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TODAY I WILL VENTURE INTO A CONFERENCE THAT IS LOW ON MY BOARD IN TERMS OF DAILY AND WEEKLY PLAY—-THE BIG 12. AS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THE SAME APPLIES TO THE HARDWOOD COURT. THE BIG 12 IS A BIT UNPREDICTABLE SO YOU NEED TO WAIT ON THE RIGHT PLAY. TODAY IT’S AVAILABLE BETWEEN KANSAS AND BAYLOR. WITH KANSAS SUDDENLY LIVING UP TO THEIR TALENT ODDMAKERS HAVE POSITIONED THEM AS SIZEABLE FAVORITES TODAY AGAINST THE BAYLOR BEARS.

I’D THINK IF THIS HAD BEEN A GAME SCHEDULED EVEN EIGHT TO TEN DAYS AGO THAT KANSAS WOULD ONLY BE 6-7 POINT FAVORITES. QUICK REACTION TO BAYLOR’S POOR LOSS AT HOME AGAINST A GOOD OKLAHOMA TEAM, AND KANSAS GREAT PERFORMANCE AGAINST OKLAHOMA STATE (NEARLY WITHERED AWAY) HAS THE LINE INFLATED AT 10.5. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE KANSAS IS STILL TOO YOUNG OF A TEAM TO GARNER MY MONEY AS A TEN POINT FAVORITE EVEN ON THEIR HOME FLOOR. THEIR PRONE TO LULLS OFFENSIVELY AND ARE NOT A HALF COURT OFFENSE.

FACING A TEAM SUCH AS OKLAHOMA STATE ALLOWED KANSAS TO DO WHAT THEIR BEST AT, AND THAT’S GET OUT AND RUN THE FLOOR. BAYLOR USE TO BE THAT TYPE OF TEAM BUT THEY’VE SCALED BACK THEIR FAST PACE APPROACH WITH THE PERSONNEL THEY HAVE THIS SEASON. SLOWING THE GAME DOWN AND FORCING KANSAS TO WORK FOR THEIR POINTS IS BAYLOR’S BEST SHOT AT HANGING IN THIS ONE.

IT’S ALWAYS INTERESTING SEEING HOW A TEAM PLANS TO GUARD BAYLOR’S BIG MAN ISIAH AUSTIN WHO LOVES TO GET OUT ON THE PERIMETER. THIS MAY POSE A SERIOUS CHALLENGE TO JOEL EMBLID WHO IS A FIERCE SHOT BLOCKER. KANSAS MAY TRY TO SHIFT PERRY ELLIS TO GUARD HIM. EITHER WAY I THINK THE MATCHUP HURTS KANSAS IN HALF COURT DEFENSE.

THIS ISN’T A MONEYLINE PLAY BY NO MEANS BUT A 10.5 POINT SPREAD THAT MAY PUSH TO 11 BY GAME TIME IS AN ADVANTAGEOUS LINE FOR A HANDICAPPER.

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