Can Kansas State Earn Home Upset Over Top-Rated Baylor
Check Out Our Baylor vs Kansas State Preview For Tuesday's Big12 Matchup

After a tight loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders, the Kansas State Wildcats will look to get back on track with a home game against the Baylor Bears.
Baylor won’t be any easier for Kansas State. The Bears are on a five-game winning streak and have gone 14-2 this season. They’re also 3-0 in conference play, and the only two losses came against Michigan State and Duke in neutral venues.
On the other hand, the Wildcats are now 2-1 in conference play after a 60-59 loss to Texas Tech. Kansas State has no premier wins in the top 20, but their best win came in a home game against Villanova.
Still, while the Wildcats have 12 wins on the season, they’ve also added four overtime victories, including games against Oral Roberts and North Alabama, that should’ve never gotten there.
Baylor has been the more consistent team. But no conference matchup is easy on the road. Will Baylor find that out on Tuesday?
Despite being on the road, the Bears are sitting at -1 (-105) against the spread. The total for this game is also at 140.5.
Take a look at our Baylor vs Kansas State preview for this potential thriller in Manhattan, Kansas.
Baylor Bears vs Kansas State Wildcats 
Day/Time:
Location: Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, KS
TV & Live Stream: Big12 Network
Baylor vs Kansas State Preview
Baylor and Kansas State are both above .500 against the spread this season. However, Baylor has hit the Over in eight of 15 games, while Kansas State has hit the Under in nine of 16 matchups.
The Bears have only played one true road game this year and won that matchup. Now they’ll play their second true road game against a Kansas State squad that has won eight of nine games at home during his college basketball season.
Ironically enough, Kansas State has defeated Baylor in its last two meetings. The Wildcats were underdogs in both games and won outright each time.
The Bears Are No. 1 In The Big 12
We played college basketball for ten weeks. But it’s finally time to give Baylor the No. 1 spot in the Big 12.
Only Texas Tech is the other undefeated team in conference play in the Big 12. The Red Raiders have won nine straight games, but it’s evident that Baylor is still the better team in the Big 12 right now.
Just rewind to January 2 when Texas Tech narrowly defeated Chicago State at home, 62-55. That hasn’t happened to Baylor when facing below-average teams. Baylor Bears dominated Mississippi Valley State 107-48. That’s what the Texas Tech score against Chicago State should’ve been.
Meanwhile, Kansas lost to UCF on the road last week, 65-60. They’re still one of the best NCAAB teams in the nation, but right now, heading into this game, Baylor is undoubtedly the best team in the conference.
Home Field Advantage For Kansas State
The Big 12 has gone 15-6 in home games to start conference play. That means home teams have won 72% of the time so far through the first three games of the conference schedule.
The Big 12 home teams went 6-1 on Saturday and had their best overall weekend. Kansas State was one of the road teams that lost after blowing an 11-point lead to Texas Tech late in the game.
The Wildcats didn’t get some calls or get the big stops in crucial moments. But they’re excited to return to their home building and hopefully get those same home-court advantages as the other teams in the conference.
Road Teams Are Due!
Home teams have dominated early on in the Big 12 Conference. But that likely won’t be the case in this game.
Baylor has one of the best offenses in college basketball, shooting 43.7% from three and 54.4% from inside the arc. The Bears have also earned 35.5% of offensive rebounds and have limited turnovers to 16.4%.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats have done an excellent job defending shots. Opponents have hit 32.4% from three and 44.8% from inside the arc. However, the Wildcats have also allowed over 30% of offensive rebounds. That’s not ideal, especially with Baylor being very good and active on the offensive glass.
Baylor already shoots the ball at a high rate. But off misses, the Bears should end up with second chances that will lead to more points.
On the other hand, Kansas State has shot a 50% effective field goal percentage, thanks to 31.4% from three. That won’t do the trick against Baylor, with Baylor giving up 29.6% from three this season.
The Wildcats usually take more threes per game than Baylor. But they’ll want to be more active around the rim, where they shoot 52% from the field.
That’s because Baylor has allowed 50.7% from inside the arc, which is about average in college basketball. Still, the Bears have held teams to 28% of offensive rebounds and have earned 18.2% of turnovers per game. That’s huge, with Kansas State giving up 20.7% of turnovers per game.
The Wildcats essentially give up the ball once every five possessions. That means they’ll attempt fewer shots than Baylor, with Baylor having even more second chances off misses.
While Kansas State is also solid on the offensive glass, earning 37.9% of offensive rebounds, Baylor gives up fewer offensive rebounds per game on the defensive side of the ball.
Baylor’s odds to win March Madness are much higher than Kansas State’s this season. We don’t think Baylor’s defense is good enough to make it far in the NCAA Tournament, but that can at least change over the next couple of months.
For now, our NCAAB predictions, per the Baylor vs Kansas State preview, have the Bears earning a huge win over Kansas State at -112 on the moneyline to stay undefeated in conference play.