The Kansas Jayhawks face a tough Tuesday road test against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, to begin Big 12 conference play.
Most of the early money has come for the visitors, probably because of the home team’s poor form.
College basketball odds have the Jayhawks at -6½.
- Game: Kansas Jayhawks (11-1) at Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-4)
- Location: Gallagher-Iba Arena, Stillwater, OK
- Day/Time: Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Kansas Jayhawks at Oklahoma State Cowboys
Jayhawks Hit the Road
It’s all well and good to have an 11-1 record, but the Kansas Jayhawks haven’t faced much in the way of opposition.
Their toughest game came when losing to the Dayton Flyers, 74-73, as a 16-point favorite, so there is cause for concern.
However, Kansas bounced back with seven consecutive wins. They covered the betting online spread if four of those games, though beating George Mason, 76-67, and Stephen F. Austin, 80-72, wasn’t great.
For a team ranking sixth in points per game (85.2 ppg) and fourth in field-goal percentage, Kansas was supposed to put away easier teams well, easier. The defensive numbers are horrific for a top-level team (66.9 ppg), which is where the deficiencies are.
Tighter defense is needed to beat Oklahoma State, a desperate team in search of a turnaround.
Cowboys Need Form Reversal
The Oklahoma State Cowboys looked to have a successful season beckoning at 6-1, but a spate of recent defeats have derailed them.
Losses to Wichita State, Xavier and Houston have seen the Cowboys fall to 7-4. They failed to cover the spread in their last five games, so there are some major problems to address.
Avery Anderson III leads the Cowboys in scoring (12.5 ppg). It’s not acceptable for your leading scorer to have that average, especially compared to the 20.6 PPG for Ochai Agbaji, the Jayhawks leading scorer.
It’s a significant difference and playing at home doesn’t seem to matter. as the ‘Pokies are just 4-3 at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
The sportsbook isn’t giving the Cowboys much respect as +6½-point home underdogs, so everyone seems to have lost confidence. They may have played well during the NCAA Tournament last year, but things have changed.
However, they fought hard in the 72-61 loss to Houston, pleasing coach Mike Boynton.
“I’m proud of the guys, how they responded in several moments in that game, which could have gotten away from us, “Boynton told ESPN, “but we didn’t make enough tough plays at key moments.”
Time for Real Jayhawks to Appear
Covering a 6½-point spread on the road isn’t easy, but this is a big chance for the Kansas Jayhawks and we think they can deliver.
Losing to Dayton was a shock to the system, so they will be eager to right the wrongs. They still own a Top 10 ranking despite the loss, so putting on a good performance against the struggling Cowboys is warranted.
Bettors have had a torrid time betting on the Cowboys, so they’re a team worth avoiding until they start showing better form.
