The last unbeaten team from a major conference will face one of its biggest challenges Saturday when No. 2 Baylor goes on the road to face an Oklahoma State team that beat then-No. 6 Kansas in its last game. The Cowboys (9-3, 3-3 Big 12) have not played since their 75-70 win over the Jayhawks on Jan. 12 and only resumed practice on Thursday but have proven capable of competing with anyone in the Big 12 to this point.
Baylor's last game also came against Kansas, as the Bears took down the Jayhawks 77-69 on Monday behind 30 points from junior guard Jared Butler, who appears to be among Cade Cunningham's chief competition for Big 12 Player of the Year. Cunningham was the top-rated prospect in the 2020 recruiting class and has lived up to the hype for Oklahoma State while leading the conference in scoring at 18 points per game entering the weekend. However, Cunningham reportedly will miss the game vs. Baylor.
The Bears (13-0, 6-0) have won nine of the last 10 in this series and have looked unbeatable at times this season, but Oklahoma State won't back down. The Cowboys' three losses have come by a combined seven points, and they proved against Kansas that they are good enough to beat highly regarded foes.
Itching for more college hoops analysis? Listen below and subscribe to the Eye on College Basketball podcast where we take you beyond the hardwood with insider information and instant reactions.
Viewing information
- When: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET
- Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma
- TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
- OTT: CBS Sports App (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast)
Storylines
Baylor: Baylor is not just beating opponents, but destroying them. A pair of 8-point victories over ranked Big 12 teams Kansas and Texas Tech are the slimmest margins of victory for the Bears this season, as their +24.8 scoring margin leads the nation. Two reasons stand out for why this team has so often run away from opponents: 3-point shooting and defense. The Bears' 42.6% 3-point mark ranked fourth in the country entering Friday's game, and five of the six Baylor players averaging at least two 3-point attempts per game are making 41% of them or more. Then comes defense. Despite the absence of an elite rim protector, the Bears rank first nationally in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. They have forced 17 turnovers per game in Big 12 play, which is the highest mark in the conference.
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys are appealing a postseason ban imposed as part of NCAA sanctions relating to the conduct of former assistant Lamont Evans, and that's noteworthy since they look like a tournament-caliber team. Things could have easily fallen apart after the sanctions, but fourth-year coach Mike Boynton has done a great job of keeping this team motivated with a one-and-done centerpiece like Cunningham on the roster. The Cowboys are also benefitting from Isaac Likekele's continued progression, which wasn't necessarily a given with Cunningham around. A 6-5 junior guard, Likekele is averaging 12.1 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 57.9%. He's actually scoring more on fewer shot attempts than he did before Cunningham's arrival.
Game prediction, pick
Oklahoma State has not been blown out or overwhelmed by anyone this season and is good enough to give Baylor the same type of challenge the Bears faced in games against Texas Tech and Kansas. But the Cowboys probably aren't quite good enough to pull the upset Prediction: Baylor 86, Oklahoma State 79
So who wins every college basketball game today? And which underdogs pull off stunning upsets? Visit SportsLine now to get picks for every game, all from the unbiased model that simulates every game 10,000 times, and find out.
