Kansas-Baylor basketball preview
8 p.m. Monday at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence
• TV/RADIO:ESPN; KCSP (610 AM)
• ABOUT BAYLOR (13-4, 1-3 Big 12):Baylor should be in line for a tumble in the rankings on Monday after starting 1-3 in the Big 12, including two losses this past week. Baylor lost at Texas Tech and then suffered a home loss to Oklahoma on Saturday. Now the Bears enter Allen Fieldhouse, a place where they have never won. … Baylor is 4-19 all-time against Kansas and 0-11 in Lawrence, but the Bears have won two of the last three in the series, including a victory over KU last year in Waco. … On Saturday, Baylor sophomore center Isaiah Austin revealed in an ESPN television interview that he was blind in his right eye due to a torn retina he suffered while playing youth basketball. Austin, who is averaging 10.4 points, scored 12 points while hitting two three-pointers against Oklahoma. … Baylor freshman Ish Wainright, a Kansas City native, is averaging 12 minutes per game off the bench.
• ABOUT KANSAS (13-4, 4-0):The Jayhawks will finish out one of their toughest stretches in years when they face Baylor on Monday night. Entering Sunday, Baylor was ranked No. 44 in KenPom.com’s computer rankings, meaning Kansas will have played a team ranked in the top 68 of KenPom’s rankings for 11 straight games. That stretch has included Florida (No. 17 in KenPom), San Diego State (No. 21), Iowa State (No. 19) and Oklahoma State (No. 12). To put it one way: KU has played an NCAA tourney caliber team for 10 straight games. … After some early setbacks, KU has found itself while starting 4-0 in the Big 12. Another victory would keep the Jayhawks in sole possession of first place in the Big 12. But coach Bill Self doesn’t want to think too far ahead. “It’s like being ahead in baseball after the second inning,” Self said. “It doesn’t matter right now.”
• BOTTOM LINE:Kansas has owned Baylor at Allen Fieldhouse. After nearly losing a late lead against Oklahoma State, the Jayhawks should be plenty focused on Monday night.
| P | No | Baylor | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
| F | 34 | Cory Jefferson | 6-9 | Jr. | 13.1 |
| F | 00 | Royce O’Neale | 6-6 | Jr. | 6.4 |
| C | 21 | Isaiah Austin | 7-1 | So. | 10.4 |
| G | 4 | Gary Franklin | 6-2 | Sr. | 6.6 |
| G | 1 | Kenny Chery | 5-11 | Jr. | 11.9 |
| P | No | Kansas | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
| F | 34 | Perry Ellis | 6-8 | So. | 12.9 |
| C | 21 | Joel Embiid | 7-0 | Fr. | 11.0 |
| G | 22 | Andrew Wiggins | 6-8 | Fr. | 15.1 |
| G | 1 | Wayne Selden | 6-5 | Fr. | 10.0 |
| G | 10 | Naadir Tharpe | 5-11 | Jr. | 9.8 |
This story was originally published January 19, 2014 at 7:52 PM with the headline "Kansas-Baylor basketball preview."