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Kansas State at Baylor: Key storylines for the crucial Big 12 matchup

By Jason Burgess

WACO, TX - FEBRUARY 21: Head coach Scott Drew of the Baylor Bears reacts as the Baylor Bears take on the Oklahoma Sooners at Ferrell Center on February 21, 2017 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
WACO, TX - FEBRUARY 21: Head coach Scott Drew of the Baylor Bears reacts as the Baylor Bears take on the Oklahoma Sooners at Ferrell Center on February 21, 2017 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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WACO, TX – FEBRUARY 4: Kamau Stokes #3 of the Kansas State Wildcats brings the ball up court against Manu Lecomte #20 of the Baylor Bears on February 4, 2017 at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
WACO, TX – FEBRUARY 4: Kamau Stokes #3 of the Kansas State Wildcats brings the ball up court against Manu Lecomte #20 of the Baylor Bears on February 4, 2017 at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) /

Baylor and Kansas State face off this weekend in an unexpectedly important Big 12 contest. Here are some key things to watch for in this tilt.

We know that the Big 12 has been Kansas’ world and the rest of the conference has just been living in it, but, is this finally the year that someone other than the Jayhawks ends up at the top of the conference? This weekend, two of the hottest teams in the conference go head-to-head in Waco when the Baylor Bears (15-7, 6-3) host the Kansas State Wildcats (17-5, 7-2).

Scott Drew’s Bears are currently in third place, 1.5 games behind the Wildcats for first place in the conference and have won nine of their last 11. Granted, most of the Bears’ losses this season have been head-scratchers (losing to Texas Southern, Wichita State, Stephen F. Austin, and TCU) but over the last nine games, Baylor has knocked off Iowa State, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma by 30 points. They enter this game with the Big 12 leaders in sight, hoping to defend their home floor and stay within reach.

Bruce Weber’s Wildcats have had a season of streaks. Prior to the last three games where they have gone 2-1, Kansas State has had three winning streaks of at least four games sandwiched around a pair of two-game losing streaks. In fact, it may have been a game against West Virginia, after one of those two-game losing streaks that turned their season around. Against the Mountaineers, Kansas State trailed by 21 at the 18:49 mark of the 2nd half and finished the game on a 50-27 run to win. They arrive in Waco looking to begin another winning streak, after falling to Kansas in their last contest.

Here are some key storylines in this unexpectedly important Big 12 game.

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