David Banks
Kansas Jayhawks vs. Kansas State Wildcats
An electric Big 12 rivalry is set to write another chapter on Big Monday when the Kansas Jayhawks (20-5, 12-11-1 ATS) go into Bramlage Coliseum to face the in-state rival Kansas State Wildcats (17-7, 9-11 ATS); tip-off from the Octagon of Doom is set to go live on ESPN at 9:00 ET.
Since falling at Mizzou back on February 4th, the Jayhawks have done exactly what theyve needed to do to ensure the 25ths rematch at Phog Allen Fieldhouse will more than likely be for the Big 12 regular season title. KU showed just how much moxie it possesses after its first conference loss in Columbia by going into Waco and taking it to what was then the 6th ranked Baylor Bears. The game was close through the first half, but Coach Selfs kids threw down the defensive gauntlet in the second half and outscored the Bears 35-24 to pull out the impressive 68-54 road win and cover. Kansas then toyed with OK State back at home in its next game, but the 81-66 final saw them come up short of covering the 17.5-point closing spread. To date, Kansas is 5-2 SU & 4-2-1 ATS in its seven played true road games.
This was expected to be a rebuilding year in Manhattan with both Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly having since moved on, and thats exactly what Head Coach Frank Martin has dealt with in 2011-12. The Wildcats will enter tonights home date with their most hated rivals off a bitter loss in Austin where they let a 40-27 halftime lead get away from them in the second half to fall to the Longhorns by a 75-64 final count; the defeat snapped the teams two-game winning streak. K-State has been much better when playing in front of its hometown faithful (10-2, 3-5 ATS) than it has on the road (3-4, 3-4 ATS). Though the team has averaged scoring 72.4 PPG (#80), it shoots a poor 43.9 percent from the field (#152) as well as just 33.3 percent from beyond the arc (#215); those percentages must improve tonight if theyre to give the Jayhawks a run for their money.
The home team has been the side to back in the recent series with it winning and covering each of the L/5 meetings. Kansas coasted to the 67-49 home win and cover in these teams first meeting back in early January to move the chalk to 21-7 ATS in the L/28 overall meetings. Though KU stands a lucrative 15-6 ATS its L/21 Big Monday appearances, its churned out a poor 0-4-1 ATS record off its L/5 SU wins. K-State checks in 5-2 ATS its L/7 Big Monday appearances, but has failed to cover each of their L/6 versus +.600 opponents. These teams have played to the over each of the L/4 times they went at it in the Little Apple.
PICK: OVER
Kansas Jayhawks vs. Kansas State Wildcats
An electric Big 12 rivalry is set to write another chapter on Big Monday when the Kansas Jayhawks (20-5, 12-11-1 ATS) go into Bramlage Coliseum to face the in-state rival Kansas State Wildcats (17-7, 9-11 ATS); tip-off from the Octagon of Doom is set to go live on ESPN at 9:00 ET.
Since falling at Mizzou back on February 4th, the Jayhawks have done exactly what theyve needed to do to ensure the 25ths rematch at Phog Allen Fieldhouse will more than likely be for the Big 12 regular season title. KU showed just how much moxie it possesses after its first conference loss in Columbia by going into Waco and taking it to what was then the 6th ranked Baylor Bears. The game was close through the first half, but Coach Selfs kids threw down the defensive gauntlet in the second half and outscored the Bears 35-24 to pull out the impressive 68-54 road win and cover. Kansas then toyed with OK State back at home in its next game, but the 81-66 final saw them come up short of covering the 17.5-point closing spread. To date, Kansas is 5-2 SU & 4-2-1 ATS in its seven played true road games.
This was expected to be a rebuilding year in Manhattan with both Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly having since moved on, and thats exactly what Head Coach Frank Martin has dealt with in 2011-12. The Wildcats will enter tonights home date with their most hated rivals off a bitter loss in Austin where they let a 40-27 halftime lead get away from them in the second half to fall to the Longhorns by a 75-64 final count; the defeat snapped the teams two-game winning streak. K-State has been much better when playing in front of its hometown faithful (10-2, 3-5 ATS) than it has on the road (3-4, 3-4 ATS). Though the team has averaged scoring 72.4 PPG (#80), it shoots a poor 43.9 percent from the field (#152) as well as just 33.3 percent from beyond the arc (#215); those percentages must improve tonight if theyre to give the Jayhawks a run for their money.
The home team has been the side to back in the recent series with it winning and covering each of the L/5 meetings. Kansas coasted to the 67-49 home win and cover in these teams first meeting back in early January to move the chalk to 21-7 ATS in the L/28 overall meetings. Though KU stands a lucrative 15-6 ATS its L/21 Big Monday appearances, its churned out a poor 0-4-1 ATS record off its L/5 SU wins. K-State checks in 5-2 ATS its L/7 Big Monday appearances, but has failed to cover each of their L/6 versus +.600 opponents. These teams have played to the over each of the L/4 times they went at it in the Little Apple.
PICK: OVER
