Top-15 Big 12 Squads Looking for Bounce Back
The Big 12 is college basketball’s best conference, featuring six teams in the AP Top 25 Poll and five teams within the top 14. We get another Top-25 Big 12 matchup on Saturday when No. 14 TCU (14-4, 3-3 Big 12) pays a visit to No. 2 Kansas (16-2, 5-1).
The Horned Frogs are struggling to find consistency in the stacked Big 12, going 1-3 in their last four games. The Jayhawks had their 10-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with an 83-82 overtime loss against No. 13 Kansas State. Which team will get back in the win column?
Let’s check the latest college basketball news, stats, injury reports and college basketball lines for TCU vs Kansas. We’ve got plenty of NCAA basketball picks for you to consider.
Pesky Frogs Force Turnovers in Bulk
TCU has been a hard team to figure out. Kenpom ratings have the Horned Frogs at 31 while ranking 74th in offensive efficiency and 20th in defensive efficiency. Yet, TCU is ranked 14th in the AP Top 25 Poll with two top-25 wins, including Jan. 14’s 82-68 beatdown of No. 13 Kansas State.
Turnovers and guard play stand out. Over TCU’s last five games, whoever won the turnover battle emerged victorious. The Frogs’ lost the turnover battle in their last three losses and forced 20 turnovers in the dominant win against Kansas State. TCU hangs its hat on causing chaos, ranking 10th in forced turnovers per game. Kansas looks to do the same, forcing more than 15 turnovers per game.
The Horned Frogs have excellent wing play, led by Mike Miles Jr. (19.1 points), Emanuel Miller (14.6 points) and Damion Baugh (12.3 points). Miller comes in red-hot, scoring at least 20 points in two of the last three games.
Kansas: Tough Road Ahead
Starting 5-0 in the Big 12 was an impressive feat. However, Kansas has only one Top-25 win in conference play – a 62-60 victory against then-No. 14 Iowa State on Jan. 14. The Jayhawks come off an 83-82 loss to No. 13 Kansas State in overtime and are 0-3 against the spread (ATS) in the last three games. Kansas must get back to its peak with a brutal upcoming schedule.
The matchup with Iowa State on Jan. 14 marked the start of four straight Top-25 opponents and seven of the next eight are ranked. Kentucky is the only upcoming opponent that is not in the Top 25, but the Wildcats could crack the poll at their current pace.
The Jayhawks have several areas that must be addressed. The last two opponents shot at least 40% on 3-pointers. Fortunately, TCU should not be a problem, as it ranks in the bottom five percent of 3-point shooting. However, Kansas could struggle from three once again. The Jayhawks have shot under 30% from deep in back-to-back games, and the Horned Frogs are 27th in allowed 3-point percentage.
Kansas has also been vulnerable in its last three home games, winning by an average margin of 2.7 points. Plus, the Jayhawks are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games.
TCU vs Kansas Game Injuries
TCU vs Kansas Head-to-Head
TCU has struggled mightly against Kansas with a 3-24 record. The Horned Frogs are 1-10 while going 4-6-1 ATS in the last 11 matchups. The Jayhawks are 11-0 in home games against TCU.
TCU vs Kansas Game Information
- Game: TCU (14-4, 3-3 Big 12) vs Kansas (16-2, 5-1)
- Location: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS
- Day/Time: Saturday, Jan. 21, 1 p.m. ET
- TCU vs Kansas Live Stream: TBS.com
TCU vs Kansas Betting Lines
TCU vs Kansas Picks & Prediction
Turnovers look like the biggest key to this matchup. Both teams force more than 15 turnovers per game. Kansas has won the turnover battle in three consecutive games, while TCU has lost it in three of the last four. Look for the Jayhawks to win outright, but the Horned Frogs will cover the spread.
TCU is 3-1 ATS on the road while the Jayhawks are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games. The Frogs also have a great chance of outshooting Kansas, as they rank 25th in offensive rebounding percentage, and the Jayhawks rank 164th in defensive rebounding percentage. TCU has a clear size advantage with 6-foot-11 Eddie Lampkin Jr., while Kansas plays small ball with 6-foot-7 K.J. Adams manning the center position.
Kansas is listed at -335 in our Las Vegas college basketball lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Jayhawks, you have a chance to win $30. TCU is +272, offering a chance to win $272 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Kansas a 77.01% chance to win, with the Horned Frogs at 26.88%.
TCU vs Kansas Trends
TCU vs Kansas Edge
TCU vs Kansas Results
TCU vs Kansas Game Summary
