Baylor Bears at Kansas Jayhawks Predictions
As much as we have seem some crazy happenings in the Big Big 12 Conference, we are starting to settle into where we thought we would be at the beginning of the year. Heading into the final five games of the regular season, the Kansas Jayhawks are tied with two other teams at the top of the conference: the Texas Longhorns and the Baylor Bears. And each of these teams play each other one more time in conference play, including Saturday's game against Baylor.
The Bears struggled early in the season, but have been the hottest team in the conference, winning nine of their last ten conference games. The only loss in that stretch is to the Longhorns. With the best offense in the conference and the worst defense in the conference, it's tough to know exactly what to expect when these two teams clash. Will the Bears come out hot and force the Jayhawks to keep pace? Will the Kansas defense slow them down just enough for an off-night from the shooters to not be the difference in the game? Our crew shares their thoughts below.
Do you disagree with our assessment? Make sure you read them all and then hop over to the Discord or on Twitter to share your own thoughts.
Kyle Davis
Check out our Baylor Preview for Kyle's full breakdown and prediction.
Lucas Murphy
The Kansas Jayhawks handle business in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and will now take on the Baylor Bears inside Allen Fieldhouse in what could be the biggest game of the season. A lot is riding on a Kansas victory as first place in the Big 12 is up for grabs. The bracketologist have been showing the Jayhawks are also fighting for a No. 1 seed in the March Madness tournament and there is no question this game could have an impact on that. Grady Dick is catching fire once again and he will be a much-needed scorer against a physical Baylor Bears squad. I also look for Jalen Wilson to shine in this game because the moment is going to be huge and he can shine. I again will look to see Ernest Udeh log some significant minutes and help out as a big man.
Kansas 78, Baylor 73.
Derek Noll
I’m with Brendan. These are the two hottest teams in the league, both firing on all cylinders. Where else but Allen Fieldhouse would you want a game of this magnitude being played? Kansas needs to be turned up the way that they were when K-State and Texas visited because if they aren’t focused and intense defensively, this game could be trouble. But, I think they’ll be ready. I’m looking for Jalen Wilson and Dajuan Harris to shine on the national stage. And let’s not forget that a brand new Ernest Udeh will be in there to give Baylor different looks that they saw in Waco. In the end, KU will take care of business at home.
Kansas 81, Baylor 79.
Brendan Dzwierzynski
I’m not sure you could ask for anything more out of a high-level college basketball game than the matchup we’re getting between Kansas and Baylor. The Bears are playing as well as anyone in the country and deserve a lot of credit, especially with how good Cryer, Flagler and George have looked over the last few weeks. Kevin McCullar and Dajuan Harris need to be at their absolute best defensively to limit that Baylor trio. If they can, I actually feel good about where the Jayhawks are offensively. Coming off a great, complete win in Stillwater, there’s reason to believe KU is finally hitting its stride. Pair that aforementioned defensive effort with what I hope is an all-around and aggressive performance on the offensive end (not to mention what should be a raucous Allen Fieldhouse crowd), and I think Kansas gets the job done.
Kansas 80, Baylor 77.
Andy Mitts
This is a really tough one. College Gameday is in town. Kansas is starting to hit their stride, and the defense is playing much better. This isn't your typical Kansas team, but the way that they share the ball is off the charts compared to what we are used to seeing. But the TCU game still gnaws at me a little. If it weren't for the game, I'd pick Kansas without question. But the Baylor offense is spectacular, with the only issue being trying to avoid having their shots blocked.
Ultimately, the question is going to come down to whether the team gets started slow and how big of a hole that be for the Jayhawks. With how prolific this offense is, Kansas can't afford to find themselves in a situation where they have to come back from a double digit deficit in the second half. Since I can envision so many different possibilities, let's just stick with what's been working season.
Baylor 89, Kansas 84.
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