The Baylor Bears take on the Kansas Jayhawks. Our college basketball odds series has our Baylor Kansas prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Baylor Kansas.
The Baylor Bears have not had their full lineup for most of the college basketball season. Scott Drew has had to mix and match a lot of pieces as BU's head coach, balancing the need to keep players fresh while finding the right combinations that give his team the best possible chance to win. Baylor started 0-3 in the Big 12, but the Bears have lost only once since January 7. They are 9-4 in the Big 12, tied with Kansas and Texas for the lead in the conference. It's another great job of coaching by Drew, who is making these kinds of seasons seem routine, when of course they aren't. Baylor is once again a factor in the Big 12 and in the larger national picture, even though the Bears won't get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament (barring a remarkable confluence of events in the coming weeks). This game against Kansas offers the latest test for a team which has shown it can meet nearly every challenge.
Here are the Baylor-Kansas college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel:
College Basketball Odds: Baylor-Kansas Odds
Baylor Bears: +4.5 (-102)
Kansas Jayhawks: -4.5 (-120)
Over: 148.5 (-110)
Under: 148.5 (-110)
How To Watch Baylor vs. Kansas
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET, 1:00 p.m. PT
*Watch Baylor-Kansas LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why Baylor Could Cover The Spread
The return of Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua is huge for Baylor. Tchamwa Tchatchoua was a core piece of Baylor's national championship team in 2021 and the team which was a No. 1 seed in last year's NCAA Tournament. Tchamwa Tchatchoua's defense and rebounding are the glue which holds this team together. Because he did not play for multiple months, he is relatively fresh and should give Baylor great energy and strength against a Kansas frontcourt which is not as strong or imposing as it was last season, when KU won the national championship. Baylor should be able to hold its own on the glass and win a lot of possessions in a game where every small margin is likely to matter.
The other reason Baylor can cover the spread is that the Bears — who beat Kansas earlier this season — are getting almost five points. Baylor losing by four and still covering the spread seems like a very attractive possibility to consider.
Why Kansas Could Cover The Spread
The Jayhawks lost to Baylor in Waco a few weeks ago. You know they are going to be motivated to win this game and split the season series. Notably, Kansas was favored by 4.5 points against the Texas Longhorns not that long ago. A lot of people reasonably wondered why Kansas was favored by that much, but sure enough, the Jayhawks played an elite game and covered at home in Phog Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas is just so tough on its home floor; in a revenge game, doubly so. The spread is not misguided. Kansas is the national champion of men's college basketball for a reason. The Jayhawks might not be as strong in the frontcourt as they were last season, but they can play with force and aggression. They did that against Texas and were able to steer that game in their direction despite the lack of a low-post hammer. Kansas generally does find answers.
Final Baylor-Kansas Prediction & Pick
There are very strong arguments to make on each side of this game. It's probably best to look for a live-betting angle instead of a pregame bet. Stay away from an early play and see if you can get something midway through the second half. Baylor trailed TCU by several points midway through the second half last week and then rallied late to cover against the spread. That's a perfect example of waiting for a live angle to emerge.
Final Baylor-Kansas Prediction & Pick: Baylor +4.5
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