Baylor comes to Kansas with the Big 12 lead on the line

Baylor basketball coach Scott Drew found himself rooting for fellow conference member/longtime nemesis Kansas on Saturday.

“We were cheering like heck for them because we needed those last two wins for the Big 12 to make sure we didn’t lose the challenge,” Drew said of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

“They did a great job in a hostile arena, coming through with a big win for the Big 12, but we’re not cheering for them (Wednesday) night,” Drew added with a laugh.

It’s been the job of KU coach Bill Self to convince his No. 3-ranked Jayhawks (19-2, 7-1 Big 12) that Wednesday’s game against No. 2 Baylor (20-1, 7-1) actually is a more important game than Saturday’s 79-73 victory over Kentucky at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.

“I’m not going to lie and say the Kentucky game didn’t mean something to our guys,” Self said. “That was a game everybody circles on the calendar going way back. Guys come to Kansas or go to Kentucky to play in those particular games. But to get a chance to play the second-ranked team in America, at home, tied for the league title, I think that’s a bigger venue.”

How big is Wednesday’s game which, will determine sole possession of first place in the Big 12?

Put it this way: The last time KU was ranked as high as No. 3 and hosted a higher ranked opponent was March 18, 1967, when the No. 3 Jayhawks defeated No. 2 Louisville 70-68 in the NCAA Tournament at Allen Fieldhouse.

The Bears, who start Big 12 player of the year candidate Johnathan Motley (6-10, junior) and Jo Lual-Acuil (7-foot, junior) in the frontcourt, traditionally have had great length in their 2-3 zone defense. This year they’ve also used a lot of man-to-man.

“There have been times we’ve attacked their zone great. There’s been times we were just awful in how we attacked it,” Self said. “It would be nice to make shots on top of that, then being able to keep them away from the glass. I really think their offensive rebounding is one of their biggest strengths because of their length,” Self added.

Motley, a 6-foot-10, 230-pound junior from Houston, leads the Bears in scoring (16.2 points) and rebounding (9.6). He exploded for 32 points and 20 rebounds in a 74-64 win over Texas on Jan. 17 in Waco, Texas. It was the first 30-20 game in Big 12 play since Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin in 2009.

“I was hoping he would test the (draft) waters last year because I thought he could be without question a first-round draft pick last year,” Self said. “It was smart for him to come back to school, and he’s certainly played himself into a higher pick. He’ll be a big challenge for Landen (Lucas) and our other big guys.”

Bragg’s court date moved – The scheduled first court appearance for Carlton Bragg, the Kansas sophomore charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, has been moved.

City of Lawrence Municipal Court documents show Bragg is scheduled to appear at 10:30 a.m. March 3. The charge against Bragg, 21, was entered in municipal court Monday after KU police said Friday he had been issued a notice to appear in court. Bragg was originally scheduled for a first appearance on Feb. 14.

Bragg has been indefinitely suspended from competition by KU coach Bill Self for an undisclosed team rules violation since Thursday night. Bragg missed Saturday’s game at Kentucky and won’t play Wednesday against Baylor.

This story was originally published January 31, 2017 at 7:32 PM with the headline "Baylor comes to Kansas with the Big 12 lead on the line."