Right now, the No. 14 West Virginia Mountaineers are sitting all alone atop the Big XII title race with an 8-2 record. However, three teams are right behind them at 7-3, including the No. 7 Kansas Jayhawks, who will be hosting them on Super Tuesday.
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HOW THE WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
After getting trounced in Gainesville against Florida, West Virginia responded in a big way in its next two games. WVU traveled to Iowa St and knocked off the Cyclones before taking care of Baylor at home and are once again sitting pretty and poised to crack the Top Ten yet again.
When West Virginia is moving the ball well, it’s as tough to beat as anyone in the country. Jevon Carter averages just 3.5 assists on the year, but shelled out eight dimes against Baylor and helped set up some easy baskets which led to the Mountaineers shooting 49 percent from the floor.
Daxter Miles Jr. had a whale of a game with leading scorer Jaysean Paige plagued by fouls in hitting 75 percent of his shots from the floor and went four of five from beyond the arc to lead WVU with 20 points.
That was Miles best game all season and if he shoots like that again, the Mountaineers will have a great chance to knock off the Jayhawks in the Phog.
HOW THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Perry Ellis has been making the most of his senior season with the Jayhawks. Ellis leads the team in points, 16.7 PPG, and rebounds, 6.7 RPG, and is a threat to put up a double-double in any game. The last time the Jayhawks took the court against lowly TCU, that's exactly what happened.
Kansas rushed out to an 18 point first half lead while Ellis went 11-of-14 from the floor and posted a double-double in the 19 point road win and cover. He was virtually the only bright spot the Jayhawks had when these teams met in Morgantown earlier this season and is the most consistent player on the team.
For Kansas to get the best of West Virginia this time, it must protect the basketball. Frank Mason and Wayne Selden Jr. are two of the best players on the Jayhawks, but combined for 13 turnovers against WVU four weeks earlier and Kansas as a team committed 22 turnovers on the night.
That will be the main factor in determining whether or not Kansas can take care of business this time around.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
The Mountaineers have been great in conference action on the year. WVU is 6-2 SU in its last eight conference games and an even better 7-1 ATS in those contests. West Virginia has also tended to play over games lately with it cashing at a 3-1-1 clip in its last five.
After failing to cover six out of eight games to start the new year, the Jayhawks have found their form lately to cover their last three. On the season, they’re 12-8 ATS and the under is 13-7 in Jayhawks’ games.
Forcing turnovers allowed West Virginia to pull out the 11 point win the last time they faced Kansas, but this time they’re on the road. The Mountaineers lead the nation in steals at 10.3 per game, but playing in Lawrence is a much different battle than playing anywhere else in the Big XII.
Mason and Selden Jr should have much better games at home in front of a friendly crowd and as long as Ellis is his normal self, the Jayhawks will pull out the big win.
Kansas 76, West Virginia 70
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BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The game between the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Kansas Jayhawks is scheduled for Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Allen Fieldhouse. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
