The TCU Horned Frogs (9-5, 2-4 Big 12) and #15 Kansas Jayhawks (10-5, 4-4 Big 12) look to get back in the winner’s circle Thursday night in Big 12 Conference play. Both teams enter the conference tilt, riding three-game losing streaks, all against conference foes. Thursday’s tipoff is at 8 p.m. EST inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, KS. Kansas is a 14-point favorite over Texas Christian, according to oddsmakers.
What to Know – TCU Horned Frogs
After a pair of postponements due to COVID-19 protocols, the TCU Horned Frogs begin a two-game road trip against top-ranked opponents to close out the week. Before having back-to-back games postponed, the Horned Frogs dropped three-straight in conference play, all by 18-points or more. TCU sits in eighth place in the Big 12 standings enter Thursday night’s game.
Offensively, the Horned Frogs average 63.5 points, while on the defensive end, TCU surrenders 76.7 points per game. Guard RJ Nembhard averages 16.3 points per game to lead the Horned Frogs in scoring. Nembhard has scored 20 or more points in five of TCU’s 14 contests this season.
In their last game, TCU was held to only 46 points in an 82-46 thrashing to Oklahoma. Nembhard was the only player for the Horned Frogs to score in double figures, and TCU shot just 34.6-percent (18-of-52) from the floor.
TCU is 4-9-1 against the spread this season, but just 1-5 over their last six games. The Horned Frogs are 1-4 in recent games against the Jayhawks.
What to Know – Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas returned to Allen Fieldhouse for a much-needed home game after three road losses in a row. Since turning over the calendar to the new year, KU is only 2-4, with one of those wins being a 29-point victory over TCU. The Jayhawks are in a tie for fifth in the Big 12 but have played the conference’s most challenging strength of schedule according to NET rankings.
KU scores at an average clip of 75.3 points, while the defense allows opponents an average of 68.6 points per game. Guard Ochai Agbaji leads a balanced offensive attack scoring 14.5 points per game. Agbaji has reached double figures in all but one game this season.
The Jayhawks also fell to Oklahoma their last time on the floor, losing 75-68 in Norman. Guard Marcus Garrett scored a team-high 21 points in the loss, shooting 8-of-12 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
Kansas has a 6-8 record ATS in the 2020-21 season and is 2-4 in their last six matches. The low capacity of fans has also hurt the Jayhawks as they are 2-4 at home this season.
The Pick is In
Kansas has owned the series against TCU with a 21-2 record in a series that dates back to the early 1950s. The Jayhawks took TCU down at home earlier in the month, blasting the Horned Frogs by nearly 30 points on their home floor. Kansas has not looked good this month, but this will serve as a ‘get-right’ game against an out-matched TCU squad that hasn’t played in two weeks.
The Pick: Kansas -14
