Kansas reaches Big 12 Semifinals with OT Win
The Kansas Jayhawks have reached the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament after an overtime win over Oklahoma State
The Jayhawks won the game thanks to the fine play of freshman sensation Andrew Wiggins. The freshman was one of the most hyped players coming out of high school and he showed why with his 30 points, 8 boards and 3 steals.
Wiggins took control of the game, while Kansas center Joel Embiid sat injured in the bench.
On Friday, the No. 1 seeded and No. 10 ranked Jayhawks will met the fourth seeded and No. 16 ranked Iowa State Cyclones in the semifinals of the tournament. The Cyclones reached the semifinals with a 91-85 win over the Kansas State Wildcats behind Melvin Ejim’s 24 points and 10 rebounds.
This season the Jayhawks won both head-to-head games with Oklahoma State winning on the road by 7 points and at home by 11 points. Embiid remains sidelined with an injured back but he was not missed all that much in their quarterfinal game versus the Cowboys.
The Cyclones will be a tough match for the Jayhawks. Dustin Hogue scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to join teammate Ejim with a double-double.
However, the Cyclones will need big games from DeAndre Kane at guard and Georges Niang at forward to stop the high flying Jayhawks and their sensational freshman Wiggins.
Iowa State does not lack in scorers but Monte Ellis their freshman at point guard played a key role in their win over K-State. Ellis dished out 10 assists and turned the ball over just once in 35 minutes.
Wiggins has had great hype this season and his 71 points over the past two games are more with the preseason expectations everyone had of him, as he was rated the best player in the nation.
Wiggins, 6-foot-8 and a great playmaker at guard has credited his coach Bill Self with helping grow as a player the past couple of months.
He tells how his coach has taught him new things each day. Wiggins said Self told him to play hard and run the floor at all times and always defend your man.
Kansas is 18-1 over the last 19 games against Iowa State. The last win for Iowa State was during the 2011-12 season.
Naadir Tharpe the starting point guard for Kansas dished out 12 assists, a career high, when Kansas defeated the Cyclones January 29 by a score of 92-81.
Iowa State’s Ejim has had 10 double doubles thus far this season. Included in those are six games he scored 20 or more points and grabbed 10 or more rebounds.
The current line has Kansas favored by 4 points with the over/under point total on 157. I like the Jayhawks to cover and play in the Big 12 final. The OVER looks like a safe bet as well.
