Kansas vs. Baylor Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Kansas Jayhawks will look to snap a two-game losing streak when they face the Baylor Bears on Monday night. However, Baylor is favored according to the CBB betting odds, and the Bears are on a roll after falling in their first three conference games this season. Additionally, two of Baylor's three Big 12 losses came by just three points, so there's a lot to like with the Bears playing at home on Monday night.

On Monday, January 23, 2023, the Baylor Bears will welcome the Kansas Jayhawks to the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas. This game is scheduled to be the second game in a double-header on ESPN, and it is slated to tip off at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Baylor Bears Betting Prediction

Baylor has historically struggled to beat Kansas since joining the Big 12, but the Bears have defeated the Jayhawks in each of their last two meetings in Waco. Scott Drew has turned the corner from very good coach to elite coach, and that has made Baylor a juggernaut with back-to-back conference championships and an NCAA Championship two years ago.

Kansas won it all last year after an epic comeback against North Carolina, yet this is not the same team we saw last season. Only two of the seven rotation players from the national championship winning team are returning, and that will give Baylor's upperclassmen the edge on Monday night.

Score Prediction: Baylor 73 Kansas 65
Best Bet: Baylor -2.5
Best Bet: Under 149

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Baylor Bears Betting Odds

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Baylor Bears Betting Resources

Date: Monday, Jan. 22 2023
TV-Time: ESPN, 9:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Ferrell Center
Location: Waco, Texas
Matchup
Expert Picks

Big 12 Championship Odds

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Baylor Bears Betting Stats

Kansas Jayhawks
SU: 16-3
ATS: 7-12
O/U: 10-8-1
PPG: 76.3
OPPG: 67.1

Baylor Bears
SU: 14-5
ATS: 9-9-1
O/U: 11-8
PPG: 79.6
OPPG: 69.3

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS), Over-Under (O/U)
Points Per Game (PPG), Opponents Points Per Game (OPPG)

Kansas Jayhawks Betting Analysis

This is Jalen Wilson's team. Wilson is the No. 2 ranked player in the country according to Ken Pomeroy, and he has come into his own as a junior after helping lead the Jayhawks to the national title last year. He is averaging 21.3 PPG and 8.8 RPG, leading Kansas in both categories, and he has been the lone bright spot for the Jayhawks in their last two losses. Wilson scored 68 points in those two games while making 50% of his shots from the floor.

Freshman Gradey Dick is a potential lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Dick is the second-leading scorer on Kansas, averaging 14.4 PPG, and he is sinking 43.9% of his threes. He is the only player on the Jayhawks that is averaging at least two three-pointers a game that is hitting better than 34% from beyond the arc, so his perimeter shooting here is crucial.

Dajuan Harris Jr. is a great set-up man for Kansas, and he leads the team with 6.6 APG. Harris isn't much of a scoring threat (7.4 PPG), but he is making 42.9% of his triples when shooting from downtown.

K.J. Adams and Kevin McCuellar round out the starting five for the Jayhawks, and both players are averaging at least 10 PPG. Adams and McCuellar are solid rebounders too, but one of the big problems with Kansas this year is that there is little depth outside the starting five. That is particularly worrisome on limited rest like Kansas is on Monday night after being walloped by TCU on Saturday.

Baylor Bears Betting Analysis

Although Baylor has a lot of upperclassmen, the Bears are led in scoring by freshman Keyonte George. He is averaging 17.4 PPG, and he is shooting at a decent clip from beyond the three-point line despite taking over seven threes a game. George is making 35.3% of his threes while also averaging 4.6 RPG and 3.3 APG, so NBA draftniks are projecting him to be a lottery pick in this summer's draft. The five-star recruit has had his ups and downs over the last two weeks, exploding in wins over West Virginia and Texas Tech but faltering against the Oklahoma schools.

The most efficient perimeter shooter on the team is Adam Flagler. The senior from Duluth, Georgia is having the best year of his career, as he is averaging 16.0 PPG while making 45.4% of his triples, and he leads the Bears with 5.3 APG. Fellow guard L.J. Cryer is averaging 13.7 PPG, and he is the other perimeter shooter to watch, making 39.1% of his threes.

Unlike Kansas, Baylor has some real depth, and the Bears will be able to keep fresh legs on the floor throughout the game. Flo Thamba, Jalen Bridges, and Josh Ojianwuna are all big men that can clean up on the glass, and the guards are all solid defenders that keep their opponents in front of them.