Latest:
Rock Chalk Blog
Game PreviewsKansas BasketballPredictions

Game 27: No. 3 Kansas at No. 1 Baylor – Preview and Prediction

Bobby Norell

The No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks takes on the No. 1 team in the country on Saturday when they travel to Waco, Texas to square off with the Baylor Bears. Not only is a win over the No. 1 team on the line, but the Big 12 Regular Season title is on the line as well. A loss here and it very well could be two straight years without a Big 12 Championship for the Jayhawks.

  • Saturday, February 22, 2020, 11:00 am CDT
  • Ferrell Center— Waco, Texas
  • ESPN
  • The two leaders in the Big 12 square off Saturday in a key battle in the league race as No. 3 Kansas (23-3, 12-1) takes on No. 1 Baylor (24-1, 13-0). The contest will mark the fourth time in eight KU-BU meetings that both teams are ranked in the top-five of the national polls.
  • Though Kansas is 0-2 against AP top-10 teams this season, the Jayhawks have won 20 of its last 24 regular-season games against AP top-10 teams and eight of their last nine true road games against top-10 foes.
  • KU is 8-16 all-time against the AP’s No. 1 team, but is 6-5 against top ranked foes since the 1989-90 season and 3-2 under Bill Self. The KU-BU contest will mark KU’s first true road game against No. 1 since March 8, 1958, when KU topped then-No. 1 K-State in Manhattan, 61-44.
  • Since 2011, Kansas is 23-11 in games when both teams are ranked inside the AP top-10. KU’s 67.6 winning percentage in those contests is the best in the nation among teams who have played in 15 or more such games
  • Baylor is vying to become only the second team in the Bill Self era to sweep Kansas in a regular-season Big 12 series. In 115 regular-season Big 12 home-and-home series during the Self era, Kansas has 77 sweeps, 37 splits and has been swept once (Oklahoma State in 2018).
  • Baylor is also vying to win two-straight against Kansas for the first time. KU leads the series 32-6, including 13-3 in meetings in Waco.
  • Baylor is ranked No. 2 in the NET rankings as of Feb. 19 games, while Kansas is No. 4 out of 353 teams. Kansas and Baylor are the only two schools with 10 Quadrant 1 wins.

Bears to Watch

Jared Butler – Sophomore, Guard, 6’3″

Butler had a huge game in the initial matchup with Kansas, as he went for 22 points on 9-18 shooting. He’s been dynamite in Big 12 play with four 20+ point games, including 22 and 21 points in his last two outings.

Freddie Gillespie – Senior, Forward, 6’9”

The bruising 245-pounder from St Paul, Minnesota is only averaging 9.6 points per game, but his presence on the glass is what makes the difference. Gillespie is averaging 8.8 boards per game, and has a high amount of speed and agility. Even though he loses a couple inches against Udoka Azubuike, he still matches up pretty well physically.  Like Oscar Tshiebwe of West Virginia, Kansas will have a tall task of limiting this big man’s impact.

Prediction

This is the kind of game Kansas and Bill Self wins and the kind of game Baylor and Scott Drew loses. I’m sticking with my gut and going with the Jayhawks. Baylor took the game in Allen Fieldhouse, but Devon Dotson got banged up in that game and the Jayhawks were without their leader. Dotson is now healthy and is ROLLING. Kansas has had two-straight 87+ point outputs, and Dotson has been one of the main reasons why. In the last two games, the sophomore point guard is averaging 24 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 3.0 APG. He’s a legit National Player of the Year candidate, and this is a perfect opportunity for him to put his stamp on the award. Give me Dotson and the Jayhawks in an absolute classic.

AUDIO PREVIEW: LINK

Kansas 76, Baylor 73
KU +2

Season Record: 23-3 (16-10 ATS)

Bobby Norell

My name is Bobby Norell. I'm from a small town in northern Indiana. I recently graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Sport Communication. Even though my diploma says I'm a Hoosier, my love for the Jayhawks has never wavered. They'll always come No.1.

You May Also Like

Big 12 Basketball Predictions for 2016-17

Ryan Landreth

Tyler Self owns his teammates on Twitter

Rock Chalk Blog

Weippert Wednesday: Frank Mason vs. Devonte’ Graham

Nick Weippert

45 thoughts on “Game 27: No. 3 Kansas at No. 1 Baylor – Preview and Prediction”

  • Please let me know if you’re looking for a article author for your site.
    You have some really great articles and I feel I would be a good asset.
    If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d really like to
    write some content for your blog in exchange for a link back
    to mine. Please blast me an email if interested. Many thanks!

  • Cephalexin For Dogs No Perscription

  • cialis online us pharmacy

  • Good website! I truly love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I might be notified when a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your feed which must do the trick! Have a great day!

  • Hello, i think that i saw you visited my blog so i got here to “return the want”.I am trying to to find things to enhance my site!I assume its adequate to make use of a few of your ideas!!

  • What’s up to every , for the reason that I am really keen of reading this blog’s
    post to be updated daily. It consists of good material.

  • We absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for. Do you offer guest writers to write content for yourself? I wouldn’t mind creating a post or elaborating on a lot of the subjects you write regarding here. Again, awesome web site!|

  • We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your web site offered us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our whole community will be grateful to you.|

  • I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I do not know who you are but definitely you are going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!|

  • Terrific work! That is the type of info that are supposed to be shared across the net. Shame on Google for not positioning this submit higher! Come on over and consult with my site . Thank you =)|

  • Greetings from Florida! I’m bored to tears at work so I decided to browse your site on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the information you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m shocked at how fast your blog loaded on my cell phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, good site!|

  • We absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be what precisely I’m looking for. Would you offer guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on a few of the subjects you write related to here. Again, awesome website!|

  • Major thankies for the article post.Really looking forward to read more. Want more.

  • If some one desires to be updated with hottest technologies therefore he must be visit this web site and be up to date every day.|

  • I’m really enjoying the theme/design of your website. Do you ever run into any web browser compatibility problems? A couple of my blog readers have complained about my site not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Firefox. Do you have any ideas to help fix this issue?|

  • Fantastic article post.Really thank you! Will read on…

  • I really like and appreciate your blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Awesome.

  • A round of applause for your blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Great.

Comments are closed.