Kansas @ Baylor preview
Ferrell Center
Last Meeting ( Feb 5, 2022 ) Baylor 59, Kansas 83
Attempting to defeat No. 5 Kansas with a quick-strike offense can be a foolhardy endeavor.
The Jayhawks (23-4, 12-2 Big 12) are coming off one of their best offensive showings of the season. They pushed the pace and matched their season-high scoring total on Tuesday to tune up for a pivotal Big 12 showdown Saturday against No. 10 Baylor (23-5, 11-4) at Waco, Texas.
Baylor and Texas Tech carry identical conference records and have three conference games remaining while sitting two games behind Kansas in the loss column. Kansas has four conference games remaining.
Kansas shot a torrid 64.1 percent en route to a 102-83 victory over Kansas State on Tuesday, partly because the Wildcats also proved quick to pull the trigger while trying to offset the Jayhawks' advantage on the interior. The Jayhawks, however, responded by sinking 15 3-pointers.
"We like when teams push the pace with us because I don't think any team in the country can play that fast with us," Kansas' Christian Braun said. "We are a good team in transition so when good teams want to play like that, we will score 100."
Getting both Braun (15.2 points per game) and the Big 12's top scorer, Ochai Agbaji (20.2), in rhythm at the same time can be a lethal combination. Collectively, they connected on 17 of 25 shots against Kansas State and contributed 43 points.
Kansas coach Bill Self can use his deep bench strategically, both to give starters short rests and also capitalize on strengths his substitutes can provide.
Transfer Joseph Yesufu offers additional quickness to trigger fast-break opportunities after emerging as a star for Drake last season.
"You got a guy like Joe who has a gear in speed that not many people can get to and he's also playing really well," the Jayhawks' Jalen Wilson said. "It's tough to guard us in transition because you know we are really decisive."
Kansas is bidding for a 20th Big 12 regular-season title. In Baylor, it faces the reigning conference and national champion.
The Bears will look to atone for an 83-59 loss at Kansas on Feb. 5. Any measure of redemption could run through Adam Flagler, who matched career bests with 29 points and seven 3-pointers Monday when Baylor nipped Oklahoma State 66-64 in overtime.
Flagler logged 41 minutes after missing the Bears' previous game with a strained knee. He leads Baylor with a 13.7-point average.
"I had a lot of wide-open shots, and it's my job to knock them down. So I had the easy part," Flagler said. "But credit my teammates for the game that I was able to have."
James Akinjo chips in 12.9 points on average while leading the Big 12 in assists (5.7) and ranking second in steals (2.1). Akinjo nailed the game-winning overtime shot at Oklahoma State after scoring just two points in regulation.
"We all told him, just be ready because it's your time to shine. We all have confidence in him," Flagler said.
--Field Level Media