Despite being Valentine’s Day, there is no love-loss between these two Big 12 teams as the No. 5 Kansas Jayhawks (20-5, 8-4) take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys (16-9, 7-5). The Cowboys will host this one at Gallagher-Iba Arena, with tipoff scheduled for 9:00 pm ET.
The Jayhawks are slight favorites Tuesday despite playing on the road. They are -130 to win, while the Cowboys’ moneyline sits at +108. The spread features Oklahoma State as 2.5-point underdogs (-120), and the over/under for total points is 137.5.
Jayhawks Looking To Make Push In The Big 12
With a showdown with Texas looming at the end of the regular season, the Kansas Jayhawks will look to keep pressure on the Big 12 by picking up another win Tuesday. They currently sit just a game behind the Longhorns for first in the conference, so every win is crucial at this point.
Kansas currently ranks 51st in the nation in scoring, averaging 76.2 points per game (72.8 on the road). They are led by junior forward Jalen Wilson, who is averaging 20.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.
Gradey Dick (14.2 points, 5 rebounds), Kevin McCullar Jr (10.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.3 steals), and K.J. Adams Jr (10.4 points, 4.3 rebounds) have also had great seasons.
On the defensive end, the Jayhawks rank 108th overall, allowing opponents an average of 67.9 points per game.
Cowboys Look To Keep Streak Alive
After Oklahoma State started the season 11-9, they have now won five games in a row and are an impressive 11-2 at home this season. In their last five wins, they have taken down two top-25 teams in No. 22 TCU (79-73) and No. 19 Iowa State (64-56).
The Cowboys are strong on the defensive end. They rank 27th in scoring defense, allowing opponents just 63.4 points per game. This includes an impressive 59.8 points per game allowed at home.
Oklahoma State doesn’t have a go-to scorer, but they do have three players averaging double digits. Kalib Boone (11.9 points, 5.5 rebounds), Bryce Thompson (11.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists), and Avery Anderson III (11.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists) all lead the way on offense.
As a unit, the team ranks just 214th in scoring, averaging 69.2 points per game (73.5 at home).
Take The Cowboys And The Points
The Jayhawks come into this one 4-1 both straight up and against the spread in their last five games. They are 9-1 in their last 10 against Oklahoma State, including going 5-2 against the spread in their last seven matchups.
As for the Cowboys, they are undefeated in their last five games and 4-1 against the spread in that span. In their last 11 home games, they are 10-1 overall.
Oklahoma State is playing well at the right time, and a signature win over the Jayhawks would be huge for the Cowboys as the postseason approaches.
Especially playing at home, and with their recent string of success, there is a lot of value in taking Oklahoma State in this one, especially with them getting points.
Take the Cowboys and the 2.5 points (-120).
