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The Kansas Jayhawks (21-7, 9-6 Big 12) and Baylor Bears (20-8, 9-6) are lined up for a Saturday matinee in Waco. Tip-off from Foster Pavilion is set for 1 p.m. ET (ABC). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Kansas vs. Baylor odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
Kansas, ranked No. 9 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, is coming off a Tuesday loss and is just 3-3 straight up and 2-4 against the spread (ATS) in its last 6 games. Tuesday as 8-point home favorites, the Jayhawks lost to the then-No. 21 BYU Cougars 78-66. KU allowed 13 3-pointers, while sinking just 3 in the defeat.
The 14th-ranked Bears also recently lost to the Cougars. Three games ago for Baylor, it lost as a 3.5-point underdog 78-71 at BYU Feb. 20. The Bears followed that with another loss — 82-76 in overtime as 2.5-point home underdogs to then-No. 2, now-No. 1 Houston Feb. 24. The Bears bounced back Monday with a 62-54 triumph as 2.5-point underdogs at TCU. The 54 points allowed marked a BU season-best in league play.
Baylor and Kansas played in Lawrence Feb. 10 with the Jayhawks claiming a 64-61 victory, but the Bears covering as 5.5-point underdogs and the Under (148.5) cashing.
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Kansas at Baylor odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 5:52 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Kansas +164 (bet $100 to win $164) | Baylor -200 (bet $200 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Kansas +4.5 (-110) | Baylor -4.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 145.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Kansas at Baylor picks and predictions
Prediction
Baylor 73, Kansas 68
Moneyline
Baylor is 13-2 at home this season, and both losses were in overtime. The most recent of those was the heartbreaker vs. Houston.
The Bears have a penchant for frequent launches from beyond the arc, and their 40.2% success rate ranks 2nd in the country, per kenpom.com. Figure solid leverage there, on the boards and in getting to the foul line.
This one is worth a line watch. Back the Bears if the tag drops to -190 or lower.
Against the spread
The last 6 meetings in the Jayhawks-Bears series have netted an ATS split. Baylor is the lean side, but the Bears have had some game flows of late that don’t offer enough projectability of a touchdown advantage. PASS.
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Over/Under
The last 15 Kansas losses have yielded an Under going 10-5 the next time out (4-1 this season), per statfox.com.
The Jayhawks typically play an up-tempo style, while the Bears play slow. But when Baylor squared off against the 3 fastest squads in the Big 12 (BYU, Kansas, TCU), those contest have seen BU hold sway with the pace, and the Under has gone 4-1.
Both teams excel in forcing less-than-optimum mid-range attempts at the defensive end.
BACK THE UNDER 145.5 (-110).
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