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Baylor Basketball: 3 takeaways from decisive win over No. 9 Kansas

By Benjamin Zacher

Jan 18, 2021; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard Mark Vital (11) waves to the fans at Ferrell Center during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2021; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard Mark Vital (11) waves to the fans at Ferrell Center during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports /
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Baylor Basketball Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
Baylor Basketball Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports /

Baylor Basketball picked up its biggest win of the season, downing Kansas in Waco on Monday night in one of the biggest showdowns of the season.

With the primetime light on them, Baylor Basketball continued its dominant undefeated start to the season, romping the Kansas Jayhawks in a marquee Big 12 showdown on Monday, 77-69, and picking up, arguably, their best win of the season in the process.

For the Bears, this was an incredibly impressive showing after struggling with Texas Tech over the weekend.  With a few season-defining wins under their belt now – Kansas, Texas Tech, and Illinois – Scott Drew’s crew appear primed to be the team to beat in a top-heavy Big 12.  That is not a big surprise, considering they are the second-best team in the nation – but their performances bode well for a team that has yet to play Texas.

Baylor got a stellar performance out of All-American talent Jared Butler – more on him in a bit – who led the way with 30 points.  Joining him in the double-digit ranks were MaCio Teague (13 points, three steals) and Davion Mitchell (10 points, three steals).

For the Jayhawks, this was a grueling and frustrating performance.  Kansas played well against Baylor’s stellar defense, averaging 1.06 points per possession while shooting 52.6% (10-19) from beyond the arc, as well as tallying 18 assists (72.0%).

Christian Braun and Ochai Agbaji were the architects for a Kansas offense that was ultimately never able to overcome Baylor’s lead but came close, recording 17 and 16 points, respectively.  What ailed the Jayhawks was Baylor’s ability to shut down both Jalen Wilson and David McCormack, with the duo combining for just 10 points.

This was a significant win for Baylor in a top-ten showdown, and only widens the gap between the top two (Gonzaga and Baylor) from the rest of the field.  This was a game that never really felt close, despite the fact that the Jayhawks trimmed the deficit to just five with three minutes left.  Baylor looked the part of a team that could cruise to a national championship – and have several optimistic takeaways from their showing against Kansas.

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