Expect a defensive battle this weekend in Manhattan as the TCU Horned Frogs and the Kansas State Wildcats engage in an intriguing showdown between two Big 12 title contenders. The Horned Frogs are +10,000 to make it to the national tournament and topple each opponent, while the Wildcats are +12,500 to win it all.
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Betting Preview for the TCU Horned Frogs vs. Kansas State Wildcats College Basketball Game on January 19, 2019
Where: Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan
When: Saturday, January 19, 2019, 7:00 PM ET
Line: TCU Horned Frogs (odds) vs. Kansas State Wildcats (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the TCU Horned Frogs (13-3 Overall / 2-2 Conference)
Beating the West Virginia Mountaineers doesn’t sound as exciting as it used to be in previous years, but TCU will still take it. The Horned Frogs defeated Bob Huggins’ boys on Tuesday, 98-67, to recover from back-to-back losses on the road against ranked teams in the Kansas Jayhawks and the Oklahoma Sooners. TCU made it rain from the outside in the win over West Virginia, dropping 12 3-pointers on an excellent 42.9 percent success rate. The Horned Frogs’ defense also shined, as it forced West Virginia to commit 17 turnovers. TCU was all over the Mountaineers’ ball handlers and passing lane. It came away with 11 steals. The Horned Frogs are averaging 7.2 steals per game and forces 14.6 errors per game from opposing teams. Offensively, the Horned Frogs play fast and dizzies opponents with excellent ball movement. They are third in the nation with 19.4 assists per game and 27th with 80.4 points per outing.
The Horned Frogs are 2-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last three road games.
Betting on the Kansas State Wildcats (12-4 Overall / 2-2 Conference)
The return of Dean Wade from a long absence due to an injury hasn’t exactly paid huge dividends, as the forward scored just two points in 22 minutes of action in a 58-57 road win over the Iowa State Cyclones last Saturday. Perhaps he’ll be better in the next game, which sounds like bad news for the Horned Frogs. In three games against TCU last season, Wade averaged 15.6 points per game. That season, he put up 16.2 points per game. Aside from Wade, Kansas State is relying on the production of Barry Brown Jr., who went off for 23 points on 9-for-20 shooting in the Cyclones game. On defense, the Wildcats are more impressive. Brown and company are limiting opponents to only 59.4 points per game and hold them to just a 40.2 field goal shooting percentage. According to KenPom, the Wildcats have the sixth-best defense in the nation in terms of adjusted defensive efficiency.
The under is 8-2 in the Wildcats’ last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
TCU wins, 68-63.
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