NCAA Basketball: Best games from 2019-20 season – Baylor vs. Kansas

An awesome Big 12 battle between Baylor and Kansas delivered once again; let’s remember how it went down.

There are special moments, players, and matchups in every college basketball season, even last year when the national pandemic eliminated most of postseason play. As we near the end of our top 40 games of the 2019-20 season, we look closely at one of those special matchups during conference play, looking at a pair of elite teams that really were special this year.

5. #3 Kansas 64, #1 Baylor 61

February 22, 2020, Ferrell Center in Waco, TX

Some of the most exciting college basketball moments and memories are made during conference play, especially when bitter conference rivals face off in intense action. Clearly, the stakes are raised in power conferences and it’s hard to find a league as competitive as the Big 12. After Texas Tech marched to the national title game in 2019, the Big 12 race became a bitter battle between two of the very best teams in the entire nation.

Baylor as a program had reached another level under coach Scott Drew, but this was in all likelihood their best-ever team. They entered this game at 24-1, having won their last 23 games; six of those wins over ranked foes. The play of MaCio Teague and Jared Butler (among others) had helped lead the Bears to the #1 ranking in the nation and looking for the season sweep over the Jayhawks.

On the other sideline, Kansas was certainly no slouch, entering play on an 11-game winning streak and rising back up in the rankings. All of their losses had been to elite, ranked opponents, while a talented roster featuring Marcus Garrett, Devon Dotson, and Udoka Azubuike was continuing to produce. They had lost at home to the Bears the previous month and headed to Waco looking for revenge.

The battle began with a hot start from the Bears at home, who got an immediate 3-pointer from Teague. Kansas scored 9 straight points early, punctuated by a Garrett 3-pointer, to take the early advantage. The Jayhawks looked to build a big lead early, but a Butler 3-pointer helped stop the bleeding. Matthew Mayer tied the game for Baylor, hitting a 3-pointer after converting on an and-1 opportunity.

A few minutes later, Kansas pulled back ahead by as many as 6, but Mark Vital’s big dunk helped settle the Bears down. Unfortunately, their offensive struggles would continue, as an Isaiah Moss 3-pointer and a dunk from Azubuike built a 9-point Kansas lead. That lead was maintained entering the final minutes of the half, but Baylor put together a solid stretch of basketball to end the second half.

Those important offensive possessions for the Bears limited the damage and Kansas entered halftime up just 34-31. Unfortunately, the offense stalled out of the half, as Kansas built up that lead again. Baylor got it back to one possession with 15 minutes left in the game, but the Jayhawks went on another long run.

Nearly five minutes passed before another Baylor field goal while the Jayhawks built the lead up to 11 points. Butler’s 3-pointer stopped the long run, but the Bears had plenty of work to do to get back into this game. Kansas’s lead was still double digits with nearly six minutes left. Shots from Davion Mitchell and Vital cut into the lead, while Butler’s 3-pointer made it just a 5-point Kansas lead.

Freddie Gillespie’s jumper with four minutes left made it a 3-point game, but Baylor wasted several chances on their next few possessions to draw closer. By the 2-minute mark, Kansas’s lead was up to 7 again, but the game was far from over. Gillespie made a pair of free throws and the defense forced a pair of turnovers from Garrett as we reached the final minute of the game.

Kansas looked safe, as the Bears weren’t converting on offense, but Baylor had one last punch in them. After Dotson’s free throws made it a 7-point game with half a minute left, the Bears got a huge 3-pointer from Butler, a big steal, and another long-range shot, this time from Teague. Kansas converted from the charity stripe, giving Baylor one last shot, down just 3 points. Unfortunately for the home team, Butler’s 3-pointer at the buzzer hit the rim.

Two of the nation’s best teams gave us a great battle and all the stars were out. Azubuike’s performance (23 points, 19 rebounds) was phenomenal for a Jayhawks team that shot better than 50%. The Bears could’ve used a few more shots earlier in the game, but still got a 19-point effort from Butler. Still, Baylor’s long winning streak came to an end at home, tying the two teams atop the Big 12 race.

Kansas won the rest of their games while Baylor lost a few games down the stretch, giving the Jayhawks the regular-season crown. Clearly, neither team would play a postseason game, which was a tremendous shame. These were two of the best teams in the nation, and it’s a shame that we were robbed of a third, and perhaps, fourth matchup between Baylor and Kansas.