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Iowa State Cyclones at Kansas Jayhawks Betting Preview

The No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks continue their quest for another Big 12 title when they play host to the Iowa State Cyclones on Monday night. At home, the Jayhawks are favored by 16 points with an over/under of 143 points.
It’s been a rough reason for the Cyclones, who are out of the NCAA Tournament conversation barring a run in the Big 12 Tournament. Outside of a win over Seton Hall early in the year, there’s not much Iowa State can hang its hat on this season.

The Cyclones are 11-14 overall and just 4-8 in conference play. However, they have won two of their last three games, including an 81-52 blowout of Texas over the weekend.

As for the Jayhawks, they continue to stay right behind Baylor at the top of the Big 12 standings. A loss to Baylor earlier this year has Kansas 11-1 in Big 12 play, a game back in the standings despite being 22-3 overall.

The Jayhawks took care of West Virginia and Oklahoma last week, giving them 10 straight wins.

1-2 Punch

Few teams in the country have a 1-2 punch at the same level as Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike of Kansas. Despite being an inconsistent shooter, Dotson is one of the best pure scorers in the country. He’s also coming off a game in which he contributed eight rebounds and five assists, so he’s more than just a scorer.

The same can be said of Azubuike, who averages nearly 10 rebounds and over two blocks per game, making an impact on both ends of the floor. Azubuike also has three double-doubles in his last four games.

The Jayhawks also have a fine supporting cast. Ochai Agbaji isn’t flashy, but he’s been a steady third scorer for Kansas this season. Marcus Garrett is one of the more underrated point guards in the country, dishing out 4.6 assists per game. He’s also coming off a career-high 24 points against Oklahoma over the weekend.

Finally, Isaiah Moss gives Kansas a great outside shooter who can help the Jayhawks pull away in games if he gets hot.

The Dagger

The Cyclones were dealt a crushing blow last week when leading scorer Tyrese Haliburton suffered a season-ending wrist injury. Haliburton is likely to be a lottery and one of the few bright spots in Iowa State’s season, averaging over 15 points and six assists per game while shooting nearly 42% from the perimeter. For a team with only two players averaging in double figures, it’s a massive loss.

Much of the burden now falls on Rasir Bolton, who is averaging over 14 points per game. However, teams have been able to focus more on him with Haliburton out. The Cyclones need some of their supporting players to step up with Haliburton out and Bolton being a focal point for opposing teams.

Michael Jacobson did just that against Texas, scoring 21 points. Solomon Young and Prentiss Nixon have also played better the last three games, giving Iowa State a glimmer of hope.

Blow Out City

Iowa State may be coming off a big win, but they are two games removed from a 29-point loss to Oklahoma. Even with Haliburton, they lost by 26 points to Kansas at home earlier this season. The Cyclones just don’t have the players to hang with the Jayhawks. Bet on Kansas to cover the 16-point spread.

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