The Baylor Bears finished the regular season on a thud, but they still managed to achieve their best regular-season record in program history. Baylor has not won the Big 12 tournament. Is this the year the Bears finally break the spell?
Betting on the Kansas State Wildcats (11-21 Overall / 3-15 Conference)
The Wildcats scored an upset in the first round of the Big 12 tournament by upending the TCU Horned Frogs on Wednesday night, 53-49. After losing in 10 straight games, the Wildcats now have a win streak going, as they have also defeated the Iowa State Cyclones in their regular-season finale, 79-63. Kansas State defeated the Horned Frogs despite shooting just 38.9 percent from the field and just 25 percent from long range. Cartier Diarra was the only Wildcat who scored in double figures, finishing with 13 points. The Wildcats fell prey to Baylor twice this season, including an 85-66 blowout loss in Waco back in Feb. 25, but they did fare better in a 73-67 loss at home on Feb. 4. In that game, Xavier Sneed had 23 points and four 3-pointers. Sneed is the leader of this Wildcats team, and he’ll have to show up early in the matchup against Baylor to serve as inspiration for the rest of the team.
The Wildcats finished the regular season averaging 64.5 points per game.
The Wildcats are 3-0 against the spread (ATS) in their last three games.
Betting on the Baylor Bears (26-4 Overall / 15-3 Conference)
The Bears picked a wrong time to have their play sag. After going on a tear, they have lost three of their past five games, including ones against a pair of unranked teams in the TCU Horned Frogs and the West Virginia Mountaineers. The Bears have been susceptible to falling victims to their own struggles on offense. Against the Mountaineers, their last game of the regular season, the Bears shot just 42.4 percent from the floor. Baylor often lets its defense carry the team, and it’s been successful more times that it’s not, but it still would be better for them to see their offense pick up, especially heading into the national tournament. The Bears are allowing just 60.1 points per game, fifth fewest in the nation. They are also holding opponents down to just 39.7 percent shooting from the field and 31.1 percent from long distance.
The Bears, who are averaging 71.1 points per contest, have seen the total hit the over in all of their last four games.
