In the game of the weekend, top-15 teams Baylor and Kansas face off for positioning in the Big 12 standings. Who'll get the big win?
TV schedule: Saturday, February 10th, 6:00 pm ET. ESPN
Arena: Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas
Despite losing by what feels like 100 points last weekend, the Houston Cougars are currently in first place in the Big 12 standings. However, with a whopping 10 teams in the league somewhere between 1-3 games back, it's still anyone's regular-season title to claim. That includes the two preseason favorites facing off.
After the big top-5 win over Houston 48 hours prior, Kansas (18-5, 6-4 Big 12) suffered an overtime defeat on the road at rival Kansas State. The final score was 75-70, with Hunter Dickinson having 21 points and 12 rebounds. Dajuan Harris went for 15 points and eight assists, while KJ Adams and Kevin McCullar each filled up the stat sheet as well. But with four players providing 66 of the team's 70 total points, the depth concerns remain an issue for the Final Four contender.
Their opponent is Baylor (17-5, 6-3), who after losing three straight is currently on a three-game win streak, coming off a 79-73 victory over Texas Tech. Rayj Dennis led the way with 21 points, five assists, and four steals, while freshman Yves Missi went for 17 points and seven rebounds.
There are plenty of matchups to watch in this game, including Missi vs Dickinson at center and Harris vs Dennis at the point guard spot. On paper, Kansas has the edge in most positional matchups but the Bears do have the overall depth edge, with players like Jayden Nunn and Langston Love coming off the bench to have an impact.
If they do, Baylor could sneak this one on the road. But after the letdown against their rival a few days ago, look for the Jayhawks to be highly motivated to try and pull off this win. It'll be close but the home team should prevail.
Prediction: Kansas 74, Baylor 68