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Baylor Basketball

No. 1 Baylor (24-1; 13-0) vs No. 3 KU (23-3; 12-1) Preview & Game Thread

February 19, 2020
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#1 Baylor (24-1;13-0) hosts #3 Kansas (23-3; 12-1) Saturday February 22 at 11am CST.  The game will be televised on ESPN.  

KenPom/NET Rankings

Kansas:  1 overall; 11 offensive efficiency; 2 defensive efficiency; 4 NET

Baylor:  2 overall; 22 offensive efficiency; 3 defensive efficiency; 2 NET

Prediction:  Baylor 64 Kansas 63


Coaches

Kansas:  Bill Self (57); 695- 214 (496-109 at KU) 21 NCAAs; 13 Sweet 16; 10 Elite 8; 3 Final 4; 1 NC

Baylor:  Scott Drew (49); 362-220 overall (342-209 at Baylor); 8 NCAAs; 4 Sweet 16s; 2 Elite 8s


Kansas Starters

PG:  Devon Dotson (SO) 6-2 185 lbs; 18 ppg; 4 asst; 4 asst; 2 st; 47% FG; 31% 3pt; 81% FT

SG:  Isaiah Moss (SR) 6-5 210 lbs; 8 ppg; 2 reb; 41% FG; 37% 3pt; 89% FT

SF:  Ochai Agbaji (SO); 6-5 210 lbs; 10 ppg; 4 reb; 3 asst; 43% FG; 35% 3pt; 65% FT

PF:  Marcus Garrett (JR) 6-5 195 lbs; 10 ppg; 5 reb; 5 asst; 2 st; 46% FG; 35% 3pt; 63% FT

C:  Udoka Azubuike (SR) 7-0 270 lbs; 13 ppg; 10 reb; 3 blks; 73% FG; 43% FT

Kansas Bench

F:  David McCormack (FR); 6-10 265 lbs; 7 ppg; 4 reb; 55% FG; 82% FT

G:  Christian Braun (FR) 6-6 205 lbs; 5 ppg; 3 reb; 42% FG; 44% 3pt; 71% FT

F:  Tristan Enaruna (FR) 6-8 200 lbs; 3 ppg; 2 reb; 35% FG; 25% 3pt; 50% FT


Baylor Starters

PG:  Davion Mitchell (R-SO) 6-2 195 lbs; 10 ppg; 3 reb; 4 asst; 2 st; 42% FG; 32% 3pt; 67% FT

SG:  Jared Butler (SO) 6-3 185 lbs; 16 ppg; 3 reb; 3 asst; 2 st; 42% FG; 38% 3pt; 80% FT

SF:  Macio Teague (JR) 6-3 195 lbs; 14 ppg; 5 reb; 2 asst; 41% FG; 36% 3pt; 83% FT

PF:  Mark Vital (JR) 6-5 230 lbs; 6 ppg; 6 reb; 2 asst; 2 steals; 1 blk; 46% FG; 44% FT

C:  Freddie Gillespie (SR) 6-9 245 lbs; 10 ppg; 9 reb; 2 blk; 55% FG; 71% FT

Baylor Bench

G:  Devonte Bandoo (SR) 6-3 195 lbs; 8 ppg; 4 reb; 2 asst; 39% FG; 38% 3pt; 70% FT

F:  Matt Mayer (SO) 6-9 210 lbs; 4 ppg; 2 reb; 38% FG; 39% 3pt; 70% FT

F:  Tristan Clark (JR) 6-10 250 lbs; 4 ppg; 3 reb; 1 blk; 47% FG; 65% FT


This article is sponsored by Centex Bookkeeping.

Discussion from...

No. 1 Baylor (24-1; 13-0) vs No. 3 KU (23-3; 12-1) Preview & Game Thread

29,892 Views | 278 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by boognish_bear
txrangers
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BluesBear
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Baylor races out to early lead. Weathers a period of zero buckets. Extends lead in 2nd half and wins by 11
Jacques Strap
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Quote:

Prediction: Baylor 64 Kansas 63


I'd take that 1 point win but prefer an early 8 to 12 point cushion that is maintained over the course of the game.
MrGolfguy
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Just win Bears!
wuzzybear
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Jacques Strap said:


Quote:

Prediction: Baylor 64 Kansas 63


I'd take that 1 point win but prefer an early 8 to 12 point cushion that is maintained over the course of the game.
Yep, the crowd MUST get into it with a flurry of buckets early. KU will make more than one run, but this team just does not care. They keep on keepin on and just find a way. I just hope the refs treat this like a tourney game and swallow their whistles unless it is obvious. Worst thing would be for Freddie or Vital to get 2 fouls each in the first 10 minutes. Just cannot happen. Gotta move the feet and play position ball.
historian
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The Bears will win this one. They are headed for an 18-0 season in conference play. I have confidence in them.
“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!”
Psalm 119:36
Johnny Bear
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historian said:

The Bears will win this one. They are headed for an 18-0 season in conference play. I have confidence in them.
Hope you're right - and that would be beyond amazing. In any case, I just want a Big 12 Title at this point and then attack the post season from there.
jdrs
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excited for tomorrow. Getting ready by watching previous wins from this season. Fun to rewatch knowing the outcome. Hoping tomorrow is a classic that I can rewatch and rewatch.
Self Made Bear
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Over the years I've always felt that Self had CSD's number, that he knew how to break Drew's zone and could always adjust to whatever Drew was doing. But this year is different. Not only is this a mature, disciplined team, I also feel that Drew is maturing as a coach. I know he's been doing it for a long time now, but I think he's coming in to his own last year and this one.
Self Made Bear
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Great read on what this game means for the season. The consensus? This game is for the fans.

College basketball picks: What's really at stake in Baylor-Kansas?

This week's marquee game features the Baylor Bears and Kansas Jayhawks (noon ET, Saturday, ESPN), a pair of Final Four hopefuls who are also battling for Big 12 regular-season supremacy. ESPN.com's panel of college hoops experts talked about their expectations for that game, the notion of Cole Anthony staying for another collegiate season, and the team they'd like to see in the NCAA tournament field that won't be in the NCAA tournament field.

Myron Medcalf, senior college basketball writer: It would depend on how Kansas won. If the Jayhawks can somehow put together a dominant offensive effort against a team that has surrendered more than 65 points only five times this season, I think the Jayhawks would be the clear favorites to win the national title. If it's a back-and-forth affair between two of the best teams in the country and Kansas wins a tight matchup, I think it will become more apparent that the path to the title will go through the Bears and Jayhawks. This feels like a preview of a Final Four game. I'm not sure anything that could happen Saturday would change that.

I won't reconsider Baylor's national title chances if Scott Drew's team loses, even if the Bears suffer a double-digit loss. With that defense, they're going to challenge any opponent in the country. But are they more like 2017-18 Virginia or 2018-19 Virginia? The latter won the national title because it played great defense but also had three pros on its roster to anchor its run. The former got stopped in the first round by UMBC after hitting an offensive wall. Is a Baylor team that has made less than 47% of its shots inside the arc and less than 33% of its 3-point attempts in Big 12 play vulnerable to the same offensive lapse that cost Virginia a year prior to its national title run? I think that's a valid question. But the Bears' rsum is ridiculous. Hard to doubt them.

Jeff Borzello, college basketball insider: I think Baylor and Kansas are the two best teams in the country, and I'm not sure Saturday's matchup will change my mind -- assuming one of them doesn't get blown out. If Kansas pulls off the upset, it's a sign that the adjusted efficiency numbers for the Jayhawks are legit, and the talk of "no great team" in college basketball this season could be way off. If you take Kansas' +31.04 adjusted efficiency margin at KenPom and compare it to previous years, it would rank in the top three in every single season since 2002 but one -- the historically good 2015 campaign. It would also rank No. 1 in 2014, 2006 and 2003. Outside of the Baylor loss, Kansas' other two losses came away from home to Duke and Villanova by a combined three points. Bill Self's team might indeed be the best team in the country.

However, Baylor is the team I've thought to be the best in the country since probably late December -- and would be my pick to cut down the nets if the NCAA tournament started tomorrow. Assuming the Bears don't get blown out by Kansas, and I just don't foresee that happening, they are still going to be one of the two best teams in the country come Saturday night.

John Gasaway, college basketball writer: Baylor and Kansas are both clear No. 1 seeds in the making, and when that occurs with conference rivals it's vitally important from an analytics perspective that we just sit back and enjoy the show. You can make a case that these are the best teams both Scott Drew and Bill Self have had in years -- in Drew's case, perhaps ever. Let's toss bouquets to both sides, shall we?

How cool will it be if everyone keeps revving up their "best defense ever" talk with respect to KU and it turns out the Jayhawks don't even have the best defense in the conference? Could happen. Baylor's defense has been superior to this point in Big 12 play, and, if this state of affairs persists to the end of a round-robin conference schedule containing roughly 1,200 possessions balanced between "home" and "road," please don't try to tell me your laptop begs to differ. I'll side with the "actual results" types on that one. However, Kansas has been the better team in Big 12 play thanks to a significantly more productive offense than what BU has shown. Sounds like a mammoth collision in Waco. Don't tell my editor -- I'm paid to watch the bubble -- but on Saturday I'm setting aside a couple of hours for two very non-bubble behemoths. Can't wait.

Jordan Schultz, insider/analyst: Nothing from this game will change what I think of either team. To be clear, that's not an indictment on Kansas or Baylor, but rather a reality check that both teams are simply that good. In a college basketball season defined by inconsistency, the Jayhawks and Bears have done nothing but win. Buoyed by tremendous guard play in Jared Butler and Devon Dotson, as well as equally stout front-liners in Freddie Gillespie and Udoka Azubuike, you're hard-pressed to find better inside-out duos anywhere. Defense is the name of the game here, though. Both teams have fielded historic defensive units, relying on discipline, scheme and effort to limit quality looks. It's the main reason why nobody would bat an eye if either Kansas or Baylor won a title this season -- and why this weekend's tilt in Waco is more for the fans than anything else
Jacques Strap
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1.1k views on the game thread for a game that is still 21 hours away!
historian
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I like Borzello's score prediction: Baylor over Kansas 61-58.
“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!”
Psalm 119:36
BUbackerinET
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Medcalf is an idiot
fubar
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Jacques Strap said:

1.1k views on the game thread for a game that is still 21 hours away!
But as of yet no appearance by a certain Mr. Lomers. These threads don't tip themselves.

If you know what I mean and please explain it to me if you do.
BearlySober
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It's game day! Sic em Bears!
BearlyConscious
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Any word on Teague yet?
gobears20
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Staff
Great Baylor Merchandise -> https://bit.ly/2M8DuHk
jdrs
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Coach just said Macio is going to give it a go! Hope his hand is ready to "answer the call"!
gobears20
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Staff
Great Baylor Merchandise -> https://bit.ly/2M8DuHk
OsoVerde
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Drew didn't sound like Teague was at 100%, at least that is how I took it. Was that the sense from everyone else?
jdrs
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I think as a competitive player it would be hard to miss this game. But CSD didn't act like he was completely healed either.
Jacques Strap
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OsoVerde said:

Drew didn't sound like Teague was at 100%, at least that is how I took it. Was that the sense from everyone else?


That's what it sounded like. Basically said he would give it a try and see what happens.
ImABearToo
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Please Bears, shoot better than Chip.
“Life is short, eat desert first!”
KIA
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On a 200-0 pace ...
HoustonBear15
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Fans sitting as soon as the ball is thrown for tip off. Gotta love it
Jacques Strap
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KU on a 9-0 run
CaliByWayOfKS
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3 ball screen layups for KU and a kick out 3...

Missed 4 foot jumper and floater and 2 TOs by the bears. Need to clean this up and hit the easy shots.
BellCountyBear
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Guess ku isn't going to just give it to us.
wuzzybear
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Lost a little momentum on Vital's steal. That should have been pts. Don't know why Butler did not take the wide open 3 ball. Got to clear up the confusion on D right now. We got this. Close out close out close out.
whitetrash
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Somebody more talented than me get a gif of the #dunkfail.
CaliByWayOfKS
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Bandoo just got bulled by KU with ease for another TO
CaliByWayOfKS
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Vital with a fantastic dump off to Clark
CaliByWayOfKS
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I couldn't tell who is covering the paint on that last KU layup, but he literally just moved out of the way and let him run straight to the bucket.

Butler to Mayer after the Freddie board as big
Jacques Strap
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Looks like it's going to be the tough game we all expected.
wuzzybear
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Right now KU has the Rx on offense. Their 4 guards are a better match up this time around. Dotson is just going to go to the basket until we stop it and then wait for the kick out. KU much more aggressive right now. Defense has to win this game for us so we got to turn up the pressure and challenge everything.
 
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