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Kansas Laying 5.5 Points at Oklahoma as Devon Dotson Will Play Despite Hip Pointer

John Perrotto

by John Perrotto in College Basketball

Updated Mar 31, 2021 · 1:03 PM PDT

Kansas Jayhawks huddle
The Kansas Jayhawks are 1-point favorites against the Duke Blue Devils in their Champions Classic game. Photo by Dirk (Wikimedia) CC License.
  • Kansas star Devon Dotson will play against Oklahoma despite having a hip pointer
  • Both teams are coming off losses, Kansas to Baylor at home and Oklahoma at Iowa State
  • Oklahoma has a 6-0 straight-up record at home this season at the Lloyd Noble Center

No. 6 Kansas (12-3 overall, 3-1 road) is laying 5.5 points at Oklahoma (11-4, 6-0 home) at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday (Jan. 14) in the Big 12 game at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Jayhawks star guard Devon Dotson had to leave Saturday’s game against Baylor, but he will try to play through it on Tuesday in Norman.

#6 Kansas vs Oklahoma Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Over/Under
Kansas -5.5 (-115) -240 O 140.5 (-110)
Oklahoma +5.5 (-105) +200 U 140.5 (-110)

Odds taken Jan. 14

Dotson sustained his injury late in the first half of Kansas’ 67-55 home loss to Baylor last Saturday (Jan. 11). Though he returned to play in the second half, he was limited to 28 minutes and his nine points were half his season average of 18.

The loss snapped Kansas’ three-game winning streak overall and their 28-game streak at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks’ previous two losses this season had been by a combined three points to Duke (68-66) and Villanova (56-55).

Oklahoma lost at Iowa State 81-68 last Saturday (Jan. 11). That ended the Sooners’ four-game winning streak.

Kansas opened as a 6.5-point favorite, while the line now hovers around Jayhawks -5.5.

Dotson Should Start

Dotson is expected to start against Oklahoma as Kansas’ medical staff has determined that he can not be injured further by playing. How many minutes he logs will primarily depend on his pain tolerance.

In addition to topping the Jayhawks in scoring, Dotson also leads the team with 4.4 assists and 2.3 steals a game while averaging 34.5 minutes. The nine-point outing against Baylor marked the first this season the sophomore did not score in double figures in 15 games.

Picking Up the Slack

Kansas may look for more offense from senior center Udoka Azubuike and sophomore wing Ochai Agbaji.

Azubuike has averages of 12.6 points and 8.9 rebounds while shooting a remarkable 78.3 percent from the field. Agbaji is making 40.3 percent of his 3-point field goals while scoring 11.2 a game.

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Kansas also has three other players capable of picking up some of the scoring slack if Dotson’s minutes need to be cut – junior guard Marcus Garrett (9.0 PPG), sophomore forward David McCormick (8.2 PPG) and senior guard Isaiah Ross (7.4 PPG).

That depth is why Kansas is a threat to win it all as can been seen in the 2020 NCAA Tournament Odds.

Sooners Try to Bounce Back

Oklahoma is coming off a clunker at Iowa State in which the 13-point margin of defeat did not fully show how poorly the Sooners played.

Oklahoma trailed by as many as 26 points in the second half. It was outscored 15-0 in fast break points and 32-9 in points on turnovers while also getting out-rebounded 35-25.

However, the Sooners are unbeaten this season in Norman. They also have three very capable scorers and rebounders in senior forward Kristian Doolittle (17.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG), junior guard Austin Reaves (15.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG) and junior forward Brady Manek (14.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG).

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The shifty Reaves, a transfer from Wichita State, could pose a matchup problem for Kansas if Dotson is limited.

Here are how the teams match up in some of the key KenPom categories:

Kansas
VS
Oklahoma
112.3 (11th) Adjusted offensive efficiency 107.2 (46th)
84.0 (3rd) Adjusted defensive efficiency 93.4 (62nd)
68.5 (203rd) Adjusted tempo 71.5 (60th)

Oklahoma Unbeaten at Home

Kansas is 8-7 against the spread this season while Oklahoma is just 5-10, including 1-5 at the Lloyd Noble Center. Furthermore, the Sooners have been the losing side ATS in eight of their last nine games and the Jayhawks are 95-13 after a loss with Bill Self as coach.

However, it is hard to look past that 6-0 straight up record at home and the fact Oklahoma has beaten Kansas in Norman each of the last two seasons. The Sooners won 85-80 in 2018 as a two-point favorite and 81-68 last year as a two-point underdog.

Oklahoma might not make it three in a row, but it should keep things close, especially with Dotson not at 100 percent.

The pick: Oklahoma +5.5 (-115)

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