In-state rivals from the Big 12 collide Tuesday night when the Kansas State Wildcats visit the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks. At home, the Jayhawks are favored by 14.5 points, with an over/under of 126 points.
Kansas State is coming off a stunning upset win over the weekend, dominating No. 12 West Virginia 84-68. The shocking part is that it was Kansas State’s first win in Big 12 play. The Wildcats lost their first four games of the conference schedule and had lost six of their last seven games overall before beating West Virginia.
They sit at 8-9 overall and 1-4 in conference play, so they still have a lot of ground to make up.
Meanwhile, the Jayhawks have won back-to-back games over Oklahoma and Texas since suffering their first loss of Big 12 play. Kansas is 14-3 overall, losing only to Duke, Villanova, and Baylor.
The Jayhawks have some work ahead of them to usurp Baylor at the top of the Big 12 standings, but Kansas looks like a team that will be a contender when March rolls around.
Back in Action
Any concern for Kansas’ leading scorer, Devon Dotson, after missing the win over Oklahoma last week due to a hip injury disappeared quickly. Dotson played against Texas on Saturday, scoring 21 points and hauling in six rebounds. While his outside shooting has been a little spotty, Dotson has improved in other areas and is one of the early candidates for Big 12 Player of the Year honors.
While Dotson does most of his damage on the perimeter, the Jayhawks also have a dominating force in the paint with Udoka Azubuike. With his 13 points and nine rebounds per game, Azubuike gives Kansas a strong inside presence to help complement Dotson and their other outstanding guards.
Since last season, Azubuike has slimmed down considerably, making him quicker and more agile. He’s not only scoring consistently inside but is also averaging better than two blocks a game, making him a force on the defensive end of the floor.
What Went Right?
After a rough season, the Wildcats have to figure out what they did right against West Virginia when they scored nearly 20 more points than their season average. Kansas State has gotten consistent production from Xavier Sneed and Cartier Diarra, who both average at least 13 points per game. However, nobody else on the roster is averaging more than seven points per game, forcing the Wildcats to win low-scoring games.
Against West Virginia, freshman DaJuan Gordon got hot from the perimeter, contributing 15 points and being a difference-maker. If Kansas State can get double-figure scoring from Gordon or one of its other complementary players, it will have a chance to hang with Kansas offensively.
The silver lining is that the Wildcats are one of the best defensive teams in the Big 12, giving up 67 points per game despite being just 1-4.
Not So Fast
Everything went right for Kansas State in its last game, but that win over West Virginia seems like an aberration. The Wildcats don’t have the scorers to match Kansas, and even the Kansas State defense might have trouble slowing down the Jayhawks. Bet on Kansas to cover the 14.5-point spread.
