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TEXAS AT KANSAS
3/7/09
The unranked Texas Longhorns travel to LAwrence, KS to take on the #9 Kansas Jayhawks in this Big-12 regular season finale.
The 24-6 Jayhawks, who are leading the Big-12 with a 13-2 record, just a Game ahead of 2nd place Oklahoma, failed to secure the Conference crown their last time on the floor, as they were trampled down in LUbbock by lowly Texas Tech.
Kansas came into that Game as 10 pt road favorites, but were never even in it as the Red Raiders, who were just 2-12 in Conference action up until then, dominated from the start in a 84-65 blow out win. The Jayhawks, who were averaging close to 80 ppg, shot just 33% from the field, and missed 20 of 24 from 3-pt range on the way to their 65 pt total, against a team that was giving up close to 80 ppg themselves. Texas Tech came into that Game in a major funk having lost 6 Games in a row, 10 of their last 11, and 14 of their last 16. But they somehow found their strokes for this Game, as they shot 45% from the field and knocked down an incredible 15 of 27 on 3 pt tries.
Kansas had won 17 of the last 20 match-ups in this series, including a 58 pt demolition in LAwrence last year. Im sure the Red Raiders were thinking about that Game, and evidently so was Kansas.
Kansas leading scorer, Sherron Collins who is averaging over 18ppg, was held to just 11 pts on 3 of 19 shooting from the field, and just 1 of 10 from 3 pt range. Im sure he will be looking to atone for that performance against the Longhorns, and he will have the home crowd behind him for this Game.
The Jayhawks have dominated on their home floor this year, having won all 17 of the Games played there. They are credited with 1 home loss, but that was in Kansas City, not LAwrence. All but 1 of their 7 Conference home wins have been by double-digits. The only Game that wasnt, was a 5 pt win over Colorado, a Game in which Kansas led by 16 at HT, and then slept-walked the rest of the way for the win.
The Texas Longhorns at one time were ranked in the top 10, but a 3 Game losing streak from Jan 31 Feb 7 took them out of the national rankings. since then they have regrouped a bit, having won 5 out of their last 7 Games, including a 16 pt pasting of Baylor last time out. But they have struggled on the road during that time with a 1-2 record, which includes a 15 pt loss at Texas A&M, a 9 pt loss at Oklahoma St, and the only win coming in OT at lowly Colorado. Overall, the Longhorns have gone 4-5 on the road this year, and 3-4 on the road in Conference action.
Senior G A.J. Abrams continues to lead the team in scoring, with an average of 16.9 ppg, and his 88 3-pointers are tops in the Big-12 conference.
Texas has not played that well on the road this year, and this will be their toughest road test since a 15 pt loss at Oklahoma back on Jan 12. Kansas has to be extremely upset with the way they played at Texas Tech on Wednesday, coming in as 10 pt favorites with a chance to clinch the conference, and then stinking the joint up with a 15 pt loss. They do not want just a share of 1st place, which they have already guaranteed. And with Oklahoma playing at home against Oklahoma St, with a good chance at the win, the Jayhawks should be extremely motivated in this Game, having been given a second chance to take care of business. Kansas should come into this Game as around a 7 pt home favorite, and I would expect them to come out on fire and take it to the Longhorns by double-digits. Ill look for the Jayhawks to win by at least 10 in front of the home crowd to secure the Big 12 championship for the 5th straight year. Bet 5dimes.com opened the Game Kansas -8.5…….lay it!
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