Another big betting line for KU basketball. Here’s our pick & prediction vs. KC Roos
The No. 2-ranked University of Kansas men’s basketball team will host Kansas City at Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday.
The Jayhawks (7-1) narrowly defeated now No. 5 UConn on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Roos demolished SEMO on Thursday. KU is 8-0 all-time against Kansas City.
Below is a scouting report and prediction of the game.
No. 2 KU basketball vs. KC Roos
When/where: 7:00 p.m., Central, Allen Fieldhouse
TV/Streaming: ESPN+
Opponent’s record: 3-5
KenPom (Ken Pomeroy) Ranking: 281
Betting line: Kansas is a 27-point favorite
All statistics are from KenPom.com, Hoop-Math.com and EvanMiya. KenPom stats only include Division I competition.
Kansas City Team Strengths
Battle tested: The Roos haven’t shied away from playing formidable opponents with a strength of schedule that is No. 76 in the country.
Fire away from deep: Kansas City isn’t afraid to shoot 3-pointers, with 41% three-point rate (percent of field-goal attempts taken from 3) that ranks No. 91 overall. KU is on the opposite end — at No. 298 in the nation.
Good on the offensive glass: The Roos are No. 56 overall in offensive rebounding percentage (34.8). In comparison, KU ranks No. 288 with an offensive rebounding percentage of 25.
Kansas City Team Weaknesses
Offensive struggles: The Roos haven’t put the ball in the basket efficiently, ranking No. 215 in effective field goal percentage (48.8%).
Turnovers galore: Kansas City has a turnover percentage of 21.3%, ranking No. 320 in the country. Kansas hasn’t been especially strong in that area, but the Jayhawks still rank No. 188 with a turnover percentage of 18.0%.
Defensive issues: The Roos struggle to defend without fouling, with opposing teams having a 51.8% free-throw rate, ranking No. 338 in the nation. On top of that, teams have posted a 56.8% effective field-goal percentage against the Roos, ranking No. 343.
Kansas City name to know
6-foot-5 junior guard Jamar Brown (No. 5)
+ Quality scorer (14.0 ppg, double-figures in 7 of 8 games this year)
+ Good guard rebounder (5.6 rebounds per game)
+ Will space the floor (23 3-point attempts in his last four games — 5.8 per game)
- Not much of a passer (1.4 assists per game)
- Turnover prone (2.1 turnovers per game)
- Foul trouble? (3-plus fouls in five-straight games, 1 foul-out)
Tale of the Tape
1H | @jamar_brown2 doing what Jamar Brown does (hooping)
The lead is 18 #ROOUP | #RiseOfTheRoos pic.twitter.com/oWDh2ktgjJ— Kansas City Men's Basketball (@KCRoosMBB) December 1, 2023
If Brown gets to the ball, there’s a decent shot he’s going to the rim — 39% of his shots are at the rim, according to Hoop-Math. Here, he stole the ball and turned it into a fast-break dunk.
KU’s ball security can sometimes be an issue (No. 188 in turnover percentage), so the Jayhawks will need to take care of the ball around Brown.
But here’s the good news: If the Jayhawks turn it over, they’re not out of the play. The Roos are shooting an abysmal 25% at the rim in the first 10 seconds after stealing the ball, so if KU hustles back, the Jayhawks can prevent fast-break scores.
2H | Oh, @h23_jr in his bagggg #ROOUP | #RiseOfTheRoos pic.twitter.com/SIyzBVsOCq
— Kansas City Men's Basketball (@KCRoosMBB) December 1, 2023
Another area to watch: Kansas City big man Allen David Mukeba is shooting a red-hot 74.2% at the rim. Here, he shows off his patience and his post moves lead to an inside bucket.
For KU big men Hunter Dickinson and KJ Adams, the goal will be to keep Mukeba from getting to his spots on the floor and denying him the ball whenever possible. Dickinson did a great job of that against UConn’s Donovan Clingan, a projected NBA Draft pick.
Game prediction
This game should be a Jayhawk blowout, something the Jayhawks were unable to do in a previous matchup with Eastern Illinois.
The keys for Kansas will be two things — don’t let the Roos outrebound them and limit Kansas City from deep.
KU has the talent advantage, the home-court advantage and the better coach — so Kansas needs to put away Kansas City early. That way, coach Bill Self can play his bench guys and work on figuring out the rotations for more difficult opponents.
Kansas 80, Kansas City 64
Shreyas’ pick to cover the spread: Kansas City (+27)
Shreyas’ season record: 6-1
Shreyas’ record against the spread: 6-1
KU player to watch: Johnny Furphy
Self was pleased with how the Australian youngster performed against UConn, which is a great sign for the Jayhawks. Furphy dropped six points in 14 minutes, hitting two pivotal 3-pointers.
In this game, Furphy should get an extended run to showcase himself. If he can continue hitting shots from deep and prove himself to be a difference-maker on the court, he could earn more rotation minutes.
The Jayhawks desperately need a player they can trust off the bench and Furphy looks to be that guy.