Kansas State will open their NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon at the Sprint Center, and they'll be taking on a La Salle team that is coming off a victory in the first round on Wednesday.
The Explorers knocked off Boise State 80-71 at the University of Dayton Arena on Wednesday night, getting 22 points from Tyrone Garland in the contest. Kansas State went 20-0 SU as the favorite on the college basketball betting lines this past season.
The Wildcats currently sports a 27-7 record overall in NCAAB action, and have posted a corresponding betting slate of 15-15 ATS. The Explorers are 22-9 and 14-13 ATS. Betting totals have seen the Wildcats produce a 13-14-1 OVER/UNDER record on the season, while the Explorers have gone 12-13-1 against the number.
View La Salle vs Kansas State Odds and Stats.
Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Wildcats - Explorers odds would favor the Wildcats if the lines were set according to our power ranks. Kansas State is rated No. 52 in the current Odds Shark poll, while La Salle is at No. 108. Mathematical models based on recent stats and predictive formulas point to a 76-74 win for the Wildcats.
How They Match Up:
In the paint, the rebound battle will feature Kansas State's No. 143-rated squad against La Salle's No. 304-rated roster. And in long-range shooting, Kansas State rates No. 98 in the country with 6.9 per game, while their foes tonight rank No. 43 nationally with 7.7 per match.
Defensively, La Salle features the nation's No. 117-rated defense on the road, allowing 67.1 points per game. Kansas State, meanwhile, comes in at No. 116 nationally in scoring at home.
In their last action, La Salle was an 80-71 Sportsbook on the road against Boise State. They covered the 1.5-point spread as underdogs. The Explorers grabbed an 80-71 win over the Broncos on Wednesday, behind a 22-point effort from Tyrone Garland at Dayton Arena.
Kansas State was a 70-54 loser in its last match on the road against Kansas. They failed to cover the 5.5-point spread as underdogs. Kansas State suffered a 70-54 loss against Kansas on Saturday, getting 18 points from Rodney McGruder in a losing effort at Sprint Center.
A few Explorers at Wildcats trends to consider:
Kansas State is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kansas State's last 7 games
