Big 12 squads meet Tuesday night on ESPN2, as the Baylor Bears host the No. 2-ranked Arizona Wildcats at Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas.
Arizona (25–2, 12–2 Big 12) has followed up recent consecutive losses with back-to-back wins, now coming off a 73–66 upset at Houston. Baylor (14–13, 4–10 Big 12) beat Arizona State over the weekend to snap a four-game skid, but now faces arguably its toughest test of the season.
Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET. Arizona enters as a hefty 11.5-point road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, and the game total is set at 151.5 points.
Arizona vs. Baylor Preview
Arizona Wildcats Preview
Arizona has returned to form after opening February with back-to-back losses against Kansas and Texas Tech. It’s been business as usual since then, and the program is now coming off its best win of the season — a 73–66 upset at Houston to seize the Big 12 lead.
The Wildcats rank third on KenPom’s national ratings, owning the ninth-best offense and second-strongest defense in the country. They also rank 13th in scoring, 12th in field-goal percentage, and second in rebounds per game. Arizona leads the Big 12 — which, of course, comprises 16 teams — with an average differential of 18.7 points.
Leading the charge is freshman guard Brayden Burries, who averages 15.2 points per game. Senior forward Tobe Awaka pulls down 9.4 rebounds a night, which ranks third in the Big 12. And senior guard Jaden Bradley jumpstarts the action with a team-high 4.6 assists and 1.7 steals per contest.
Baylor Bears Preview
Baylor’s inflated 10–3 non-conference record quickly got exposed by its Big 12 contemporaries. The program has gone just 4–10 in conference play; while they’ve scored the Big 12’s 5th-most points per game, they rank 10th in opponent scoring and 13th in turnovers.
The Bears are barely a top 50 team in the country, according to KenPom, bogged down by a porous defense that sits outside the top 100.
Baylor still has some dangerous weapons on the other end. Tennessee transfer Cameron Carr and freshman guard Tounde Yessoufou both score 18-plus points per game — ranking sixth and seventh in the Big 12, respectively. Carr, Yessoufou, and assists leader Obi Agbim each provide strong contributions from beyond the perimeter.
Arizona vs. Baylor Pick, Best Bet
Baylor has struggled considerably against top defenses this season, falling to St. John’s, Iowa State (twice), Houston, Kansas, and Cincinnati by an average of 13 points. The Bears will now attempt to keep up with the second-strongest coverage in the nation — one bursting with momentum after its biggest win of the season.
Arizona can hang with any team in the country, and it should capitalize on a friendly matchup against Baylor with games against No. 14 Kansas and No. 4 Iowa State looming ahead. Expect the Wildcats to shut down Baylor’s top scorers and steadily stretch their lead beyond 10.5 points by the final buzzer on Tuesday night.
