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The TCU Horned Frogs have been one of the most pleasant surprises in college basketball this season. They can turn even more heads this week as they prepare for a huge clash against the Kansas Jayhawks.
Kansas has regularly dominated the Big 12 but the Horned Frogs are looking like a legitimate foe. TCU gets the home court advantage in this matchup and would love to pick up a critical conference win.
Kansas has been in a lull of late but still has the superior talent and could be a slight favorite despite playing on the road. This game is early in the conference season but could have huge implications down the road,
This war on the floor will go down Saturday, January 6, 2018, at 9:15 p.m. ET at the Ed & Rae Schollmaier Arena. The game will be televised live on ESPN2.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
Odds Analysis
TCU is 13-1 straight up and 7-7 against the spread on the season. The Horned Frogs have covered in four of 10 attempts at home on the season. TCU has been favored in every game this season but could be the underdogs in this one against Kansas.
The Jayhawks are 11-3 straight up and 8-5 against the spread. Kansas has played only two road games on the season and has covered in one of them. The Jayhawks have also been the favorites in every contest this season.
Player To Watch
Kenrich Williams — TCU is successful because it has great balanced, with five different players averaging double figures and all of them able to carry the team for stretches. The one to really watch, though, is Williams, the senior guard.
He is averaging a team-high 14.8 points on the season while adding 9.2 rebounds and 2.7 steals per contest. Williams is shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 47.7 percent from three-point range.
He has steadily improved the past few seasons and is now leading the way for a team that is looking like one of the better programs in the country.
Key Stat
Three. That’s how many times Kansas has lost in its last seven games. The perennial powerhouse has hit a rough patch over the last month and will look to get back on track in this game against TCU.
The team’s first two losses of the season came in back-to-back fashion back in early December. The Jayhawks fell 74-65 to Washington on December 6th then lost by 10 to Arizona State in the very next game on December 10th.
On Saturday, Kansas suffered yet another blow, falling 85-73 to Texas Tech. What’s even more surprising in this latest stretch, is that all three losses have come at home at Allen Fieldhouse, where the Jayhawks have traditionally been nearly unbeatable.
Kansas is still a good team despite the recent lull and it wouldn’t be a surprise if this team reeled off a bunch of victories in a row.
Free NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks
This is an interesting matchup of upstart against perennial power. TCU has only one loss all season and it came by a single point to No. 12 Oklahoma. The Horned Frogs couldn’t have started much better but this is a tough matchup.
The Jayhawks have an inferior record but still have the more talented players. Kansas would like to go on the road an establish itself as the team to beat in the conference once again. The pick here is TCU in a game that should be a close one.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Horned Frogs grab this one on the very last minute of the game.
NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds: TCU 84, Kansas 82
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