NCAA Basketball: Preview of the 2018-19 Big 12/SEC Challenge

LAWRENCE, KANSAS - JANUARY 21: K.J. Lawson #13 of the Kansas Jayhawks controls the ball as Talen Horton-Tucker #11 and Nick Weiler-Babb #1 of the Iowa State Cyclones defend during the game at Allen Fieldhouse on January 21, 2019 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

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KNOXVILLE, TN – JANUARY 19: John Petty #23 of the Alabama Crimson Tide drives past Jordan Bone #0 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half of their game at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 19, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /

Alabama vs Baylor

In the second 11 AM start time, Alabama will head to Waco to take on the Baylor Bears.

Baylor has been red hot as of late, upsetting Texas Tech and Iowa State in the past two weeks. Even without leading scorer Tristan Clark, the Bears are playing awfully good, especially when it counts.

Meanwhile, Alabama has had an interesting past two weeks. Close losses to Tennessee and Texas A&M have put a damper on what has otherwise been a somewhat decent season in Tuscaloosa.

For Alabama, sophomore guard John Petty has done most of the heavy lifting on offense. Collin Sexton’s former right hand man has now taken the reigns in Alabama, and has done a considerably good job.

Baylor has been lead by senior guard Makai Mason, a transfer from Yale. Ever since Clark went down, Mason has stepped up big, and will likely play the biggest role out of any player on either team in this game.

Given their recent play, both Alabama and Baylor will likely find themselves on the bubble come March. Both teams have an odd mix of horrible losses and great wins, but if they can both step it up in the final month and a half, there’s no reason why we won’t see either team in the Big dance.

As for Saturday’s game, Baylor is the red-hot team, and with home court advantage, I like the Bears by a safe margin.

Prediction: Baylor 66, Alabama 57

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