Baylor @ Kansas State preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 2, 2019 ) Baylor 60, Kansas State 66

Baylor is enjoying its time as the No. 1 team in the nation and looks to extend its school-record winning streak to 19 games when the Bears visit struggling Kansas State for a Big 12 battle Monday night. Baylor broke the previous program record of 17 consecutive victories in 2011-12 with a 68-52 victory Saturday over TCU on the 175th anniversary of the university being established.

“It’s a great honor, a great platform and a great opportunity to share with the nation what Baylor’s about,” Bears coach Scott Drew told reporters of being No. 1. “Many people don’t have a chance to be No. 1, so you’re going to get their best game and no motivation is needed, and it’s hard for your team each and every night to have that commitment level. We’ve been blessed to have that so far.” Baylor has plenty of motivation itself Monday as the Bears have lost six straight contests against Kansas State, including a 66-60 loss in Manhattan, Kan. last March. The Wildcats are not the team they were last season, though, and lost for the ninth time in 12 games Saturday with a 66-57 setback at West Virginia after beating the 11th-ranked Mountaineers two weeks earlier. “Their defense was much better than at our place, obviously, but you know, credit to our guys,” Kansas State coach Bruce Weber told reporters. “We’ve made improvement, we’ve battled, I would like them to play a little sharper and crisp, but part of that is how West Virginia plays.”

TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN

ABOUT BAYLOR (19-1, 8-0 Big 12): Junior guard MaCio Teague scored 19 in the victory over TCU and is averaging 16.5 over the last four contests to boost his season mark to 14.1 - second on the team behind sophomore guard Jared Butler (15.1). Butler has cooled off the last four games (8.0 points per game) while senior forward Freddie Gillespie (10.1, team highs of 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks) has drained 30-of-44 from the field his past six outings. Sophomore guard Davion Mitchell (9.8 points, team-high 3.0 assists) is averaging 10.5 points over his last eight games despite getting shut out by Oklahoma State on Jan. 18.

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (9-12, 2-6): Senior forward Xavier Sneed leads the team in scoring (14.4) and recorded 11 points in Saturday’s loss, but went 2-for-13 from the field - including 0-for-7 from beyond the arc. Junior guard Cartier Diarra (12.8) is the only other player averaging in double figures scoring and leads the team in assists (4.8) while 6-9 senior forward Makol Mawien (7.2 points) tops the Wildcats in rebounds (5.2) after grabbing 28 in the last three games. Junior guard David Sloan averages 5.2 points overall, but led the team with 13 on Saturday and is averaging 10.5 over the last four games on 16-of-34 shooting.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Kansas State junior guard Mike McGuirl is shooting 45.5 percent from behind the 3-point arc, but was 0-for-3 on Saturday.

2. Baylor is seventh in the league in field goal percentage (42.9), but entered Sunday fifth in the nation in scoring defense (58.0).

3. Wildcats freshman F Antonio Gordon (5.0 points) is eligible to return on Monday after serving a three-game suspension for his involvement in the brawl with Kansas on Jan. 21.

PREDICTION: Baylor 80, Kansas State 66