Baylor Bears vs Kansas Jayhawks Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Kansas vs Baylor NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Waco.

Kansas vs Baylor Prediction

Planning on watching today's Jayhawks and Bears game? Catch the action at Foster Pavilion in Waco, TX, as the Bears hosts this showdown at 4:00 ET on ESPN. This Big 12 conference matchup has an over/under of 144.5 points, and Baylor is favored to win by -1.5 at home vs. Kansas.

Kansas vs. Baylor Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Kansas Jayhawks at Baylor Bears
Where: Waco at Foster Pavilion
Date: Saturday, February 1st
Betting Odds BAYL -1.5, KAN -107 | BAYL -115 O/U 144.5

Jayhawks Preview: Will the Jayhawks Make it Happen on the Road?

Kansas Jayhawks Recent Game/Games

The Jayhawks improved to 15-5 on the season with a 91-87 win over UCF on Tuesday. Despite being -13 favorites, Kansas didn’t cover the spread, but they got the win at home.

After trailing 43-41 at halftime, Kansas came out strong in the 2nd half, scoring 50 points and allowing 44. The game’s total points of 178 went over the 151.5-point line.

Jayhawks Offense Breakdown

Kansas put up 91 points in their last game, shooting 43.8% from the field and 47.6% from beyond the arc, hitting 10 of 21 threes. Their effective field goal percentage was 51.6%, and they were strong at the free-throw line, making 25 of 29 attempts for 86.2%.

Keyshawn Hall led the way with 34 points, hitting 5 of 7 threes, while Zeke Mayo and Hunter Dickinson each added 24 points. Mayo connected on 6 of 10 from deep, and Darius Johnson contributed 19 points, making 5 of 8 threes.

Jayhawks Team Defense

Despite Kansas holding their opponent to 41% shooting inside the arc, they couldn’t contain them from deep, allowing 10 threes on 47% shooting. The Jayhawks also sent their opponent to the line 29 times, where they converted 25 free throws, contributing to the 87 points allowed.

Kansas struggled on the boards, giving up 15 offensive rebounds. Their defensive effort saw the opponent shoot 43% overall, with 28 made field goals on 64 attempts.

Bears Preview: Can the Bears Hold Strong at Home?

Baylor Bears Recent Game/Games

The Bears fell to 12-7 on the season after a 93-89 road loss to BYU on Tuesday. Baylor entered the game as +4 underdogs, and the final score resulted in a push against the spread. The total points of 182 easily surpassed the O/U line of 143.5.

Baylor trailed 44-36 at halftime but made a strong push in the second half, outscoring BYU 42-34. Despite the comeback effort, they couldn’t close the gap enough to secure the win.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Baylor's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 89 points with a 50% shooting performance from the field. They connected on 46.4% of their three-point attempts, hitting 13 of 28 from deep, and their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 60%.

VJ Edgecombe was a standout, knocking down 6 of 8 threes and finishing with 28 points and 5 assists. Kanon Catchings was perfect from the field, going 8 for 8 overall and 4 for 4 from beyond the arc, contributing 23 points in just 25 minutes.

Bears Team Defense

Baylor's defense struggled, giving up 93 points on 55% shooting from the field. They allowed 65% on two-point attempts, with the opposing team hitting 25 of 38 shots.

From beyond the arc, Baylor's opponents went 8/21, shooting 38%. They also sent them to the line 26 times, where they converted 21 free throws at an 80% rate. Baylor gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Jayhawks vs Bears Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Jayhawks have a straight up record of 5-5 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 68 points per game in this stretch.
Through their last five home games, Baylor has an ATS record of just 1-3-1. However, their overall record was 2-3 while averaging 72 points per game.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Jayhawks have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-3.
Although the Bears have a strong straight up record in their last three games as the betting favorite, they have not done as well vs the spread going 1-2.