Kansas Ready to Rock but not as Chalk
No. 10 Jayhawks Seek to Complete Season Sweep of Iowa State
We love it when the Kansas Jayhawks and Iowa State Cyclones meet, and we’re expecting another tight contest.
It was only a one-point game in the first meeting on Jan. 11, which saw the Jayhawks win 62-61, so we’re not surprised college basketball odds have framed it close.
Kansas has the -4½ edge on the road as it looks to bounce back from a tough loss.
- Game: Kansas Jayhawks (17-3) at Iowa State Cyclones (16-5)
- Location: James H. Hilton Stadium
- Day/Time: Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET
Kansas Jayhawks at Iowa State Cyclones
Big 12 Leaders Circling Prey
The Kansas Jayhawks played poorly when losing to the Kentucky Wildcats 80-62 on Saturday. However, the loss could reignite the 10th-ranked Jayhawks.
The Jayhawks dropped five places in the AP Top 25 poll with the loss, but they’ll be confident of a bounce-back effort against a team they have already beaten.
Despite it being a one-point game in the first meeting against Iowa State, it showed Kansas’ toughness. The Jayhawks could have folded late in the second half, but the youngsters showed why they’re one of the best in the nation.
They’re no longer unbeaten at home, but they can build on a 4-1 away record. It’s an impressive statistic and it should have Kansas ready to fire.
Betting online markets have the Jayhawks at -4½, which is a fair line. They are a better team than No. 20 Iowa State on paper, and the Cyclones have already lost twice at Hilton Coliseum.
They will need to improve on the first meeting to cover the spread. Had Iowa State’s Gabe Kalscheur made the last-second shot, Kansas would have lost on home turf.
“I would have called timeout (for the final offensive play), but Och (Ochai Agbaji) had the ball,” Kansas coach Bill Self told ESPN. “Och drove it in to force a crease. That’s about as good as you can do in that situation. Defensively, we did a good job getting back. (Kalscheur) got a good look, but he just missed it.”
Cyclones Defense Holding
The Iowa State Cyclones are banking on their defense to secure the win. They rank in the top 20 for points allowed and three-point defense, so it’s impressive.
It makes up for a terrible offense, which ranks 223rd in points scored and 143rd in field goal percentage. If they can find some offensive rhythm, the Cyclones could be a top-10 team.
They suffered consecutive losses to Texas Tech and TCU, with the latter coming at home. The 59-44 defeat vs. TCU was a dismal effort on the offensive end, which is our primary concern when looking at the +4½ line with the sportsbook.
However, the Cyclones have improved in their last two games. They won 84-81 in overtime against Oklahoma State before winning 67-50 against Missouri, so it’s not all bad news for the home side.
Facing Kansas has always been a tough matchup. The Cyclones covered the +13½ spread on Jan. 11, but that was the first time Iowa State had covered the spread against Kansas since 2019.
The Cyclones are only 3-5 in the Big 12, which is another concern.
Jayhawks to Double Down
Everything points towards a Kansas Jayhawks win, so we’re taking them at -4½.
They want to bounce back after a poor defeat at home to Kentucky and they already know what it takes to beat Iowa State.
There is more depth to the Jayhawks roster, including Agbaji, Jalen Wilson and DaJuan Harris Jr. It’s a solid lineup that can beat any team in the nation.
Therefore, we’re locking in the -4½ line as it could shift to -4 come game time. Kansas is a public-heavy team, so it’s best to get the early value.
