Kansas vs. Baylor: How to Watch, Live Stream Saturday's Game That Could Determine Top Seed For March Madness
The 2019-20 men's college basketball season has not exactly been filled with blockbuster matchups in what has been a topsy-turvy season. Heck, it hasn't even been dotted with marquee matchups since the opening night of the season.
That changes Saturday when two of the Big 12's best teams battle not only for conference supremacy, but what could also determine the top overall seed in the national tournament that starts in a little less than a month.
Baylor (24-1), the No. 1 ranked team in the country and winners of 23-consecutive games, will host No. 3 Kansas (23-3), on Saturday with a tipoff at 11 a.m. local time in Texas. Kansas has won 11-straight games since its 67-55 home loss to Baylor on January 11. The only other losses by Kansas were to then-No. 4 Duke (68-66) and at No. 18 Villanova (56-55).
Heading into Saturday, both Baylor and Kansas are projected as No. 1 regional seeds for the men's tournament, which begins with the First Four on March 17.
How to Watch
The game will be broadcast live in ESPN at noon ET, 11 a.m. CT. It can also be streamed on WatchESPN, or through ESPN apps.
Last Time They Played
Baylor went to Lawrence, Kansas, as the fourth-ranked team in America and knocked off No. 3 Kansas, 67-55. Jared Butler scored 22 points, and MaCio Teague added 16 points. It was Baylor's first time in 22 tries to beat a top 5 team on the road.
Kansas led early in the game, but Baylor went on a 22-4 run to close out the first half with a 37-24 lead. Kansas committed 14 turnovers in the game, and Baylor had a 21-2 advantage in points off turnovers. Kansas also shot just 4-of-15 from three-point land.
Players to Watch
Baylor has a never-ending tandem of guards who can stay fresh. Guards Jared Butler leads Baylor with 15.6 points a game, Davion Mitchell leads the team with 3.6 assists and Mark Vital leads with 1.8 steals per game. Forward Freddie Gillespie leads the team in rebounds (8.8/game) and blocks (2.2/game). Ma Cio Teague is second on the team in scoring with 14.4 points a game.
Kansas is led by guard Devon Dotson's 18.4 points a game. Udoka Azubuike, the team's big center, leads the Jayhawks in rebounds (9.4) and blocks (2.6), and is second on the team with 12.8 points a game. Marcus Garrett leads the Jayhawks with 4.6 assists per game.
What's at Stake?
Baylor could essentially wrap up the Big 12 regular-season championship and grab the top seed for the conference tournament. It would also go a long way toward Baylor getting the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament that begins next month.
A Kansas win would put the teams into a tie for first place in the Big 12, and would likely mean that both teams could get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament if they win out in regular season.
Also, Kansas is looking to avoid a season sweep by a Big 12 foe. Only Oklahoma State has swept the Jayhawks during the Bill Self era at Kansas.
