Kansas Hopes to Return to it’s Winning Ways Tonight Against USC
62% of Bets Placed on USC +16 | Matchup | CBB Picks
Kansas collapsed down the stretch in its first true road game of the season.
The fifth-ranked Jayhawks (6-2) will try to recover when they return home Monday night to face surging Southern California (5-1) at Allen Fieldhouse.
Oddsmakers have made Kansas -16 point spread favorites (College Basketball Odds) for todays game, the over/under has been set at 134 total points (View College Basketball Sports Books).
Exactly one week after knocking off defending national champion Florida in Las Vegas, Kansas suffered a 64-57 loss at DePaul on Saturday by blowing an eight-point lead with 4:39 left.
“Florida was good for us. But still yet it wasn’t the thing that fixed everything because you still have to come to work every day and practice and prepare,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “And we’re not very good at that yet.”
The Jayhawks also lost 78-71 to Oral Roberts on Nov. 15.
One big difference for Kansas Saturday was the play of Julian Wright and Darrell Arthur, who combined for 40 points on 15-of-19 shooting against the Gators. The duo managed a total of only 22 points on 9-of-20 shooting against the Blue Demons.
“It hurts, we know we have to get better,” Wright said. “We had the lead and were in control of the game. … They were able to make some good plays and some hustle plays and get the win.”
This matchup with the Trojans will give Jayhawks guard Rodrick Stewart a chance to play against his former team and twin brother, Lodrick. Rodrick Stewart, who did not see action Saturday for the first time all season, averaged 4.4 points as a part-time starter for USC as a freshman in 2003-04 before transferring.
“I don’t know if I have ever had brothers play against each other, let alone twins,” Self said. “That will be a big game for both of them. I don’t know if Rod will guard him, but if he scores against him, he’ll only get one chance. We will not specifically ask Rodrick to guard him, but I’m sure they’ll get matched up against each other sometimes.”
Lodrick Stewart, who is USC’s second-leading scorer with a career-high 14.7 points per game, is looking forward to his team’s first road game.
“It’s going to be a hostile environment,” he said after a 67-50 victory over Loyola Marymount on Saturday. “My brother said it was snowing yesterday.”
Lodrick Stewart scored a season-high 21 points to key Saturday’s victory. He made a career-high six 3-pointers, matching his output through USC’s first five games.
“My shots are falling,” Stewart said, “but most importantly we finished the game out strong. That’s one of the problems we’ve been having.”
The Trojans have won five straight since a season-opening 80-74 overtime loss to South Carolina on Nov. 16.
USC coach Tim Floyd, who coached in the Big 12 at Iowa State from 1994-98, is 3-9 against Kansas in his career.
Kansas is 7-5 against USC, but the teams have not met since 1998.
by: Marc Young – theSpread.com – Email Us
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