The Baylor Bears take on the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence, KS. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
Kansas is favored by 7 points on the spread with a moneyline of -320. The total is set at 155.5 points.
Here’s my Baylor vs. Kansas prediction and college basketball picks for January 16, 2026.
Baylor vs Kansas Prediction
My Pick: Kansas -7
My Baylor vs Kansas best bet is on the Wildcats to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Baylor vs. Kansas Odds
| Baylor Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -110 | 155.5 -110 / -110 | +260 |
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -110 | 155.5 -110 / -110 | -320 |
- Baylor vs Kansas spread: Kansas -7
- Baylor vs Kansas over/under: 155.5 points
- Baylor vs Kansas moneyline: Baylor +260, Kansas -320
Baylor vs Kansas College Basketball Betting Preview
Baylor Basketball
Baylor is coming off a huge road victory, taking down a 13-3 Oklahoma State team in Stillwater on Tuesday night for its first Big 12 win of the season.
Scott Drew’s Bears have had an up-and-down season and enter Friday’s contest in Lawrence with an 11-5 record.
If Baylor can build on its road win over the Cowboys with an upset against Kansas, it would be a significant step toward strengthening its NCAA Tournament resume.
While Drew’s group boasts a ton of athleticism from top to bottom, it's struggled at times against teams that can match that physical profile. The Bears have been very dominant offensively, averaging just under 89 points per game, with an offensive efficiency rating that ranks 15th nationally.
Baylor is led by sophomore guard Cameron Carr, whose 20.2 points per game make him a top-30 scorer in college basketball.
Alongside Carr is 6-foot-5 freshman forward Tounde Yessoufou, who’s averaging 18 points per game along with six rebounds. Yessoufou, who hails from Benin in West Africa, was a top-10 five-star recruit entering the season and has certainly lived up to the hype.
The Bears have proven to be elite offensively, but on the other end of the floor, they’ve struggled mightily, which is very uncharacteristic of a Scott Drew-led team. In recent years, Drew has been regarded as a defensive mastermind, a trait that helped guide Baylor to a national title in 2021.
Baylor currently ranks outside the top 90 nationally in defensive efficiency, which could be concerning as it navigates a Big 12 schedule loaded with difficult matchups.
If the Bears can’t complement their offensive success with stout defense, it could become a serious issue against the likes of Iowa State, Houston and several other elite conference foes.
Kansas Basketball
Bill Self’s Jayhawks enter Friday night’s contest coming off their biggest win of the season, absolutely dismantling No. 2 Iowa State and handing the Cyclones their first loss. Kansas’ 21-point victory couldn't have come at a better time, with the Jayhawks having dropped two of their previous three games.
Tuesday night’s dominance was largely due to the return of freshman superstar Darryn Peterson, a 6-foot-6 guard whom most scouts believe will be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Peterson has drawn professional comparisons to the likes of Kobe Bryant and Brandon Roy, thanks to his uncanny ability to score from everywhere on the floor.
The Peterson saga has drawn substantial media attention, with the freshman having missed several games, followed by a minutes restriction Self seems very committed to. When active, Peterson has proven to be a top-five player in the country, averaging nearly 22 points per game along with five rebounds.
After an unconvincing 11-5 start to the season, many believed this could be an off year for the Jayhawks. That notion was put to rest following Tuesday night’s big win.
Now that Peterson is back in the mix — alongside guard Tre White and 6-foot-10 powerhouse forward Flory Bidunga — Kansas finds itself back in the national title picture.
While Kansas ranks outside the top 30 in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom, its defensive efficiency rating of 95.8 sits 15th nationally.
Fortunately for the Jayhawks, they remain in Lawrence for Friday’s matchup with Baylor — another opportunity at Allen Fieldhouse to build on the Iowa State win and potentially change the course of their season.
Baylor vs. Kansas Betting Analysis
A matchup with Kansas on Friday night should be a big opportunity for Baylor to show defensive improvement. Otherwise, the Bears will have their hands full with a Peterson-led Jayhawks team that dominates opponents on its home floor at Allen Fieldhouse.
Over the last two decades, Kansas has proven to be one of the most difficult teams in the country to defeat when playing in Lawrence. While I believe Baylor can match the Jayhawks’ athleticism and offensive firepower, I just can’t see the Bears containing the likes of Peterson and Bidunga.
I think Baylor should be able to hang around in the first half, but it’s an extremely tall order on the road against a Jayhawks team that just beat what many consider the best team in the country in Iowa State.
From a betting perspective, I think there’s really only one side to back in this matchup — and that’s Kansas. I’ll be looking to play the Jayhawks to cover against Baylor on Friday, and I expect Kansas to pick up another double-digit victory over a Big 12 foe in Lawrence.
My Pick: Kansas -7
