Fansided

College Basketball: 5 best games for Week 15

By Nathaniel Reeves

Jan 21, 2017; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self calls a play during the first half of the game against the Texas Longhorns at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks won 79-67. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2017; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self calls a play during the first half of the game against the Texas Longhorns at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks won 79-67. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Feb 11, 2017; Lubbock, TX, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Josh Jackson (11) dribbles the ball around Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Zach Smith (11) in the first half at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2017; Lubbock, TX, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Josh Jackson (11) dribbles the ball around Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Zach Smith (11) in the first half at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

3. West Virginia at Kansas, Monday 9:00 p.m. ET

The Mountaineers will have a great chance to tighten the Big 12 race with one of the key showdowns of the conference season on Monday night.

West Virginia earned a four seed in the committee preview with a 20-5 overall mark and 8-4 record in Big 12 play. There are a few less than stellar losses on the Mountaineers’ resume, but they rank fourth in Ken Pomeroy’s efficiency rankings and own wins over Kansas, Baylor and Virginia thanks to a nightmare press that forces turnovers at a rate of 29.4 percent.

Kansas was ranked as the No. 2 overall seed by the committee with an overall mark of 22-3 and is in first place in the Big 12 at 10-2. With Frank Mason having a rare off game on Saturday at Texas Tech, Josh Jackson willed the Jayhawks to a key victory with 31 points on 12-for-15 shooting, including the game-winning free throw with seconds left.

The biggest factor for Kansas on Monday could be fatigue, as it has a short bench and will be playing its fifth game in 13 days, which isn’t a recipe for success against the physical Mountaineers. While the first matchup was a little closer than the 85-69 score would indicate, Kansas had serious issues containing West Virginia’s dribble penetration and left shooters open all game long.

This is still Kansas at Phog Allen Fieldhouse, so the Mountaineers will have to be excellent from both the perimeter and free throw line. Even so, West Virginia has a great shot to deal Kansas a rare home loss.