TCU vs Kansas Picks and Odds

• #15 Kansas is a 13.5-point favorite over TCU in Big 12 play on Thursday (Jan. 28th, 8 pm EST)
• The Jayhawks are in the midst of their first thee-game losing streak since 2013

• See below for analysis, odds and a betting prediction

Conference play hasn’t exactly gone according to plan for #15 Kansas. Normally the class of the Big 12, the Jayhawks (10-5, 4-4 Big 12) have dropped three straight conference games, and will look to end their skid on Thursday (Jan. 28th, 8 pm EST) against visiting TCU (9-5, 2-4 Big 12).

TCU vs #15 Kansas Odds

Odds taken Jan. 27th.

Kansas’ three-game slide is their longest since 2013, but oddsmakers are expecting a bounce back versus the Horned Frogs. The Jayhawks opened as 13.5-point favorites, in a matchup that features a total of 137.

Jayhawks Eyeing Bounce Back

Last time out, Kansas fell by 7 on the road at Oklahoma. They shot the ball well (46.3% from the field), but simply got outworked. The Jayhawks lost the rebounding battle by 10, and committed seven more fouls which led to eight more free throw attempts for the Sooners. The loss capped a disappointing road trip and they’ll now return to their home court for the first time in 19 days.

Since the Big 12 expanded from the Big 8 in 1996-97, never before have the Kansas Jayhawks been 4-4 through 8 games in conference play.

— Matthew Hatfield (@hatfieldsports) January 23, 2021

Marcus Garrett turned in his best game of the season versus OU, pouring in 21 points and grabbing 12 boards. Leading scorer Ochai Agbaji was held to 10 points, his second lowest total this season, and the team failed to meet their season scoring average (75.3) for the fourth straight contest.

Luckily, a matchup against TCU could be the perfect cure. Kansas trounced the Horned Frogs by 29 in their own building earlier this month, and since then TCU has been hit hard by COVID.

COVID Tears Through TCU

The Horned Frogs have been forced to postpone each of their last three games and haven’t hit the hardwood in over two weeks. Only four of their players have escaped COVID protocol, and there’s a strong chance head coach Jamie Dixon isn’t cleared to coach this game.

Hitting the road for two this week.
First stop, Lawrence. #GoFrogs 😈 pic.twitter.com/zkKwaa79kQ

— TCU Men's Basketball (@TCUBasketball) January 27, 2021

Not surprisingly, they’ve had little practice time as a team over the past couple weeks, making it extremely hard to fix the issues that have plagued them recently. They’ve lost three straight, all by at least 18 points, and last time out were held to a season-low 46 points against the Sooners. They shot just 34.6% from the floor in that outing, and check in as the third lowest scoring team in the conference.

They rank dead last in the Big 12 in field goal attempts per game, ninth in points allowed and eighth in opponent field goal percentage. They’ve surrendered at least 82 points in two of their past three, and asking them to shut down the Jayhawks at likely less than full strength is a tough ask, especially given their track record in Kansas.

Jayhawks Feast on Horned Frogs

The Jayhawks are 21-2 all-time versus the Horned Frogs, including 9-0 at home. They’ve won seven straight over their conference foe, and 17 of the last 18 overall. They have one of the biggest home court advantage in the entire Big 12, and have posted a 6-1 record at Allen Field House so far this season.

That's a good 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 win 💪 pic.twitter.com/EjuoGggz0x

— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) January 6, 2021

Yes, they’ve dropped three straight, but each loss was to a quality opponent. No team in the conference has played a tougher schedule thus far than Kansas, and they destroyed a healthy TCU team three and a half weeks ago. Just imagine the outcome now that the Horned Frogs have been decimated by COVID, and will be less than 100%.

Pick: Kansas Jayhawks -13.5 (-110)