K-State Wildcats vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Betting preview, lineups, time, TV, prediction
THE DETAILS
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KKGQ (92.3 FM) in Wichita
Betting line: K-State by 6.5
Over/Under: 137.5
STARTING LINEUPS
P | No. | Oklahoma | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 1 | Jalen Hill | 6-6 | Sr. | 10.1 |
F | 35 | Tanner Groves | 6-10 | Sr. | 10.0 |
G | 12 | Milos Uzan | 6-4 | Fr. | 7.0 |
G | 3 | Otega Oweh | 6-5 | Fr. | 4.1 |
G | 25 | Grant Sherfield | 6-2 | Sr. | 16.3 |
P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 35 | Nae’Qwan Tomlin | 6-10 | Jr. | 10.0 |
F | 11 | Keyontae Johnson | 6-6 | Sr. | 17.6 |
G | 13 | Desi Sills | 6-2 | Sr. | 8.3 |
G | 5 | Cam Carter | 6-3 | So. | 6.3 |
G | 1 | Markquis Nowell | 5-8 | Sr. | 17.0 |
About Oklahoma (14-15, 4-12 Big 12):
The Sooners are coming off a 61-50 victory over Iowa State that should give them momentum heading into this game. Oklahoma is only 4-12 in conference play, but it has played well of late with recent victories over K-State and the Cyclones. Grant Sherfield leads the Sooners with 16.3 points per game with Jalen Hill and Tanner Groves helping out at about 10 points per game. Oklahoma has won three straight games over K-State since Porter Moser took over as coach.
About Kansas State (22-7, 10-6 Big 12)
The Wildcats are on a hot streak. They have won their past three games to remain in the hunt for a Big 12 championship with those victories coming against Iowa State, Baylor and Oklahoma State. Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson have heated back up after a cold stretch and K-State is once again looking like one of the best teams in the nation. The Wildcats have gone undefeated since they moved Desi Sills into the starting layup and switched to a smaller lineup. K-State lost to Oklahoma earlier this season 79-65.
Prediction
This used to be one of the easiest games of the entire season to predict.
The Sooners always lost at Bramlage Coliseum when Lon Kruger was roaming the sidelines. Oklahoma lost nine straight road games against K-State during his final nine years on the job. It was automatic.
But things have changed under new coach Porter Moser. The Sooners are 3-0 against the Wildcats since he took over, including a 78-71 victory inside the Octagon of Doom last season and a 79-65 win earlier this season at Lloyd Noble Center.
That track record alone makes me think it will be difficult for K-State to cover a spread of more than two possessions on Wednesday. Oklahoma has been competitive with Big 12 teams lately, and its players will be brimming with confidence against an opponent it defeated earlier this season.
But it’s also hard for me to see the Wildcats losing this game. They have regained their midseason form over the past week and have won three straight games. They are also one of the best teams in all of college basketball at home, going 14-1 in Manhattan this season.
With a loud crowd behind it, I expect K-State to take advantage of the fact that Oklahoma turns the ball over on 20.2% of its possessions and score cheap points in transition without setting up its half-court offense.
The Sooners caught the Wildcats at an ideal time when they played a few weeks ago. But K-State has bounced back since then and is currently playing some of its best basketball. It will find a way to protect its home court on senior day, even if Oklahoma keeps things closer than Kruger’s teams used to.
K-State 73, Oklahoma 69
Last game prediction: Oklahoma State 68, K-State 64 (Actual: K-State 73, Oklahoma State 68).
Season record: 18-9.
Season record against the spread: 14-13.