The Kansas Jayhawks haven’t given up on claiming another Big 12 title. But they find themselves, along with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, looking up at K-State in the league standings. This is a pivotal game with neither team wanting to fall further behind the leader, and Tech would like to exact some revenge for an earlier loss to the Jayhawks. The Red Raiders haven’t lost a game since that setback winning four straight by an average margin of 24 points per game.
Kansas Jayhawks at Texas Tech Red Raiders
Date and Time: Saturday, February 23, 2019, 8 p.m. ET
Location: United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock, TX
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Kansas at Texas Tech TV Coverage: ESPN
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The Jayhawks entered their off week with plenty of momentum having won three straight after taking down West Virginia last weekend, avenging an earlier loss to the last-place Mountaineers. KU is still kicking itself over that setback, which could very well be a factor in whether or not the Jayhawks win or share their 15th straight regular season Big 12 title.
Another factor is KU’s play on the road. They stopped a four-game overall road losing streak and three-game Big 12 slide by knocking off TCU in overtime two weeks ago. But all six of the Jayhawks losses have come away from Lawrence where they are just 2-6 SU and ATS.
Tech hasn’t lost since falling inside Allen Fieldhouse at the beginning of the month, and that outcome apparently pissed the Red Raiders off. They’ve won their last four games all by double figures with three of them clearing a 25-point difference. Three opponents in that run take up the bottom three spots in the conference standings, so we could say the Raiders caught a break in the schedule. Still, it’s impressive to put that kind of hurt on a fellow Big 12 member.
Players to Watch
We’re not talking Duke here, but the Jayhawks have had success with four freshmen starters in the lineup since the departure of Lagerald Vick and injuries to Marcus Garrett and Udoka Azubuike. Forced to do something he’s rarely done in his career, Bill Self is looking like a genius as his team has won three in a row with four first-year starters.
Devon Dotson is the most active of the quartet and has been starting the entire season. He averages 12.2 points and a team-best 3.7 assists while playing 33 minutes a night. Ochai Agbaji is a versatile wing averaging 10.8 points while shooting 53.5 percent from the floor. Quentin Grimes and David McCormack are the other rookie starters.
It’s safe to play those guys because they are good, and also because Dedric Lawson joins them on the floor. A candidate for Big 12 Player of the Year, Lawson averages 19.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game and he is the glue that holds the younger players together.
Last Meeting
The Jayhawks turned sour news off the court into sweet music on it in a 79-63 thrashing of Tech last month. Prior to tip, KU announced that Marcus Garrett would be sidelined with an ankle injury. He has yet to return. It was also announced that Silvio De Sousa is ineligible for the remainder of the season. Those developments galvanized the team and Kansas was nearly unstoppable against the conference’s top defensive unit. Tech entered the game allowing just 56.8 points per outing and surrendered 46 by halftime.
Decric Lawson scored 25 points with 10 boards, Dotson added 20, and KU’s starters accounted for all but five points. Offensive failures led to defensive breakdowns and vice versa for the Raiders, who allowed too many easy shots in transition and made just 34.4 percent on the other end. The Jayhawks were ready to erupt after dropping two straight and three of four. The news of two teammates got the rest of the team fired up and Texas Tech was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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They didn’t have a good game in the first meeting, but the Red Raiders are a sound defensive ballclub that will play a much stingier brand on Saturday. They are second in the country in points allowed at 57.2 and they are the best in field goal percentage defense holding opponents to 36.1 percent. And they certainly remember what happened last month at the Phog. The intensity will be ramped up and Jarrett Culver will look for redemption after an awful game against the Jayhawks in Lawrence, leading the Red Raiders to a crucial home win.
College Basketball Score Prediction: Texas Tech 67, Kansas 62
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