The UNDER Is In Play As Big 12 Defensive Juggernauts Square Off

Kansas has the No. 2 defense in the country, while West Virginia is ranked 20th. The total has gone UNDER in five of their last seven meetings, including a 113-point battle in January. The total Wednesday opened at 132.5 — what do you think is likely to happen?

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

This is basically a pick’em game, as the No. 14 Mountaineers opened as just 1-point home favorites over No. 3 Kansas, despite winning 15 straight at home. This is mostly due to Kansas having won seven of its last eight against West Virginia. These schools played about six weeks ago, with the score totaling 113 points. Both teams are stalwarts defensively, but the total still opened somewhat higher at 132.5 points.

Kansas News & Notes

The Jayhawks are sitting third in the national rankings going into Wednesday’s game against West Virginia, having won 11 of their last 12 games, with the only loss coming to Baylor, the current No. 1 team in the nation.  

Kansas’ defense has been elite, yielding the eighth-fewest points per game in the country as well as the sixth-lowest opponent shooting percentage. It held the Mountaineers to just 32.2 percent shooting in a 60-53 home win in early January and will look to continue its strong defense as it goes on the road for this matchup.

Devon Dotson has continued to lead Kansas in scoring, averaging 18 points per game, but the Jayhawks have actually seen the total go UNDER in 10 of their last 13 games. Expect more of the same Wednesday as well: each of Kansas’ last five games at West Virginia has seen the total go UNDER.

West Virginia News & Notes

While Kansas has a top-10 defense in the country, the Mountaineers are also no slouch on defense, sitting 20th in the nation in points allowed, and they are even stingier in harassing opponents’ shots as they have the third-lowest field-goal percentage against.    

Where West Virginia falls much shorter than Kansas, however, is in scoring, as it sits 143rd in the country in scoring, 118th in offensive pace and 154th in offensive efficiency. That’s led to just two players averaging in double figures this season and no player is averaging more than 11.5 points per game.  

The Mountaineers have also seen the total go UNDER in four of their last five games. Additionally, they have covered the spread in 10 of their last 15 games and have won 15 straight at home.

Currently ranked 14th in the nation, West Virginia will be tested against a Kansas team it has beaten just once in its last eight games.

Betting Pick: UNDER 132.5

Both schools are in the top 20 defenses in the country and have seen the total go UNDER recently. I’m expecting another defensive battle, so I’ll take the UNDER again.