Oklahoma State vs. Kansas: Game Preview, Prediction

By Taylor Sturm
Kansas Basketball
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas Jayhawks lost all the hype they brought with them to start the season after the blowout loss to the Temple Owls in December, but they have won five straight games since then. With a 2-0 start to conference play, Kansas sits atop the Big 12 standings but will face a talented Oklahoma State Cowboys team next.

Kansas faces Oklahoma State at Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Oklahoma State is coming off of an upset win over the struggling Texas Longhorns. Not to take anything away from the Cowboys, but Texas is spiraling downward and could likely end up being a 2015 NCAA Tournament bubble team if they don’t turn things around soon. Written off after the departure of Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State’s Le’Bryan Nash and Phil Forte III have led this team to a 12-3 record.

Kansas boasts the better team in this one. Cliff Alexander continues to get better as the season goes along, and Perry Ellis is one of the most consistent players in all of college basketball. However, Oklahoma State has something that Kansas does not in wild card LSU Tigers transfer Anthony Hickey.

Hickey was fantastic in his time at LSU and, if he can perform at the same level as he did against Texas, the Cowboys can pull off the upset. Against the Longhorns, Hickey exploded for 10 points, seven assists and nine rebounds while shooting just 30 percent from the floor.

Unfortunately, I don’t see Oklahoma State upsetting Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks should win this one, but the Cowboys should still sneak into the NCAA Tournament down the road.

Prediction: Kansas 73, Oklahoma State 66

Taylor Sturm is a Featured Basketball Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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