KU to keep climbing Big 12 ladder?
Baylor bucked a punch-drunk Texas team on Thursday afternoon, but will the momentum carry over into tonight’s tussle with Kansas?
Online sports book Bovada.lv considers it a dubious proposition. The Bears are 7.5-point underdogs entering the semifinals of the SEC tournament, which certainly doesn’t reflect the drubbing they administered slightly more than 24 hours ago.
In demolishing the Longhorns by 14 points, Baylor enforced lockdown defense. While Perry Ellis, Frank Mason III and Devonte Graham likely won’t shoot 38.3 percent from the field, too, the Bears effectively eradicated their late-season swoon by harassing the opposition.
The problem: KU rarely staggers under such pressure. The aforementioned trio accounted for 48 points on 11-of-18 shooting in last night’s 85-63 pounding of Kansas State. Mason has been particularly spellbinding of late, hitting nearly 60 percent of his threes in the last six games.
The junior guard’s ridiculous range represents the ultimate X-factor here. Baylor can hang with the Jayhawks on the boards, thanks largely to Taurean Price’s tenacity. As a result, the Bears will scratch and claw their way to an uber-competitive matchup. It just won’t be enough to ensure another game in Kansas City.
FRIDAY NCAA FREE PICK: BAYLOR +7.5
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