Two Big 12 heavyweights lock horns at Allen Fieldhouse, as the No. 10 West Virginia Mountaineers battle it out with the sixth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks for the second time this season. It was the Mountaineers who emerged victorious in their first meeting last month and they’ll definitely be aiming to garner the same result tonight. Will that indeed be the case? Or will the Jayhawks get their revenge?
Read on below for a complete breakdown of this colossal encounter. And if you’re yearning for some NBA action as well, click here for our preview of the Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks.
[sc:MarchMadness ]West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Kansas Jayhawks Preview
Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas
When: Tuesday, February 9, 2016, 7:00 PM ET
Line: West Virginia Mountaineers (+7) vs. Kansas Jayhawks (-7)– view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the West Virginia Mountaineers (19-4, 8-2 Big 12)
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]West Virginia’s definitely oozing with confidence right now. The Mountaineers head into this matchup fresh off back-to-back wins versus Baylor and Iowa State. In those two wins, Dexter Miles Jr. and Devin Williams provided big-time performances to help their squad come out on top.
Miles Jr., who is putting up 10.8 points this season, has finished with 31 points and nine rebounds combined during those two wins. Williams, meanwhile, has been arguably even better, averaging 15.0 points and 12.6 boards in his previous three games. These two are bound to test a Kansas defense that’s giving up almost 70 points per contest.
Furthermore, the No. 10 Mountaineers will continue to lean on Jaysean Paige, who averages a team-best 14.2 points, to provide them a major boost off the bench. Paige has finished with 12 or more points over his past five games. That stretch includes their win over Texas Tech on January 23, wherein the senior guard scored 22 points on 6-for-12 shooting.
As for the defense, the onus is on everybody to provide a collective effort in stopping the likes of Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden Jr., who are scoring 31.2 points combined this season. The Mountaineers are allowing 65.4 points per contest.
West Virginia is 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS in its last 10 road games.
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Betting on the Kansas Jayhawks (19-4, 7-3 Big 12)
One thing’s for certain: Revenge will be the main theme for the Kansas Jayhawks tonight. They’ll be looking to give the No. 10 West Virginia Mountaineers, who beat them earlier this season, a taste of their own medicine. And needless to say, Kansas is going to come out very aggressive offensively from the get go.
The Jayhawks, who have won their last three games, will put their trust on their dynamic one-two punch in Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden Jr. to lead the attack. The two are putting up 16.7 and 14.5 points per outing respectively this season.
Moreover, Ellis enters this match with some serious momentum. He’s scoring 20.2 points and is shooting the ball at a staggering rate of 62.9 percent in his previous five games. Ellis also posted 21 points with seven boards and three dimes in their loss to the Mountaineers on January 12.
If for some reason that Ellis and Selden Jr. struggle in this one, the responsibility falls on the pair of Frank Mason III (13.0 PPG) and Devonte’ Graham (10.7 PPG) to step up their game. Both are contributing double-figure scoring numbers this season.
It’ll be interesting to see, though, how the Jayhawks’ loaded offense (81.5 PPG) will fare against a pretty solid West Virginia defense that has only giving up 68.1 points in its last nine games.
Kansas is undefeated and 2-3 ATS in its past five games at home.
Writer’s Prediction
WVU (+7) wins, 75-70.
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