K-State Wildcats vs. Baylor Bears: Big 12 Tournament game time, TV, odds and pick

The Kansas State men’s basketball team marches on in the Big 12 Tournament with a game against Baylor on Wednesday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

Here’s everything you need to know before tipoff, including a score prediction:

When: 6 p.m. Wednesday

Where: T-Mobile Center in Kansas City

Stream: ESPN+

Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita

Betting line: Baylor by 5.5

Over/under: 136.5

STARTING LINEUPS

About Baylor (18-13)

The Bears have struggled to play up to their full potential without forward Josh Ojianwuna in the rotation, but Baylor is still on pace to reach the NCAA Tournament this season. Scott Drew’s team has won 18 games, including a victory over K-State at home. Scott Drew’s team won that game thanks to 30 points from freshman star VJ Edgecombe. He is the Bears’ go-to player. Norchad Omier is also a double-double machine inside.

About Kansas State (16-16)

The Wildcats are coming off a 71-66 victory over Arizona State in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament. Coleman Hawkins led K-State with 26 points and eight rebounds in that game. Dug McDaniel was also strong with 14 points, five assists and four rebounds. David N’Guessan was unusually quiet as he battled foul trouble. But he should have fresh legs for this game, because he didn’t play many minutes against the Sun Devils. Jerome Tang spent many years working under Drew as an assistant at Baylor, but he owns a 3-1 record against the Bears since joining K-State.

K-State game prediction

This should be a close game.

Jerome Tang and Scott Drew go way back. They know each other better than any two coaches in the Big 12. They have gone head-to-head four times as head coaches, and all four of those games were back-and-forth affairs. One went to overtime.

Tang won the first three matchups by a combined total of 16 points. Drew got revenge this year and won by eight during the regular season.

It will be interesting to see how their next game goes in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament.

K-State will benefit from a size advantage against Baylor, as the Bears are without injured forward Josh Ojianwuna. But he only scored two points and grabbed three rebounds when they met earlier this season in Waco, Texas. Perhaps his absence won’t be a major factor.

Still, Norchad Omier will likely have to play close to 40 minutes, whereas K-State can give Coleman Hawkins and David N’Guessan the occasional breather in the front court.

Baylor has a talent advantage over K-State. That much was clear when the Bears gave the ball to VJ Edgecombe and got out of his way when they played a few months ago. Edgecombe went nuclear for 30 points in that game. K-State has no answers for him.

Tang will almost certainly have a strategic change prepared for Edgecombe. How will Drew respond?

The Bears limped to the finish line in the regular season, as they only won two of their final six games. It’s been nearly a month since they beat a team that is projected to make the NCAA Tournament.

Of course, the same could be said for the Wildcats. They had only won two of seven before they defeated Arizona State on Tuesday.

All things being considered, this game feels like a toss up. I expect it to go down to the wire, which means I like K-State to cover the spread. But I give Baylor a small edge, simply because it will benefit from a rest advantage as the Wildcats play their second game in two days.

History is also not on K-State’s side, as the Wildcats haven’t won multiple games at the Big 12 Tournament since 2013.

Baylor 68, K-State 67

Last game prediction: K-State 70, Arizona State 60

Actual score: K-State 71, Arizona State 66

Season record: 21-11

Season record ATS: 14-18

Season record O/U: 18-14

Kellis Robinett

The Wichita Eagle

Kellis Robinett covers Kansas State athletics for The Wichita Eagle and The Kansas City Star. A winner of more than a dozen national writing awards, he lives in Manhattan with his wife and four children.