#2 Baylor vs Oklahoma State

#2 Baylor vs Oklahoma State | 2021 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

Written by on January 22, 2021

It could be a major trap game for unbeaten and second-ranked Baylor on Saturday as the Bears are off a huge win over Kansas and visit Oklahoma State and superstar freshman Cade Cunningham. Baylor will be favored on the NCAAB odds.

How to Bet Baylor at Oklahoma State NCAA Basketball Odds & TV Info

  • When: Saturday, 2 PM ET
  • Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena
  • TV: CBS Sports
  • Stream: CBS Sports app
  • Radio:com
  • Opening NCAAB Lines: TBA (Baylor will be favored)

Last Meeting

Baylor won both last season vs. OSU and the one in Stillwater was 75-68 when the Bears were also ranked No. 2 in the nation. Jared Butler had 17 points, six assists and three steals for Baylor, which overcame a 12-point deficit in the last 14 minutes. The Bears were down 47-35 with 14 minutes remaining but used an 18-4 run over the next four-plus minutes to get back in the game. After shooting just 16.7 % (2-for-12) from 3-point range in the first half, Baylor was 6-of-11 (54.5 %) in the second. After shooting just four free-throw attempts in the first half (making three), Baylor shot 19 (making 16) in the second.

The Cowboys lead the overall series, 55-31, although Baylor has won nine of the last 10 meetings.

Why Bet on Baylor? | 2021 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

The Bears (13-0) beat No. 9 Kansas 77-69 on Monday in a game that really wasn’t all that close – the Jayhawks hit a meaningless three-pointer as time expired. Junior guard Jared Butler was 7-for-9 from deep for Baylor and had a season-high 30 points. Butler has averaged 23.2 points in five career games versus Kansas, including two of his three 30-point games.

With Butler draining five first-half 3-pointers and scoring 17 points, the Bears led by as many as 16 and went to the break up 41-28. “You can’t spot a team (16 points) . . . and expect to come back,” KU coach Bill Self said. “We put some pressure on them, I thought, there for a stretch, but not enough.”

Twice in the second half, Kansas trimmed the deficit to five, the last one coming on a dunk by Jalen Wilson that made it a 65-60 game with 3:18 still left to play. But each time, Baylor answered. MaCio Teague added 13 points and Davion Mitchell 10 for the Bears. Baylor as a team went 28 of 52 from the field, enjoying success around the rim as much as it did beyond the arc.

Baylor, one of four remaining undefeated teams, is off to a 13-0 start for the fourth time in program history and third time in the last 10 years. The Bears are 6-0 in Big 12 for the second season in a row. Baylor is 9-1 against ranked teams the past two seasons.

Baylor is the nation’s only team to win every game by 8+ points this season. BU is the nation’s only team top-10 ranked in adjusted offensive (4th) and defensive (1st) efficiency. BU has led by at least 10 points in every game this season and has led by 13+ at halftime in 9 of 13. Baylor has led by at least 5 points in all 43 games over the last 2 seasons (double-digit lead in 37 of 43).

Why Bet on Oklahoma State? | 2021 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

The Cowboys (9-3) haven’t played since a 75-70 upset of then-No. 6 Kansas on Jan. 9. Kansas trailed by three in the closing seconds and had possession, but Oklahoma State’s Bryce Williams stole the inbounds pass, drove the length of the floor and dunked as time expired. KU’s Ochai Agbaji missed two 3-pointers, but the ball went out of bounds off Oklahoma State with 4.2 seconds to play, setting up Williams’ steal.

Freshman superstar Cade Cunningham, the likely No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, had 18 points to lead the Cowboys. Williams scored 17 points and Avery Anderson III added 14 for OSU. It was the fifth time in the past eight tries that Oklahoma State has beaten the Jayhawks at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Cunningham has been named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week three times this season. He is the first Big 12 player to garner three weekly awards this season. He’s also the 10th OSU player to ever earn three Big 12 weekly awards in one season, and the first since Jawun Evans in 2017.

OSU has since had two games postponed, vs. Oklahoma and at West Virginia. The Cowboys are building one of the nation’s most impressive NCAA Tournament resumes. Oklahoma State is 4-2 in N.E.T. Quadrant-1 games. The four victories are tied for the second most nationally and the six total games against Q1 squads are tied for the eighth most among top-50 squads. They also own a 2-2 record against the AP Top-25.

Only Kentucky and Indiana have a higher win percentage at home over Associated Press Poll top-3 teams than Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have a 10-8 record (.555) at home against teams ranked inside the AP top three since the poll began in 1948-49. An unranked OSU squad has taken down the No. 1 or No. 2 ranked team on five occasions, including three times since 2010.

The last time was on Feb. 2, 2013 when OSU bested No. 2 Kansas, 85-80. The Cowboys have 54 wins over top-10 squads, including five in the Mike Boynton era.

The Cowboys’ Isaac Likekele is averaging 12.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in four career games against Baylor.

Expert College Basketball Prediction

Baylor 76, Oklahoma State 73

 
 

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