Big 12 Betting Roundup: Kansas Looks to Bounce Back
Jayhawks Visit Baylor, Kentucky in Tough Week Ahead
The Big 12 betting roundup begins early this week, as Kansas looks to bounce back from Saturday’s debacle when it visits Baylor on Monday. The Jayhawks close out the week with a tough game at Rupp Arena against the Kentucky Wildcats. There are plenty of good games this week, which ends on a high note with the Big 12/SEC challenge, featuring 10 games with SEC teams playing Big 12 schools.
Monday, Jan. 23
The Kansas Jayhawks (16-3) look to end a two-game skid against Baylor (14-5) but the college basketball point spreads show Baylor -2.5 with a total of 149. Kansas couldn’t do anything right against TCU on Saturday and was thumped at home by an 83-60 final.
TCU led by 20 points after 10 minutes of play and shot over 50% from 3-point range for the game. Baylor gets the edge in offense, where the Bears are No. 2 in adjusted offensive efficiency compared to Kansas at No. 19. But the Jayhawks get a big edge on defense. If the line remains at Baylor -2.5, Kansas merits consideration as one of your NCAAB plays for the day.
Tuesday, Jan. 24
The Oklahoma Sooners (11-8) are catching TCU (15-4) at an ideal time, coming off the huge win over Kansas, but the question is if the Sooners can take advantage of that fact. The Sooners get a slight edge on offense but TCU gets a decent advantage on the defensive end.
The Horned Frogs will be favored by close to 6 points here, and that could be a bit high, as the Sooners have a strong inside game that can have some success. At +6 or more, the Sooners offer a bit of value in this one.
Oklahoma State (11-8) visits Texas (16-3) in a game where the Longhorns will be favored by about 6.5 points with a total near 135. The Cowboys are one of the few teams that get a defensive edge against Texas, but the Longhorns are much better offensively.
Texas scores 56.4% of its points from 2-point range and the Cowboys are No. 5 in the nation defending the 2-pointer. So Oklahoma State has a few matchups in its favor and could be worth a look getting a handfull of points in this one.
The Big 12 betting roundup closes out Tuesday with another solid game, as Kansas State (17-2) visits Iowa State (14-4). The Wildcats have the better record, but expect to see the Cyclones favored by about 4.5 points in this one with a total near 132.5.
The Cyclones are No. 1 in the country at forcing turnovers and taking care of the ball has been a problem for Kansas State at times this season. Iowa State isn’t a great shooting team but is efficient on offense due to the defense giving it extra possessions off turnovers. Iowa State needs to get the ball inside to be at its best and that’s not a strong area for Kansas State.
Wednesday, Jan. 25
West Virginia (11-8) visits Texas Tech (10-9) in a game that will be pretty close to even with a total near 142. West Virginia has the edge on offense, while the two defenses are pretty close in talent.
The Mountaineers are strong at forcing turnovers and that’s been a problem for Texas Tech all season. If the Red Raiders play clean here, they’ll come away with the victory. If the total comes out at 142 or higher, the under is worth a look.
Saturday, Jan. 28
A good game here, with Arkansas visiting Baylor and the Bears will be favored by about 5 points with a total near 150. These two teams are made up completely different, with Arkansas scoring 19.8% of its points on 3-pointers and Baylor making 35.5% of its points from 3-point range.
The Razorbacks can take advantage of Baylor’s inside defense and score enough to keep this one close. If Baylor defeats Kansas on Monday, Arkansas merits consideration as one of your NCAAB plays for Saturday.
The Volunteers are going to be favored by close to 7 with a total near 136. The Longhorns are a solid defensive team, but Tennessee is better. The Volunteers rank No. 1 in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Tennessee is No. 1 defending the 3-pointer and No. 10 defending the 2-pointer. But Texas is No. 11 in 2-point field goal percentage and will have better luck inside against Tennessee than from the outside. Tennessee isn’t a great shooting team but it is No. 2 in offensive rebounds.
When you’re getting second and third opportunities to score, you don’t have to shoot as well to get your share of points. The Longhorns will need to play their best game to stay within striking distance but are capable of making it a game.
The Big 12 betting roundup ends with a great game between two storied franchises. The game will be close to even, with the total in the low 140s. The Wildcats aren’t as good as some previous teams, but they can still play.
Kentucky is No. 1 in offensive rebounds, while Kansas is in the middle of the pack when it comes to preventing offensive boards. Both teams can shoot the 3-pointer and neither defends it particularly well.
As long as the total doesn’t climb past 143, the over is worth a look in this one.
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