In anticipation of their upcoming match against No. 2 Baylor, the 10th-ranked Mountaineers men’s basketball team may consider Saturday’s WVU vs. Kansas State game as a preparation session. West Virginia sportsbooks seem to share this sentiment, as they have set a significant spread for the game against the Wildcats, the largest seen on WV sports betting apps throughout the 2020-21 college basketball season.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook WV and other operators in the state, the Mountaineers are favored by 14.5 points. This data strongly indicates that West Virginia should have a comfortable victory on their home court later today.
Previewing the WVU vs. Kansas State game Saturday
Contrary to the spread on this game, the series between K-State and WVU has been relatively balanced in recent history. In fact, K-State emerged victorious in three out of the last five meetings with WVU, even managing to split the past two games in Morgantown.
Nonetheless, the latest information holds utmost importance in this context. On January 23rd, during their game in Manhattan, the Mountaineers dominated the Wildcats, limiting them to a mere 47 points and securing a remarkable 22-point win. Kansas State struggled with their shooting, recording slightly over 38% from the field, and additionally committed a staggering 28 turnovers.
If we disregard the Florida hiccup, it appears that West Virginia has consistently improved. Their only defeat since that surprising upset by the Gators was a narrow one-point overtime loss to the then-12th-ranked Oklahoma. During this period, they have achieved five victories, including impressive wins on the road against Texas and Texas Tech.
However, there is data indicating that 14.5 points could be too optimistic. The average margin of victory for WVU this season is only 9.6 points. Furthermore, games played at WVU Coliseum have an average margin of 8.4 points. Additionally, the Wildcats have consistently scored their season average of 62.0 points in their last two games. Moreover, the average points allowed for both teams are nearly the same, with 72.1 points versus 71.7 points.
If you need convincing reasons to have faith in West Virginia over K-State, consider this: WVU has been scoring an average of over 15 points per game more than K-State this season. Moreover, this trend has been on the rise lately, with the Mountaineers surpassing 77 points in four out of their last six games. As a result, those who have been betting on the over in WVU games have been enjoying consistent payouts.
Could WVU build an early lead and then cruise?
The total points for Saturday’s game at FanDuel Sportsbook WV is set at 138.0. The game will start at 4 p.m. EST on ESPN2. In a previous match on Kansas State’s court, these teams only scored a total of 116 points. However, when you consider the current average scoring figures for both teams, they combine to 139.6 points.
Kansas State’s poor performance in the first half of games this season is another factor contributing to the low total. Out of their last 15 games, the Wildcats have lost the first half in 13 of them. If WVU manages to establish an early lead, they could potentially dominate the game, resulting in a total score similar to the 116 seen earlier this season.
Despite the over being successful in 17 out of 22 WVU games this season and hitting in the last seven matches, it has not performed as impressively in K-State games. The under has prevailed in 16 out of 25 K-State games this season, hitting in four out of the last five matches.
The betting odds for this game reflect the predictable scenario of a dominant top-10 team playing at home against a weaker opponent with only seven wins by the end of February. This presents potential opportunities for those who believe that the Wildcats can give a tough competition or that the Mountaineers will showcase their strong offense.
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