Game 23: No. 3 Kansas at TCU – Preview and Prediction

The No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks look to continue its hot streak, as they hit the road on Saturday when they travel to Fort Worth to take on TCU. The Jayhawks are winners of their last seven games, while TCU is coming off an ugly loss to previously winless Oklahoma State.

• Saturday, February 8, 2020, 11:00 am CDT
• Schollmaier Arena — Fort Worth, Texas
• ESPN2
• Halfway through the 2020 Big 12 season, Kansas sits alone in second place at 8-1 in the league standings, one game behind Baylor (9-0). West Virginia (6-3) is in third, two games behind KU.
• At 19-3, KU is vying to add to its NCAA active record of consecutive 20-win seasons, currently at 30, which began in 1989-90. KU’s 31-straight 20-win seasons would tie the NCAA record, set by North Carolina from 1971-2001.
• Kansas leads the overall series with TCU, 18-2, including 7-1 in games played in Fort Worth and 6-1 in Schollmaier Arena. KU has won the last four meetings and 14 of the last 15 battles with TCU dating back to Feb. 23, 2013.
• KU head coach Bill Self is 699-214 in his 27th season overall, including 492-109 in his 17th season at KU. When he reaches the 700th career victory, Self (57 years, one month old) will be the second-youngest coach in NCAA DI history to reach 700 victories. Bob Knight was 56 years, four months old when he claimed win No. 700.
• Senior Udoka Azubuike is one of three players in the NCAA averaging a double-double and three or more blocks in league play. Azubuike is averaging 11.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg and 3.2 bpg against conference foes.

Horned Frogs to Watch

Desmond Bane – Senior, Guard, 6’6″
Bane seems like he’s been around forever. The senior comes into Saturday’s matchup leading the team in scoring at 16.2 PPG. Bane can fill it up from three-point range, as he’s shooting a robust 44.3 percent from distance this season.

Kevin Samuel – Sophomore, Forward, 6’11”
Samuel is the team’s leading rebounder at 8.7 RPG and chips in with 11.1 PPG. At 6’11”, 250 lbs. he’s one of the few guys in the Big 12 who can physically matchup up with Udoka Azubuike. Samuel has been held in check over the last two games, averaging just 7.5 PPG. The Frogs will need much more from him if they want to pull the upset.

Prediction

Since that debacle of a game back in 2013 when Bill Self said Kansas would have lost to Topeka YMCA, the Jayhawks have been perfect in Fort Worth and have beaten better TCU teams than the one they’ll face on Saturday. I’m going with the Jayhawks to pick up the victory and set up a massive showdown with West Virginia next Wednesday in Morgantown. Give me Devon Dotson to have a huge game for KU.

Kansas 83, TCU 70
KU -8

AUDIO PREVIEW: LINK

Season Record: 19-3 (13-9 ATS)