Kansas at Florida: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Kansas Jayhawks at Florida Gators (-2.5)
Non-conference setbacks for No. 13 Kansas and No. 19 Florida are about as rare as either program being on the wrong side of last-second losses. Both programs hope to rebound from excruciating defeats Tuesday when the Gators host the Jayhawks in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Florida saw its five-game winning streak snapped on the road last Monday when Connecticut guard Shabazz Napier retrieved a loose ball after a wild shot and hit the game-winner with less than a second remaining.
Making matter worse, the Gators had lost defensive stalwart Scottie Wilbekin – the player that would have likely been guarding Napier on the final play – to a sprained ankle in the final minutes. After rallying from a six-point deficit with 1:44 left, the Jayhawks fell at Colorado on Askia Booker’s long 3-pointer as time expired Saturday for their second painful loss in three games. “We’re not playing good at all and we’re trying to find (ourselves),” coach Bill Self told the Kansas City Star following the game.
ABOUT KANSAS (6-2): With the wealth of youth and athleticism on the roster, opponents have used zone defenses with great success against the Jayhawks, who have connected on 15 of their last 65 tries from 3-point range over the previous four games. “Everybody’s (going to) play us zone right now until we start making some shots...we’re not a real good shooting team yet (and) we’re not a real good passing team,” Self told Star following the loss. Star freshman Andrew Wiggins did enjoy one of his finest games for Kansas, tying a career high with 22 points against Colorado.
ABOUT FLORIDA (6-2): Wilbekin is expected to return against Kansas as is reserve point guard Kasey Hill, who has missed the last four contests with a high ankle sprain. If Wilbekin and Hill take the court against Kansas Tuesday, it will mark the first time all season the team will have both players available after Wilbekin missed the first five games for a violation of team rules. Casey Prather, who averaged 3.1 points over his first three seasons, is averaging 19.1 this year and only the third Florida player under coach Billy Donovan to post three 27-point games in a season.
TRENDS:
* Jayhawks are 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Gators last five overall.
* Under is 9-3 in Jayhawks last 12 vs. Southeastern.
* Gators are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
TIP-INS:
1. This will be the first meeting between the schools since Kansas handed eventual national champion Florida its first loss of the 2006-07 season; the Jayhawks won the national championship the following year.
2. The Gators are 2-7 in their last nine games decided by three points or fewer.
3. Kansas, which has dropped two of three, has endured only one 1-3 stretch over its previous seven seasons.
By Covers.com
Kansas Jayhawks at Florida Gators (-2.5)
Non-conference setbacks for No. 13 Kansas and No. 19 Florida are about as rare as either program being on the wrong side of last-second losses. Both programs hope to rebound from excruciating defeats Tuesday when the Gators host the Jayhawks in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Florida saw its five-game winning streak snapped on the road last Monday when Connecticut guard Shabazz Napier retrieved a loose ball after a wild shot and hit the game-winner with less than a second remaining.
Making matter worse, the Gators had lost defensive stalwart Scottie Wilbekin – the player that would have likely been guarding Napier on the final play – to a sprained ankle in the final minutes. After rallying from a six-point deficit with 1:44 left, the Jayhawks fell at Colorado on Askia Booker’s long 3-pointer as time expired Saturday for their second painful loss in three games. “We’re not playing good at all and we’re trying to find (ourselves),” coach Bill Self told the Kansas City Star following the game.
ABOUT KANSAS (6-2): With the wealth of youth and athleticism on the roster, opponents have used zone defenses with great success against the Jayhawks, who have connected on 15 of their last 65 tries from 3-point range over the previous four games. “Everybody’s (going to) play us zone right now until we start making some shots...we’re not a real good shooting team yet (and) we’re not a real good passing team,” Self told Star following the loss. Star freshman Andrew Wiggins did enjoy one of his finest games for Kansas, tying a career high with 22 points against Colorado.
ABOUT FLORIDA (6-2): Wilbekin is expected to return against Kansas as is reserve point guard Kasey Hill, who has missed the last four contests with a high ankle sprain. If Wilbekin and Hill take the court against Kansas Tuesday, it will mark the first time all season the team will have both players available after Wilbekin missed the first five games for a violation of team rules. Casey Prather, who averaged 3.1 points over his first three seasons, is averaging 19.1 this year and only the third Florida player under coach Billy Donovan to post three 27-point games in a season.
TRENDS:
* Jayhawks are 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Gators last five overall.
* Under is 9-3 in Jayhawks last 12 vs. Southeastern.
* Gators are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
TIP-INS:
1. This will be the first meeting between the schools since Kansas handed eventual national champion Florida its first loss of the 2006-07 season; the Jayhawks won the national championship the following year.
2. The Gators are 2-7 in their last nine games decided by three points or fewer.
3. Kansas, which has dropped two of three, has endured only one 1-3 stretch over its previous seven seasons.
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