(All odds as of Friday afternoon via VegasInsider.com)
#2 Baylor @ Kansas State
4:00 p.m. ET ESPN+
Opening Spread: Kansas State +21
The #2 ranked Baylor Bears will open up Big-12 play inside Bramledge Coliseum Saturday afternoon. The Bears (4-0) have been dominant in the early go, and look like a more improved bunch from last season.
Kansas State was able to overcome their non-conference struggles by notching a 74-65 win in their first conference game over Iowa State. No discredit to Fort Hays State, but their victory over the Wildcats was very fluky. They hit tough shot after tough shot in order to hang 80+ points on the Wildcats.
While Baylor is no doubt a juggernaut, when these two schools met last year in Manhattan the Bears were only a seven-point road favorite. A last-second Cartier Diarrah three-point basket made the final score 73-67, giving K-State the backdoor cover.
It’s unprecedented to see a high-major conference team laying over 20+ points on the road, and while a lot has changed from last season to now, I cannot lay this massive number. I’ll hold my nose and back the Wildcats to keep this one within 20 points.
Play: Kansas State +21 (down to +18.5)