Three Thoughts on No. 5 Kansas’ 87-71 Comeback Victory Over No. 9 Baylor
The fifth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks and ninth-ranked Baylor Bears engaged in an enormous tilt Saturday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse, and boy, was it a wave of emotions for both clubs. What the experts hyped up as one of the games of the season in the Big 12 didn’t feature a down-to-the-wire finish, but it showcased plenty of reasons why these two teams can compete for the national championship once March Madness rolls around.
The Jayhawks ultimately pulled out an 87-71 victory over the Bears when all was said and done in Lawrence. Here are three thoughts on the game.
Kansas keeps pace with Texas atop league race with four games remaining
This contest was obviously set to have major implications in the league race. A Baylor win would have meant a game lead and the tiebreaker on Kansas. A Kansas win, however, as it turns out, puts it up a game after splitting the season series. It secures a big time victory in the chase for a 17th conference title in the last 19 seasons. And the Jayhawks control their own destiny, taking on the Longhorns in Austin in the season finale, with battles at TCU and against West Virginia and Texas Tech still to go on the schedule.
Rock Chalk Rally, total 180
It was all Bears in the first half. The visitors did what they wanted in building a 45-32 halftime edge. They were up by as much as 16 before the break. But it all changed after intermission. The Jayhawks stormed out of the intermission gates on a 20-4 run for their first lead since the 13:25 mark of the first half at 52-49. They never trailed again. The Jayhawks turned it into a runaway, posting 55 points in the second half to only 26 for the Bears, as they led by as much as 18 in the final minute of action.
LJ Cryer, Adam Flagler and Keyonte George show why they’re the best guard trio in the country
It goes down as a loss for Baylor, but that doesn’t mean its outstanding backcourt didn’t have its moments. In fact, the first half play of Cryer, Flagler and George is the reason the hosts were staring at a 13-point deficit at half. They combined for eight threes and 42 out of the team’s 45 points in that opening frame. However, the three cooled off from that point on, despite finishing with 57 combined points. Flagler led them with 20, while George had 20 and Cryer added 15.
