The #17 Kansas Jayhawks (17-7, 11-5 Big 12) battle the #14 Texas Longhorns (13-6, 7-5 Big 12) in a Big 12 Conference rivalry showdown Tuesday night. Texas throttled Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse, 84-59, earlier this season, so it will be up to the Jayhawks to even the season series. Tipoff for the conference showdown is at 9 p.m. inside the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX. The Longhorns are a 2.5-point favorite in the conference clash, according to oddsmakers.
What to Know – Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas brings a five-game winning streak into Tuesday night’s battle, including two consecutive victories on the road. The Jayhawks will play their 12th game this season against a top 25 opponent, sporting a 6-5 record against ranked foes. Kansas sits in third place in the Big 12 standings with two games left in the regular season.
The Jayhawks score 73.7 points per game, behind 43.9% shooting from the floor and 34.8% shooting from three. Kansas surrenders 66.0 points per game on defense while holding opponents to 40.9% shooting from the field and 33.2% shooting beyond the arc.
All five Kansas starters average in double figures, led by Ochai Agbaji pouring in 13.7 points per game. David McCormack chips in 13.0 ppg while Jalen Wilson adds 12.7 ppg. Rounding out the starting five are Christian Braun and Marcus Garrett, both averaging 10.3 ppg.
The Jayhawks are 12-11 against the spread this season with a 5-4 mark in true road contests. Kansas is 5-0 ATS in their last five but only 2-5 against the Longhorns in recent games.
What to Know – Texas Longhorns
After winning ten of their first 12 games, the Longhorns have stumbled down the stretch, losing four of their last six. Texas is closing out their season, playing their third game in a row against a ranked opponent, and the Longhorns will face another top team in their season finale on Saturday. The Longhorns are fifth in the Big 12 with their final two regular-season games this week.
Offensively, the Longhorns average 75.7 points per game while shooting 45.2% from the field and 35.0% from the three-point line. On defense, Texas allows opponents to score 68.5 points per game, shoot 40.7% from the floor, and 32.3% from the arc.
Andrew Jones (15.6 ppg) paces the Longhorns offense that has six players average 8.1 points or better. Courtney Ramey (14.1 ppg) and Matt Coleman III (13.1 ppg) add additional offensive options for the host.
Texas sits at 7-12 ATS with a 3-9 record against conference foes. The Longhorns are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games as well as 1-7 in their last eight home games.
The Pick is In
Kansas had to wait nearly two weeks before they suited up at home against the Longhorns back in early January. While that wasn’t the sole reason for the blowout loss, the rust surely played a role. Kansas has turned up the heat over the last month while the Longhorns have regressed. We will take head coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks as underdogs, given their historical success during this time of year.
The Pick: Kansas Jayhawks +2.5
