A few Big 12 top-15 stalwarts looking to bounce back from road losses will square off Saturday on CBS as No. 2 Kansas hosts No. 14 TCU. The Jayhawks (16-2, 5-1 Big 12 ) just lost their first league game Tuesday in overtime at Kansas State while the Horned Frogs (14-4, 3-3) fell to West Virginia on Wednesday. These losses should motivate only a few teams with high aspirations.
TCU has never beaten Kansas on the road in 11 tries and has just three wins in 27 meetings in series history. But the Horned Frogs are an experienced team that fired several players from last year’s team that shared the regular-season streak with Kansas and came within four points of upsetting the Jayhawks on the road.
Kansas has reorganized dramatically since winning its second national championship under 20-year-old coach Bill Self at the end of last season, but the Jayhawks have barely missed a beat and are currently projected as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament by CBS Sports Bracketology expert Jerry Palm. Led by junior redshirt striker Jalen Wilson, KU look capable of defending their title. However, due to its loss to the Wildcats earlier this week, KU finds itself tied with K-State and Iowa State atop the Big 12 standings heading into Saturday’s action.
The Horned Frogs have some catching up to do if they want to compete for the league title, but they have established themselves as one of the best teams in the program fielded by seventh-year coach Jamie Dixon. Led by leading-scoring guard Mike Miles, TCU is a projected No. 4 seed for the NCAA Tournament, according to Palm. If it holds, it would match the program’s highest ranking ever.
Wilson leads the Big 12 with 20.8 points per game for KU while Miles is second with 19.1 for TCU. Both players are dynamic offensive weapons who have hit double numbers in every game this season. Seeing them fight in a game with major implications for the Big 12 and nationally should create some compelling college basketball theater as Big 12 play continues to heat up.
How to watch Kansas vs. TCU live
Date: Saturday January 21 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Allen Fieldhouse — Lawrence, Kansas
TV: SCS | Direct: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports app (free)
Kansas vs TCU prediction, picks
Those teams split their series last season, and TCU nearly earned their first-ever win at Kansas before the Jayhawks suffered a late defensive stoppage in a close game. The Horned Frogs are a veteran team that won’t be intimidated by the rowdy atmosphere inside Allen Fieldhouse. They already have a Big 12 road win at Baylor and will believe they can get another one. The Jayhawks are a better bet to win outright due to their home dominance, but it would be a surprise if TCU fell back easily in this top-15 battle. Prediction: TCU +7.5
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