The Kansas Jayhawks will go for the lead in the Big 12 this evening when they take on the Oklahoma Sooners at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman. Oklahoma will be without star player Blake Griffin as they try to retain the top spot in the conference. The game tips off at 9:00pm ET and will be televised live on ESPN's Big Monday.
Kansas vs Oklahoma College Basketball Picks at Sportsbook.com have the Sooners listed as a -2.5 against the spread home favorite.
Oklahoma snapped a 13 game winning streak on Saturday when they fell 68-73 to the Texas Longhorns in Austin. The loss was just the second on the year for the Sooners and their first in conference play. At 25-2 overall and 11-1 in the Big 12, they still lay claim to first place based upon their superior record to Kansas.
Texas took advantage of an early first half concussion suffered by Player of the Year candidate Blake Griffin. The sophomore forward played just 11 minutes in the game and scored two points.
With Griffin out, the Longhorns were able to hang with the Sooners inside and Oklahoma could not contain guard A.J. Abrams on the perimeter. Abrams hit five three pointers and scored 16 straight points in the final eight minutes of the second half. Freshman Willie Warren led Oklahoma in Griffin absence, scoring a game high 27 points.
The number three ranked Sooners are 15-0 at home this year; they average 83.1 points per game in Norman and allow visitors an average of 65.3.
Kansas moved their Big 12 record to 11-1 this week after beating both Iowa State and Nebraska at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks looked somewhat lackluster in disposing of the pitiable Cyclones, but they dominated the smaller Cornhuskers on Saturday, winning by a score of 70-53. Kansas outrebounded Nebraska 44 to 22 and held Doc Sadler's team to 38 percent shooting from the field. Big man Cole Aldrich led the way for the defending national champions, scoring 18 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.
The Jayhawks are 5-3 on the road this season, but their only conference loss occurred in Columbia, Missouri when they fell 60-62 to the Tigers. They average 71.5 per game away from Allen Fieldhouse.
Sportsbook.com's Kansas vs Oklahoma College Basketball Picks:
Kansas Jayhawks +2.5 (-110), Over 145.5 (-110), +120 (Moneyline)
Oklahoma Sooners -2.5 (-110), Under 145.5 (-110), -140 (Moneyline)
