Big 12 Betting Roundup: Plenty of Contenders Chasing Texas

Nationally ranked Texas and Kansas State teams have already lost this week.

Defending national champion Kansas is seventh in the NCAA NET rankings with No. 9 Texas and No. 10 Baylor also in the top 10. Iowa State moved up a spot to No. 15 and Kansas State went from 22nd to 20th.

Add in No. 22 West Virginia and No. 24 Texas Christian and the Big 12 has seven teams in the top 25 according to the formula that helps select the March Madness bracket. The other Power-5 conferences have a combined total of eight teams in the top 25.

Kansas moved from four spots to No. 5 in the Associated Press poll and from eighth to seventh in the coaches poll. Texas is fifth in the coaches and sixth in the writers’ poll.

Baylor is ninth in both polls. Kansas State remained at No. 12 in the AP ranking and dropped to 14th in the writers’ poll. Iowa State remained in the top 20 even though the Cyclones had the biggest drop in the writers’ poll. TCU is the only other Big 12 team in the top 25 while Oklahoma State is among the teams receiving votes in both national rankings.

Kansas (-110) remains the favorite in the odds to win the Big 12 title followed by Baylor (+210) and Texas (+325).

According to the college basketball odds, Kansas (+1400) and Baylor (+1400) are tied for fifth in the odds to win the national title followed by Texas (+2500) and TCU (+3300).

Here’s a look at Saturday’s games in the Big 12 with some odds and betting information to consider.

Let’s check the latest college basketball news, stats, injury reports, and college basketball lines. We’ve got plenty of NCAA basketball picks for you to consider.

Game of the Week

Baylor vs Kansas

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Feb. 18, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN)

First place will be on the line when the Bears head to Lawrence. If Texas comes up short on Saturday, the winner of this game will have sole possession of the top spot in the Big 12. It is the type of game that will play a role in seedings when the March Madness brackets are finalized.

The matchup of the last two national champions doesn’t lack experienced stars with Kansas’ Jalen Wilson the top scorer in the Big 12 and Baylor‘s LJ Cryer the leading 3-point shooter.

Two of the top freshmen in the country will also be headliners with Baylor’s Keyonte George putting up 16.5 points per game and Gradey Dick of Kansas averaging 14.7 points.

Baylor goes for a rare season sweep of the Jayhawks after winning 75-69 as a two-point favorite at home on Jan. 23 with Cryer hitting five 3-pointers. Cryer is just one of the reasons why Baylor leads the Big 12 in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage. He had eight 3-pointers in Monday’s win over West Virginia.

BEARS WIN!!!!! 🐻🏀

LJ Cryer’s 26 points — on EIGHT made three’s — leads @BaylorMBB past WVU, 79-67, and into a first place tie in the Big 12! #SicEm https://t.co/Z2sPCpkY2F

— Baylor University (@Baylor) February 14, 2023

The Bears are 4-0 since Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua returned to the court.

Three of the last four games between the teams finished under the Las Vegas odds total.

Rest of Saturday’s schedule

Texas Tech vs West Virginia

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Feb. 18, Noon ET (ESPNU)

Texas Tech is looking to move out of the Big 12 basement. However, the Red Raiders would need to pick up their second road win of the season to make that happen.

West Virginia leads the Big 12 in free throws made and attempted while Texas Tech has allowed the most 3-pointers in the conference. The Mountaineers lead the Big 12 with 17 of their games finishing over the total. Texas Tech is tied for second with 15 games going over the total.

The Red Raiders are coming off a stunning upset of a top-10 Texas team and that followed a victory over nationally ranked Kansas State. De’vion Harmon averaged 22.5 points in those two victories.

West Virginia rolled to a 76-61 road win against Texas Tech when listed by the college basketball betting lines as a 3½-point underdog on Jan. 25 as the Mountaineers were +17 in rebounds and held the 19-11 advantage in offensive rebounds.

Oklahoma vs Texas

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Feb. 18, 2 p.m. ET (Big 12 Now)

Texas has lost just once at home this season with Oklahoma recording only one road victory so give the edge to the Longhorns.

Texas has dropped two of its last three games. The Longhorns fell to unranked Texas Tech after shooting 39% from the field and being outrebounded 41-29.

Marcus Carr had 23 points in that loss and is putting up 22.7 points over his last three games. Carr iced the win in the season’s first meeting against Oklahoma with two free throws with three seconds left.

Oklahoma is coming off an upset of Kansas State as Grant Sherfield flirted with a triple-double before finishing with 22 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.

Something to consider for those who bet online: Texas has won the last four games against Oklahoma. Three of them have been decided by four points or less.

Grant Sherfield led Oklahoma past #12 Kansas State last night.

🚨 22 PTS
🚨 8 REB
🚨 6 AST@OU_MBBall pic.twitter.com/VQ6qeOFSNy

— SLAM University (@slam_university) February 15, 2023

Iowa State vs Kansas State

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Feb. 18, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Kansas State will try to snap a two-game losing streak and look to improve to 14-1 at home.

One issue for the Wildcats is that starters David N’Guessan and Cam Carter were held scoreless in the losses to Texas Tech and Oklahoma. Kansas State continues to lead the conference with a 17-9 mark against the spread.

Aljaz Kunc had season-highs with five 3-pointers and 22 points in Wednesday’s win over TCU. He is 7 for 12 from 3-point range in his last two games as he could be getting hot at the perfect time.

The Cyclones’ 80-76 win on Jan. 24 was the second straight against Kansas State after the Wildcats took the previous four matchups.

Five of the last six games in the series finished over the total.

Oklahoma State vs TCU

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Feb. 18, 2 p.m. ET (Big 12 Now)

Oklahoma State looks to return to the win column after its five-game winning streak was snapped by Kansas on Tuesday despite 27 points from Kalif Boone.

TCU is looking to regain its shooting touch after going 16 of 68 from 3-point range during a four-game losing streak. The Horned Frogs won the first game without leading scorer Mike Miles, who is out with a knee injury. However, they had lost the next four without him.

Each of the last five games in the series has been decided by six points or less with four of the last five going over the total.