The Kansas Jayhawks (20-3) travel to Morgantown, W. Va., to battle the West Virginia Mountaineers (18-5) in a Wednesday-night (7 p.m.) Big 12 game. We analyze the Kansas-West Virginia odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.
Kansas at West Virginia: Three things you need to know
1. The Mountaineers are 12-0 at home. WVU’s defense — a top-10 unit overall — becomes even more elite, perhaps top-two or three on the team’s home hardwood in Morgantown. It doesn’t hurt that home conference games draw foes who’ve traveled a thousand miles, but West Virginia defends the bucket from all angles and all zones of the floor. WVU ranks in the top-30 in four shot-defense categories: at the rim, in the lane, mid-range and 3-point range.
2. Kansas also has an elite defense. When the Jayhawks and Mountaineers met in Lawrence on Jan. 4, Kansas won, 60-53. Each side has played in just one lower-total game since. WVU led the Jan. 4 game for 25 minutes and twice led by as many as 10 points.
3. West Virginia is coming off one of its worst shooting nights of the season in a 69-59 loss at Oklahoma on Saturday. (And WVU is not a good shooting team to begin with.) The Mountaineers went 24-of-76 (31.6%) from the floor. … West Virginia may be without G Sean McNeil (illness) whose status for the game is questionable. McNeil missed Saturday’s game at OU; his absence further expose WVU’s shooting issues, especially at the free-throw line and on 3-pointers.
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Kansas at West Virginia: Odds, betting lines and picks
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:15 a.m. ET.
Prediction
West Virginia 66, Kansas 65
Moneyline (ML)
No lean here — respecting the public on the WEST VIRGINIA -134/KANSAS +110 line.
Against the Spread (ATS)
Kansas is 6-1 against the spread on the road; WVU is 8-4 ATS at home. The Mountaineers are 8-1 ATS over their last nine games following a straight-up loss. The home team is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in this series.
Again, no lean — will LAY OFF THE WEST VIRGINIA -1 (-129) proposition. A team that could shoot free throws would be worthy of a three-point cushion here. WVU has shot 61% from the line since Dec. 21.
Over/Under (O/U)
The under is: 8-2 in the Jayhawks’ last 10 games versus a team playing .600-or-better basketball … 5-1 in WVU’s last six games following a straight-up loss … a combined 20-8 when Kansas or West Virginia plays on three days’ rest.
THERE IS SOME DECENT VALUE IN BACKING THE UNDER 134 (-139).
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