NCAA Men’s Basketball: Kansas Jayhawks vs Texas Tech Red Raiders – Possible Lineups and Predictions

Published 12/17/2020, 1:00 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

Since their opening day loss to the Gonzaga Bulldogs, the Kansas Jayhawks have been on a roll. They have won six games in a row and have looked very impressive. During this run, they have beaten Creighton and Kentucky as well.

They are now up against another ranked opponent, the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Sharing a similar 6-1 record like Kansas, Texas Tech has been dominant but lost when they faced a top 25 team. They lost their third game against the Houston Cougars in a low-scoring affair that ended 53-64.

The Jayhawks have a trick set of upcoming fixtures, with three consecutive top-25 teams. They will hope to start with a victory against the Red Raiders, before taking on the WVU Mountaineers and the Texas Longhorns.

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Expected Lineups

After breaking his ankle last season, Jalen Wilson became a medical redshirt. Now that he is back to full health, he has been on a tear for the Jayhawks so far. He is currently averaging 15.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, and the Jayhawks will look to him for the same against the Red Raiders.

The team’s expected lineup will include Jalen Wilson, Marcus Garrett, Ochai Agbaji, Christian Braun, and David McCormack.

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After two seasons with the Hoyas, Mac McClung transferred to the Red Raiders this year. He wanted a bigger stage to prove his talent, and he is doing that currently in Texas. He will be leading the Red Raiders once again, and the rest of the lineup will include Marcus Santos-Silva, Terrence Shannon, Micah Peavy, and Kyler Edwards.

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Can the Kansas Jayhawks break the Texas Tech Red Raiders’ defense?

The Red Raiders’ offense has been average so far. They are ranked 142nd in the country. Their top scorer McClung barely averages just 39% from the field. As a team, they have been struggling from the perimeter as well.

But to make up for it, they have been a fortress defensively. The Red Raiders concede just 51.4 points per game, which places them as the fourth best defensive team in the country.

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USA Today via Reuters

The Jayhawks have been a bit shaky on defense, but they have been able to edge out teams with their offensive prowess. If they can keep McClung in check, they should be able to come away with the win. This is the Red Raiders’ toughest test so far, and it doesn’t look too positive for them.

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Written by:

Aaron Mathew

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Aaron Mathew is a sports analyst at EssentiallySports. A graduate in Mass Media from Xavier’s College, Aaron has been a part of EssentiallySports since May 2020 where he covers both NBA and NCAA basketball news, and has also covered NBA 2K. In the past, Aaron has worked at the Sports Desk of Mumbai Mirror.
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