The matchup between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Auburn Tigers will go down Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 8 p.m. ET at Auburn Arena. The matchup will be televised live on ESPN2.
