Game 4: East Tennessee State at No. 4 Kansas – Preview and Prediction

Now 2-1 on the season, the Jayhawks look to keep their momentum going with their third straight home game, this one against the Buccaneers of East Tennessee State.

• Tuesday, November 19, 2019, 7:00 pm CDT
• Allen Fieldhouse — Lawrence, Kansas
• ESPN+ or ESPN App
• Kansas’ 23-game home court winning streak is third longest nationally behind Tennessee (28) and Gonzaga (25).
• This is the fourth all-time meeting between these two schools. Kansas is 3-0 in the series, with two 30+ point blowout wins and an 86-83 squeaker in December 1992.
• Kansas is ranked No. 4 in the Nov. 18 Associated Press national poll. The Jayhawks have been ranked in the top-five 339 times overall and 133 times in the Bill Self era.
• KU has been ranked in each of the last 203 AP polls dating back to 2008- 09. The 203-consecutive weeks in the polls is the longest active streak in the nation. KU holds the same streak in the coaches’ poll at 211.

East Tennessee State, just like UNC Greensboro, hails from the Southern conference. They are 3-0 on the year with blowout wins over Newberry and UT Martin, and a three-point win over Withrop.

Buccaneers to Watch

Bo Hodges – point guard, 6’5″
Hodges is ETSU’s best all-around player. He averages 15 points, seven rebounds, and three assists per contest. He can shoot the ball well, but his primary game is attacking the basket with his athleticism.

Jeromy Rodriguez – power forward, 6’7″
The Buccaneers do have a 7’0″ center in Lucas N’Guessan, but Rodriguez is an shorter-than-average power forward that makes up for it with his big frame. Both bigs average about nine points and eight rebounds, but Rodriguez has shown versatility and can beat you with any shot.

Prediction

This is the toughest of the “buy” opponents on the schedule this year. Monmouth was terrible and UNC Greensboro was a bit better, but the Buccaneers are the best of the mid-majors to visit Allen Fieldhouse this season.

ETSU shoots the ball well, but they don’t play at a particularly fast pace. Though that could change in Allen Fieldhouse, I expect the Buccaneers to take their time setting up positions in attempt to get the best shot they can. They have a point guard who can score in any way, and as long as they stay out of foul trouble, the two bigs can match up with KU’s two-big lineup.

This is a game Kansas should win, but I don’t expect it to be easy. I like the Jayhawks to ride their wave of hot three-point shooting to build a cushion and while I don’t think they ever really pull away, they should maintain a lead of around 12-14 for the bulk of the second half.

Kansas 81, East Tennessee State 69
ETSU +14.5 (According to VegasInsider.com)

AUDIO PREVIEW: LINK (go to 54:20 mark of podcast)

Season Record: 2-1 (1-2 ATS)