When: 6:00 PM ET, Saturday, February 17, 2018
Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas
Matchup Edge
WVU Edge in: KU
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench
Preview: West Virginia at Kansas
Gracenote
Feb 16, 2018
West Virginia may not have been as good as its 15-game winning streak earlier in the season suggested, but the team's play in February seems to be an indication it isn't as bad as the 4-6 record it has posted since either. The 20th-ranked Mountaineers will try to avenge last month's home loss to Kansas on Saturday when they visit the 13th-ranked Jayhawks in hopes of forging a second-place tie with them in the Big 12 standings.
Following a blowout loss in Germany to Texas A&M to begin the season, West Virginia appeared to be a strong candidate to end Kansas' 13-year stranglehold of the conference, but losses to Texas Tech and the Jayhawks in mid-January ended its longest winning streak since 1988-89 and began a stretch in which the Mountaineers dropped five of six. West Virginia has seemingly regained its early-season form in February, however, going 3-1 with a pair of routs against NCAA Tournament hopefuls in Kansas State and TCU included in the run. Kansas is one game out of first place and will play three of its next four at home, but winning at Allen Fieldhouse this season has been far from a lock for coach Bill Self's squad (11-3). The Jayhawks extended the nation's longest streak of 20-win seasons to 29 on Tuesday, however, rebounding from their most lopsided loss of the season last weekend with an 83-77 victory at Iowa State.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (19-7, 8-5 Big 12): With leading scorer Jevon Carter (16.9 points) held to nine points after erupting for a career-high 33 last Saturday versus Oklahoma State, Teddy Allen and James Bolden contributed 30 of the Mountaineers' 38 points off the bench Monday. Allen's 16 points in 17 minutes were his most in both categories since he began conference action by averaging 19 points in 19.7 minutes before seeing his minutes slashed over the next 10 games. Coach Bob Huggins was also able to get similar production in limited action from Bolden, who needed only 17 minutes to score 14 points against TCU after averaging 9.8 points while logging an average of 27.8 minutes over his previous four outings.
ABOUT KANSAS (20-6, 9-4): Devonte' Graham (17.5 points, 7.2 assists) struggled mightily Tuesday (3-for-16 from the field), but an in-game suggestion to teammate Lagerald Vick to jump more into his jump shot helped Vick enjoy one of his finest offensive efforts of the season (16 points, four 3-pointers). "I don't know if I've ever been around a team where a guy gets less help. I'm not putting down anybody. From talking, from ownership, from coaching others, he is doing it all. ... This is Devonte's personality that's basically getting us through the intangible things," Self told reporters. Sophomore center Udoka Azubuike has shot at least 50 percent in every game this season and leads Division I with a 76.5 field-goal percentage.
TIP-INS
1. Kansas' three losses in Allen Fieldhouse are its most in a season since 1998-99 (10-3).
2. Carter, who already owns the school records in steals, needs one more to become the 36th player in Division I history to reach 300 for his career.
3. Azubuike is 13-for-14 from the field over the last two contests.
PREDICTION: West Virginia 80, Kansas 73
Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas
Matchup Edge
WVU Edge in: KU
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench
Preview: West Virginia at Kansas
Gracenote
Feb 16, 2018
West Virginia may not have been as good as its 15-game winning streak earlier in the season suggested, but the team's play in February seems to be an indication it isn't as bad as the 4-6 record it has posted since either. The 20th-ranked Mountaineers will try to avenge last month's home loss to Kansas on Saturday when they visit the 13th-ranked Jayhawks in hopes of forging a second-place tie with them in the Big 12 standings.
Following a blowout loss in Germany to Texas A&M to begin the season, West Virginia appeared to be a strong candidate to end Kansas' 13-year stranglehold of the conference, but losses to Texas Tech and the Jayhawks in mid-January ended its longest winning streak since 1988-89 and began a stretch in which the Mountaineers dropped five of six. West Virginia has seemingly regained its early-season form in February, however, going 3-1 with a pair of routs against NCAA Tournament hopefuls in Kansas State and TCU included in the run. Kansas is one game out of first place and will play three of its next four at home, but winning at Allen Fieldhouse this season has been far from a lock for coach Bill Self's squad (11-3). The Jayhawks extended the nation's longest streak of 20-win seasons to 29 on Tuesday, however, rebounding from their most lopsided loss of the season last weekend with an 83-77 victory at Iowa State.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (19-7, 8-5 Big 12): With leading scorer Jevon Carter (16.9 points) held to nine points after erupting for a career-high 33 last Saturday versus Oklahoma State, Teddy Allen and James Bolden contributed 30 of the Mountaineers' 38 points off the bench Monday. Allen's 16 points in 17 minutes were his most in both categories since he began conference action by averaging 19 points in 19.7 minutes before seeing his minutes slashed over the next 10 games. Coach Bob Huggins was also able to get similar production in limited action from Bolden, who needed only 17 minutes to score 14 points against TCU after averaging 9.8 points while logging an average of 27.8 minutes over his previous four outings.
ABOUT KANSAS (20-6, 9-4): Devonte' Graham (17.5 points, 7.2 assists) struggled mightily Tuesday (3-for-16 from the field), but an in-game suggestion to teammate Lagerald Vick to jump more into his jump shot helped Vick enjoy one of his finest offensive efforts of the season (16 points, four 3-pointers). "I don't know if I've ever been around a team where a guy gets less help. I'm not putting down anybody. From talking, from ownership, from coaching others, he is doing it all. ... This is Devonte's personality that's basically getting us through the intangible things," Self told reporters. Sophomore center Udoka Azubuike has shot at least 50 percent in every game this season and leads Division I with a 76.5 field-goal percentage.
TIP-INS
1. Kansas' three losses in Allen Fieldhouse are its most in a season since 1998-99 (10-3).
2. Carter, who already owns the school records in steals, needs one more to become the 36th player in Division I history to reach 300 for his career.
3. Azubuike is 13-for-14 from the field over the last two contests.
PREDICTION: West Virginia 80, Kansas 73
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