The Baylor Bears hit the road Friday night to face the Kansas Jayhawks in a pivotal Big 12 matchup. Both teams are coming off important wins, and the spotlight will be bright at Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.
Baylor enters the game at 11-5 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The Bears snapped a three-game losing streak with a road win at Oklahoma State after losses to TCU, Iowa State, and Houston. Their best wins this season have come against Creighton and San Diego State, while other nonconference losses include St. John’s and Memphis. After this trip to Lawrence, Baylor returns home to face Texas Tech before hosting TCU.
Kansas is coming off one of its biggest wins of the season, a home victory over No. 2 Iowa State earlier this week. That result moved the Jayhawks to 12-5 overall and 2-2 in Big 12 play, tied with Colorado and West Virginia in the middle of the conference standings. The win was badly needed after a road loss at West Virginia and an earlier league setback at UCF. Kansas’ nonconference schedule has been challenging, with losses to North Carolina, Duke, and UConn, but the Jayhawks also own quality wins over Notre Dame, Syracuse, Tennessee, Missouri, and NC State.
Baylor vs. Kansas: When and Where
- Date: Friday, January 16, 2026
- Time: 7:00 p.m. CT
- Location: Phog Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS
Baylor vs. Kansas: Where to Watch or Stream
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: FuboTV
Baylor vs. Kansas: Betting Odds
- Spread: Kansas Jayhawks -6.5, Baylor Bears +6.5
- Moneyline: Kansas Jayhawks -333, Baylor Bears +270
- Total: 155.5
Baylor vs. Kansas: Series History
- All-time series: Kansas leads 37-11
- Last meeting: Baylor won 81-70 on February 1, 2025
Projected Starting Lineups
Baylor Bears
- #43 Cameron Carr – 20.3 PPG
- #24 Younde Tessoufou – 17.9 PPG
- #00 Dan Skillings Jr. – 11.3 PPG
- #05 Obi Agbim – 10.7 PPG
- #12 Michael Rataj – 10.2 PPG
Kansas Jayhawks
- #22 Darryn Peterson – 21.8 PPG
- #3 Tre White – 15.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG
- #40 Flory Budinga – 13.7 PPG, 8.8 RPG
- #14 Melvin Council Jr. – 13.6 PPG
- #15 Bryson Tiller – 8.2 PPG
Game Outlook
Everything about this matchup feels big. It is a national television game on FOX, played in one of the toughest environments in college basketball, with two programs that have won national titles in the past decade. Kansas is looking to build momentum after its win over Iowa State, while Baylor is trying to climb back into the Big 12 race after a slow start in conference play.
If the Jayhawks bring the same energy and execution they showed earlier this week, they will be difficult to beat at home. For Baylor, the challenge will be matching that intensity and limiting mistakes in a hostile setting. Either way, all signs point to a highly competitive and entertaining Big 12 battle on Friday night.