Baylor vs. Kansas State: 2019-20 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - JANUARY 07: Forward Freddie Gillespie #33 of the Baylor Bears walks off the court with Special Assistant and Director of Player Development Jared Nuness after the college basketball game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on January 07, 2020 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

The top-ranked Baylor Bears travel to Manhattan, Kansas to take on the Kansas State Wildcats in a game everybody will have their eyes on due to the extreme parity this basketball season.

TV SCHEDULE: Monday, February 3rd, 2020 at 9:00 PM ET, ESPN2

LOCATION: Fred Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, Kansas

The Scott Drew-led Baylor Bears have one blemish on their record thus far. Since their loss against Washington in the second game of the Bears’ season, they have stifled teams with one of the nation’s best defenses. The Bears have allowed an impressive 58 points per game. They are ranked 7th in the nation in defensive rating with 86.8.

Sophomore Freddie Gillespie has led the charge on defense for the Bears. In his second year, Gillespie has increased his minutes played, free-throw percentage, rebounds per game, steals per game, blocks per game and points per game. In effect, this season is a coming-out party for Gillespie. One of his more impressive statistics this year is averaging 1.3 more blocks per game than last year. Further, he has been a force on the glass. In 9 more minutes per game this year, he is pulling down five more rebounds. The 6’8”, 240-pound forward is not the only force on the Baylor Bears.

Jared Butler and MaCio Teague add the park on offense. Teague and Butler are the teams’ primary three-point shooters. Between the two, they are each shooting 6.3 per game while having a 35% success rate. Butler and Teague also get it done inside the three-point line as they are averaging 46% and 48% on two-point field goals respectively. More importantly, when they get to the free-throw line they are successful. Butler and Teague are both averaging right around 85% from the charity stripe this year.

The Kansas State Wildcats also rely on defense in order to be successful. They have allowed 63.5 points per game (top 50 in the nation) with a 93.4 defensive rating (top 75 in the nation). The Wildcats are a sub-.500 team without many stars on this Bruce Weber-led team. Weber achieved three 20+ win seasons before this year. In fact, last year the Wildcats were the Big 12 Regular Season champions. Even in 2018-19, the Wildcats did not feature any stars.

It may just be a rebuilding year. It could be indicative of Bruce Weber’s time running out in Manhattan. We do not have the answer right now. However, the Wildcats will need a herculean effort to overcome a Baylor Bears team that is not only rolling but full of confidence, talent, and team effort. Those three characteristics combined are tough to beat even if it is a road game.

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Being in Manhattan is irrelevant in this game. Combine a sub-.500 team with a game the day after the Super Bowl and its result are a lethargic Fred Bramlage Coliseum. The Baylor Bears will come out firing and the game will be out of hand within the first ten minutes.

Prediction: Baylor 85, Kansas State 53

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