Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State odds, picks

Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State odds

The Kansas State Wildcats host the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Tuesday night in a Big 12 game between teams that have so far surprised relative to preseason predictions.

Along with Iowa St. and Oklahoma, these two teams were only expected to scratch and claw to avoid finishing last in the Big 12. Instead, the Cowboys were competitive enough to have postseason hopes while the Wildcats were among the top teams. In the country in the inaugural season Jerome Tang as head coach.

Oklahoma State may exceed preseason projections, but certainly not by as much as its opponent. Defensive intensity has been a staple of Cowboys Mike Boynton’s game. The glaring weakness of almost every loss is prolonged periods of drought. The inability to score when games are tight made the Oklahoma State fan base even more vocal and jittery than it had been with Boynton in the past. So, respectfully, don’t tell Poke fans that they are beyond expectations.

After jumping out to a 15-point lead at the end of the first half in Kansas, Oklahoma State hung out offensively, and only managed 22 points in the second half. Then, in their last contest, the Pokes scored just 46 points total against a Texas team that had just allowed Kansas State to score 116 on their home court in Austin.

Boynton may need to play a smaller lineup if the Cowboys’ lead edge guard Moussa Cisse is forced to miss the second straight game with an ankle injury. If it does, expect that line to climb higher.

I would welcome these extra points as a bettor. I think the Kansas State defense isn’t as annoying as the Cowboys have been going through lately.

A former Baylor assistant, Tang took a head coaching opportunity that spilled over at him and ran with it. After losing the Nigel Pack to Miami and revising the rest of the Big 12 roster, the Wildcats were a popular selection to finish bottom of the league standings.

Fast forward to January 10 and Kansas State is sitting 3-0 in the Big 12 and favoring its fourth straight win to start conference play.

Keyontae Johnson is a great story after a scary end to his career in Florida, and his play this year has been a surprise, to say the least. He averages 18.8 points per game due in large part to his 3-point shooting skills, converting nearly 42% of his attempts this year.

Johnson’s character is the defensive task of Bryce Thompson or Caleb Boone. Boone and Thompson are both slim and energetic defenders who will certainly be familiar with the success Johnson has had in recent competitions.

Tang likes to play with rhythm, mimicking the style of the great teams he and Scott Drew have coached to so much success in recent years. Oklahoma State would welcome a faster opponent style in response to the sluggish and lethargic style Texas imposed on Saturday.

In Boynton’s own words, Oklahoma State was “never mistaken for the Golden State Warriors offensively” during his time at Stillwater. However, if any Big 12 defense can allow the Cowboys to score in an effective manner, it’s probably the Wildcats.

Oklahoma State vs Kansas State betting picks

The last play and perceived market value of both teams should create some value in Oklahoma State here. The Octagon of Doom is always a tough spot for the Visitors, but the Cowboys have already had an impressive win on the road in Wichita State and a close loss in Kansas.

Cisse’s placement will be key defensively for the Pokes, but their offense should improve simply by not having to contend with the tenacity shown by Texas and Kansas.

I’m looking to sell Kansas State at their highest potential here and buy the Cowboys, a team in a much more desperate location.

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