Friday, March 21, 1:10 PM on TBS

Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri

Opening Lines & Odds - Kansas -15 -- Over/Under: 148

For Updated Odds on This Game Click Here

Kansas is looking to bide time to see if and when Joel Embiid can return from a back injury, but most people would agree their 4:10 Friday game against Eastern Kentucky shouldn't present much of a test. Oddsmakers have made the 24-9 Jayhawks 15 point favorites over the 24-9 Colonels in a game that will be played less than 8 hours from Kansas' backyard.

The Jayhawks are making their 25th straight NCAA Tournament appearance but would love to avenge their 3 point loss to Michigan a year ago in the Sweet 16. The Jayhawks are much more than Embiid and Andrew Wiggins as Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden both average double figures in scoring. Even though Bill Self is a tournament tested coach, the Jayhawks are one of the youngest teams in the tournament field with 7 freshman and 5 sophomores chalking significant playing time. The long season could be wearing on the young Jayhawks as they lost 3 of 8 down the stretch including a 2nd round 94-83 loss to Iowa State as 5 point favorites.

“That's why you play the game” is the motto that Eastern Kentucky will be taking in their first tournament appearance since 2007. They can take solace in the fact that Self's Kansas teams have been bounced early before, losing in the 1st round to Bucknell in 2005, the 1st round to Bradley in 2006, and the 2nd round to Northern Iowa in 2010. The Colonels have won 8 straight and will look for a big game from Glenn Cosey (18.8 ppg) to pull off the upset.

ATS Trends

Kansas is 16-16-1 ATS this season

Kansas is 16-13-2 against the over/under this season

Eastern Kentucky is 14-12-1 ATS this season

Eastern Kentucky is 10-13-0 against the over/under this season

Injuries to Watch

Kansas

03/16/14 C Joel Embiid Back out indefinitely
02/14/14 G Tyler Self Foot out for season

Eastern Kentucky

No key injuries to report

Tony's Pick: Take Kansas

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