Previously, before the explosion of NIL and the transfer portal, the Baylor Bears and Kansas Jayhawks ruled Big 12 Conference basketball.
Now, Kansas and Baylor are discovering much more competition. The Big 12 has a host of serious contenders who are outclassing the Jayhawks and Bears.
Kansas and Baylor remain big college basketball betting brands. However, they are a lot more sizzle and less steak these days.
Despite a drop in dominance, Kansas has been a profitable team for gamblers. However, that has not been the case for Baylor.
Baylor and Kansas clash on Friday night. Not that long ago, this would have been a matchup catching national attention and massive betting traffic. These days, not so much.
Still, there will be plenty of interest in a stand-alone Friday night FOX telecast matchup of mega-brand teams.
Baylor at Kansas Preview
On Friday, January 16, 2026, the Kansas Jayhawks will host the Baylor Bears at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, KS. Tipoff time is 8 p.m. ET with television coverage on FOX.
Public Betting Odds Factors
- Kansas is one of the most popular picks and brands in college basketball betting when playing at Allen Fieldhouse.
- On the other hand, Baylor may draw some support from bargain hunters with the more favorable road team price.
- Gamblers are annoyed with Baylor’s lack of profits and terrible betting value on the road this season.
Baylor at Kansas Predictions
Handicapping Factors to Consider
- In this situation, Kansas has the edge with a solid record of value at home.
- As mentioned below, Baylor is drowning gamblers in red ink on the road.
- Also, it’s a fact that Kansas gets the money most of the time at home against Baylor.
- Allen Fieldhouse remains one of the top home environments in college basketball.
Baylor at Kansas Prime Best Bet: Kansas Jayhawks
Baylor at Kansas Betting Tips
Baylor Bears
- Baylor has NCAABB metrics of 37th in scoring offense, 28th in field goal percentage, 55th in 3-point field goal percentage, 142nd in free throw percentage, and 49th in offensive rebounding.
- On defense, the Bears have NCAABB metrics of 158th for scoring defense, 96th for field goal percentage permitted, 169th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 98th for defensive rebounding.
- The Baylor Bears are 11-5 straight up, 7-8 against the spread, and 10-5 over/under the total.
- Baylor has covered two out of their last three games against the college basketball spread.
- While the Bears have gone over the total in two of their previous three matchups.
Kansas Jayhawks
- Kansas has NCAABB metrics of 118th in scoring offense, 109th in field goal percentage, 66th in 3-point field goal percentage, 70th in free throw percentage, and 34th in offensive rebounding.
- On defense, the Jayhawks have NCAABB metrics of 107th for scoring defense, 9th for field goal percentage permitted, 11th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 278th for defensive rebounding.
- The Kansas Jayhawks are 12-5 straight up, 10-7 against the spread, and 6-11 over/under the total.
- Kansas has covered one out of its last six games.
- The Jayhawks have gone over the total in one of their previous five matchups.
Baylor at Kansas Head-to-Head and Key Stats
- In the series between Kansas and Baylor, the Bears covered the spread in five of their last six games against the Jayhawks.
- Four of the last six games between the Bears and Jayhawks went over the total.
- Specifically in Kansas, the Jayhawks covered the spread in three of their most recent four matchups with the Bears.
- Six of the last eight games between the Bears and Jayhawks at Kansas went under the total.
- Of major concern is Baylor’s poor road value, just 3-11 against the spread in their last 14 matchups.
- Baylor went under the total in 12 of their last 18 road games.
- On the other hand, Kansas is 5-3 against the spread at Allen Fieldhouse.
- The Jayhawks went under the total in five of their last seven games at Kansas.
