Baylor Bears vs Kansas Jayhawks Prediction & Match Preview - February 27, 2021 | NCAA Men's Basketball
The Baylor Bears will travel to Lawrence on Saturday to take on the Kansas Jayhawks in a Big 12 matchup featuring some of the nation's top college basketball talents.
The Kansas Jayhawks have been able to recover from a poor conference start and now have the most wins in the Big 12 while occupying third place in the standings. The Baylor Bears, on the other hand, remain undefeated at 18-0 and sit atop of the conference.
Match Details
Fixture: Baylor Bears vs Kansas Jayhawks - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date and Time: Saturday, February 27, 8:00 PM ET
Venue: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas
Baylor Bears Preview
The Baylor Bears looked rusty during their recent 77-72 victory over the Iowa State Cyclones, which was their first game back from a three-week COVID-19 pause. It was the closest margin of victory for the Bears all season, who won all their games by at least eight points prior to Tuesday night.
The Baylor Bears will need to regain their rhythm to continue their perfect season. They are entering a brutal stretch to finish the season. After the game against the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday, they will face West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech in a span of six days.
Key Player - Jared Butler
Averaging 17.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, Jared Butler is the best player for the Baylor Bears. He was announced as one of five finalists for the 2021 Bob Cousy Point Guard the Year Award.
Butler's performed his best on the road this season. He has scored 20 points in eight of his last nine games against Big 12 opponents while away from home.
The junior guard will need to add to that number on Saturday to help his team bypass the Kansas Jayhawks.
Baylor Bears Predicted Lineup
F Mark Vital, G Flo Thamba, G MaCio Teague, G Davion Mitchell, G Jared Butler
Also Read: NCAA March Madness 2021: Complete Schedule, Dates & Time
Kansas Jayhawks Preview
The Kansas Jayhawks saw their five-game winning streak come to an end on Wednesday night as they suffered a 72-75 overtime loss to the Texas Longhorns.
The game was a tale of two halves for the Jayhawks. They went into the break with a 43-32 lead and held the Longhorns to just 33% from the field. However, in the second half, they fell apart offensively, scoring just 23 total points.
Key Player - Jalen Wilson
Jalen Wilson has been a great player for the Kansas Jayhawks this season, averaging 12.8 points and 8.2 assists.
However, in the loss against the Texas Longhorns, the freshman forward had a chance to tie the game with a wide-open layup at the end of overtime. Unfortunately, he fumbled the ball out of bounds, allowing the Longhorns to go back down the court and score.
Here is the play below:
These kinds of moments can really shake up a young player like Wilson. He will need to quickly move past the mistake and focus on the game ahead against the Baylor Bears
Kansas Jayhawks' Predicted Lineup
F David McCormack, F Jalen Wilson, G Marcus Garrett, G Ochai Agbaji, G Christian Braun
Baylor vs Kansas Prediction
Until the Baylor Bears show otherwise, it is hard to see them lose a game this season. They are ranked in the top ten in both offensive and defensive efficiency this season.
However, the Kansas Jayhawks have been playing good basketball lately and if it wasn't for an offensive mishap, they might be on a six-game winning streak.
According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index, the Baylor Bears have a 76.1%% chance of beating the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday night.
Where to watch Baylor vs Kansas
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
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