College Basketball Betting: West Virginia at Kansas
With the college hoops regular season coming to a close at the end of the week, the Big 12 title is still very much up for grabs. Four teams are within two and a half games of first-place with only two to play, making Tuesday night’s showdown between No. 20 West Virginia and No. 9 Kansas one to watch. The Jayhawks are 1.5 games up on Oklahoma and Iowa State, and two on the Mountaineers. This marks a rematch from the February 16th thriller won by West Virginia on senior Juwan Staten’s layup with less than four seconds left. Staten sat out Saturday’s loss at Baylor and is questionable to suit up with knee and groin swelling. Kansas has yet to drop a game in Allen Fieldhouse. Here’s a preview and prediction.
WEST VIRGINIA AT KANSAS -9
The Mountaineers were riding high entering Saturday’s tilt versus Baylor. Winners of three straight, they were in prime position to make a run to the top of the conference standings. Staten’s absence clearly derailed those plans, and making matters worse, senior guard Gary Browne exited three minutes into the defeat to the Bears with an injured foot. Like Staten, his availability to play is in doubt. Freshman Jevon Carter netted 25, but no other player scored more than 11. They managed to outrebound the bruising Bears, but were outscored on the free-throw line 22-8. If Staten and Brown can’t go, contending with Kansas’s trio of Wayne Selden Jr., Frank Mason III, and Kelly Oubre Jr. will be problematic. Forward Devin Williams will also have his hands full battling Perry Ellis, who has been on a tear since February.
Kansas has captured 14 regular season crowns since 1997, including at least a share of the last ten. However, the sledding for the Jayhawks has been tough in 2014-15 due to the country’s deepest level of competition. Losses at Kansas State and Oklahoma State, neither of whom will advance to the Field of 68, shows how difficult the Big 12 has been this season. Perry Ellis leads the team in scoring and rebounding, but it’s the backcourt that drives Bill Self’s attack. Selden Jr., who is their top three-point option, has struggled in his last four starts, totaling 23 points on 1-9 shooting from beyond the arc. Freshman big man Cliff Alexander could be forced to miss a second consecutive game due to questions regarding his eligibility; if he sits, the pressure on Ellis to control the paint will increase. Kansas is 14-0 at home.
West Virginia is 6-4 ATS on the road. Kansas is 7-2-1 ATS on its last ten home tilts. The visiting team is 0-5 ATS in the last five matchups in the series. If Staten doesn’t go, the Mountaineers are in trouble. Lot of points here, bot take the Rock Chalk.
Bet Kansas -9
