West Virginia Mountaineers vs Kansas Jayhawks Prediction & Match Preview - December 22, 2020 | NCAA Men's Basketball
West Virginia v Kansas
Johnathan Wright
Modified 22 Dec 2020, 03:00 IST
The No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks will battle their in-conference rivals, the No. 7 West Virginia Mountaineers, on Tuesday.
Both teams sit at a 7-1 record and will look to pass each other in the Big 12 conference standings.
Fixture: West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Kansas Jayhawks - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Tuesday, December 22nd, 9 PM ET
Venue: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas
The No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks will host the No. 7 West Virginia Mountaineers on Tuesday night. Kansas swept West Virginia in last season's competitions, in which they had to come back from behind.
Kansas Jayhawks Preview
The Kansas Jayhawks have not lost a game since their opener where they went against the top-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs. Their most recent win was a nail-biter where they came out on top against Texas Tech (58-57) in their first conference game. That win gave the Jayhawks the most victories over AP ranked teams this season.
We don't back down from a challenge 👊 pic.twitter.com/S1wuDjauHV
— Kansas Basketball (@KUHoops) December 18, 2020
The Kansas Jayhawks have been locked in on defense this season, ranking number seven in defensive efficiency, according to kenpom.com.
The Jayhawks are only allowing 87 points per 100 possessions. They will need to stay disciplined on defense against a West Virginia team that can score from any position.
Key Player - Ochai Agbaji
Kansas v Texas Tech
The key player for the Kansas Jayhawks is Ochai Agbaji. The junior guard was the hero for the Jayhawks on Thursday night, scoring 23 points, including the go-ahead bucket late.
Agbaji went 8/11 in the game, including four three-pointers. The guard will need to continue his excellent play to earn his team their second Big-12 win of the season on Tuesday night.
Kansas Jayhawks Predicted Lineup
David McCormack, Jalen Wilson, Marcus Garrett, Ochai Agbaji, Christian Braun
West Virginia Mountaineers Preview
The West Virginia Mountaineers are sitting at a 7-1 record, with their only loss coming to Gonzaga. The Mountaineers are coming off a game where they barely pulled out a victory against the unranked Iowa State Cyclones.
The Mountaineers come-from-behind to defeat Iowa State, 70-65!#HailWV pic.twitter.com/Srodt8PcUh
— WVU Men's Basketball (@WVUhoops) December 19, 2020
To defeat the Kansas Jayhawks, West Virginia will need to focus on what they do best: attacking the paint. Out of the 212 field goals made by the Mountaineers this season, only 44 of them have been from behind the arc.
Key Player - Miles McBride
Kansas State v West Virginia
Miles McBride is the key player for the West Virginia Mountaineers. The sophomore guard leads the team in points averaging 15 per game.
McBride will need to be active early and make a couple of shots from the perimeter. This will allow more space for the Mountaineer's big men inside the paint.
West Virginia Mountaineers Predicted Lineup
Derek Culver, Emmitt Mathews Jr., Oscar Tshiebwe, Miles McBride, Sean McNeil
West Virginia vs. Kansas Prediction
The Kansas Jayhawks will beat the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Big 12 battle on Tuesday night. It will be a close competition but expect the Jayhawks to play tight defense and come out on top.
How to watch West Virginia vs. Kansas
The game will be broadcasted live on ESPN2.
Published 21 Dec 2020, 11:39 IST
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