Kansas Jayhawks basketball vs. Baylor: Scouting report, prediction

Can the Jayhawks start another winning streak this weekend?

UCF v Kansas
UCF v Kansas | Jamie Squire/GettyImages

The Kansas basketball team rebounded from an awful loss to Houston with a victory over UCF on Tuesday. While it wasn't pretty, the Jayhawks were able to pull away late and get back into the win column.

Next up on KU's schedule is a much tougher matchup, as Bill Self's squad will travel to Waco to take on the talented Baylor Bears. Coming off a road loss to BYU, Scott Drew and Co. will certainly be motivated in front of their home crowd.

Baylor basketball scouting report

Despite entering the preseason ranked No. 8 in the country, Baylor has been one of the more inconsistent teams in the Big 12. The Bears hold solid wins over Arkansas and St. John's but also have bad losses, dropping a home game against TCU and falling to BYU on Tuesday.

Sitting at 13-7, the Bears are a sure-fire NCAA Tournament team right now. However, they have yet to pick up a true marquee victory. Led by leading scorer Norchad Omier (15.1 PPG, 10.3 RPG) and a daunting backcourt, BU easily ranks among the most talented schools in the country. They just have not quite put it together yet.

Player to watch

Perhaps the most dangerous player on the opposing end is VJ Edgecombe, a projected top-5 draft pick and one of the most electrifying freshmen in college basketball. The Jayhawks are catching him at the wrong time, as he has really come into his own lately. Over the last three contests, Edgecombe is averaging 26.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 54.3%/61.9%/84.2% shooting.

Not only can Edgecombe get to the rim with ease — he is averaging 6.3 free throw attempts during that span — he is also making 4.3 threes per game. Considering how poorly Kansas' defense looked last game, it will be a tough task to slow down the ballyhooed neophyte.

Kansas vs. Baylor basketball prediction

Kansas potentially being without starting point guard Dajuan Harris severely limits the Jayhawks' chances. His availability could very well determine whether the game ends up being a higher or lower-scoring affair.

While Baylor has a porous defense, it still has a top-10 offense in the country. KU only has a 3-3 record on the road this season, and it has not defeated the Bears in Waco in four consecutive seasons.

Neither of these teams have peaked yet, but if Baylor can ride the hot hand with Edgecombe and use home court to its advantage, it's difficult to see the Jayhawks pulling off a win here.

Final Score Prediction: 82-76, Baylor

Schedule

Schedule