Jeff Allen: Texas Could Get Bubble Burst Tonight at Kansas State
Shaka Smart has done an amazing job since taking over Texas. Especially considering he’s lost arguably his best
player in Cameron Ridley and a pretty much bare cupboard left by his predecessor Rick Barnes. That said, the
(17-10, 8-6) Longhorns have lost three of four and can no longer be considered a lead pipe cinch for the Big Dance
when the field of 68 is announced in a couple of weeks. A loss tonight at Kansas State would not be a back breaker
but close and would mean that Texas would most likely have to win out at Oklahoma State and vs. TCU and also win
one or two games in the Big 12 tournament. The line opened with the feisty Wildcats -1/pick ’em. The consensus
number now is pick with a couple of Texas -1 starting to pop up. There is an unusually wide disparity on the total low
at 132 going as high as 133.5 in some shops. This is a game where outs and shopping will be important.
Isiah Taylor is a junior three-year starter for Texas who has 86 games under his belt. He averages 15.3 ppg. while
dishing out 5.0 apg. His only weakness is his less than 30% shooting percentage from behind the arc. Backcourt
mate Javan Felix (10.9, 43% from three) is the sniper from outside. Smart’s biggest surprise has been the emergence
of senior C Prince Ibeh. He averages just 4.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg. but he’s a defensive monster that swats and changes
shots in the lane reminiscent of Dikembe Mutumbo.
Kansas State (15-12, 4-10) has gotten beaten up in the ultra-competitive Big 12 but owns non-conference wins over
Georgia and Ole Miss plus an upset of Oklahoma so the Wildcats can play a little. The Cats get scoring from seven
players including six with a high of 12.0 and a low of 8.6. KSU has virtually no outside game which is cripling in this
conference. The Wildcats strength is an experienced and able backcourt that features Wesley Iwundu (12.0. 4.6. 3.6)
and Justin Edwards (12.0, 5.7, 2.8).
This has been a home court dominated series with the home team winning seven of the last nine. Texas did win here
last year (61-57) but lost the prior four visits by a combined 66 points. Texas has lost it’s last two road games but those
were at Oklahoma and Iowa State, both perfectly understandable. K State is 3-4 at home and off a tough rivalry loss to
Kansas in it’s last. Considering the urgency is with Texas and the fact that Big 12 home dogs of less than five are just
5-10 ATS, we’d lean the Longhorns in a hard fought lower scoring game.