Kansas basketball vs Baylor: Scouting report, prediction, update on Dajuan Harris Jr.
Jordan GuskeyLAWRENCE — Kansas basketball will go up against Baylor on Saturday on the road during Big 12 Conference play.
The No. 11 Jayhawks (15-5, 6-3 in Big 12) are coming off a win at home against UCF. The Bears (13-7, 5-4 in Big 12) are coming off a loss on the road against BYU. Neither team is without talent, and this will be a challenging matchup on each side.
Ahead of tip-off, scheduled for 3 p.m. (CT), think about these topics and this prediction:
RELATED:Pushed to the edge, Kansas basketball avoids deflating upset, beats UCF at home
Will Dajuan Harris Jr. play for Kansas?
Dajuan Harris Jr. missed his first game all season this past Tuesday when Kansas beat UCF. It was clear the Jayhawks missed the guard, on both ends of the court. On Thursday, coach Bill Self said he hoped Harris would be able to practice that day, that he was told Harris should be able to, but that Harris may be limited.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Should Harris be unavailable Saturday, or just not in the game at a certain point, Self outlined he wants to see more energy from guard Shakeel Moore at the point than Moore played with against UCF. Of course, Self allowed, Moore is dealing with a sore foot. But Self also noted Moore needs to be engaged on both ends of the court in a way Moore wasn’t that night.
How is KJ Adams doing, after returning from injury?
Kansas got forward KJ Adams back for UCF after he’d missed the past three games. Updating how Adams was feeling a couple of days later, Self explained Adams said he was sore. But Self didn’t appear concerned about Adams moving forward and said Adams would practice Thursday, just potentially in a limited fashion.
Jayhawks guard David Coit said having Adams back was super important, and described both Adams and Harris as undervalued players. Coit explained those two change the game just with their presence. Coit added Adams takes pressure off of center Hunter Dickinson, and the guards as well, because of what Adams is capable of on both ends of the court.
What stands out about Baylor?
Self noted that Baylor has had to deal with injuries this season and that probably two or three weeks ago Bears coach Scott Drew told him Baylor had only had its top eight players together for practice just eight times. Amid all of that, though, Self added Bears standout Robert O. Wright III is one of the best point guard prospects in the nation. Self also highlighted that guard VJ Edgecombe is in line to be a high NBA draft pick.
Self described Baylor, which also has a forward in Norchad Omier who’s thriving, as a dangerous team moving forward. The two teams have been similar, in Self’s mind, in that when they’ve been good they’ve been really good, and when they haven’t there’s been too much of a drop-off. Which team can be more consistent will be something to watch on Saturday.
Kansas basketball vs Baylor prediction
Winning on the road against Baylor would be a challenge even if Kansas was at full strength, so having to persevere through that will be difficult for the Jayhawks. But Kansas was able to provide itself with some relief, by escaping the UCF game with a win. Look for the momentum from that to continue, as the Jayhawks earn a 75-69 win.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.