Baylor Bears at Kansas Jayhawks: Preview & Players to Watch
The Jayhawks get their first crack at the defending national champs Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse. Baylor has been one of the top teams in the country this year, but hasn't quite been the buzzsaw they were in '20-'21. Last year, their only loss of the regular season came in this same venue. Baylor is ranked 3rd by KenPom, and has lost games to Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and Alabama.
Stop me if you've heard this one, but this is a Big 12 opponent that plays great defense, and forces a lot of turnovers. Kansas weathered the turnover storm in the first half in Ames Tuesday night, but it's unlikely they could win with an identical performance against Baylor. Iowa State struggles at times on the offensive end, and couldn't take advantage of KU's mistakes. Baylor is KenPom's 5th ranked offense, a beast on the offensive boards, and a high quality shooting team, both from inside and beyond the arc. It will take a tight effort from the Jayhawks on both ends of the court to win this one.
Players to Watch
James Akinjo, 6'1 senior guard
With LJ Cryer questionable after missing the last two games, Akinjo may be very important to Baylor on both ends. His 4% steal rate is near elite and a big part of Baylor's turnover success. He's also the team's second leading scorer (behind Cryer) and a 36% shooter from three.
Jeremy Sochan, 6'9 freshman center
Sochan isn't a starter, and has played in less than half the team's minutes this year. Still, he's the team's top rebounder by rate on both ends of the court, and generates blocks and steals. He may make life tough for David McCormack.
Kendall Brown, 6'8 freshman forward
Brown is an NBA prospect, with the size the play the four and athleticism to play on the wing. He won't hurt you from beyond the arc, shooting just 6-18 this year, but he's been a monster in the paint, hitting 69.2% of his 120 two point attempts. He also reliably gets to the line, and will dish out a few assists too. The combination of size and speed will make him tough to guard.
Prediction
It's now been confirmed that Ochai Agbaji has cleared covid protocols and will be available Saturday. On the other side, both LJ Cryer and Adam Flagler were important players that missed Baylor's last contest. At the time of publishing, there was no official word on either of these, and it seems unlikely that Remy Martin will be back for KU. Baylor struggled a bit without Cryer and Flagler at home against West Virginia, but with no official word on those two, it's tough to make an accurate prediction. One can assume neither Baylor player will be 100%, being gametime decisions, but it's possible Agbaji could have a little rust as well. With Baylor possibly being less than full strength, and Kansas getting their star back, with the game in Allen Fieldhouse, I'll take Kansas, 77-74.
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