Big 12 Conference action features a top-25 showdown between the #17 TCU Horned Frogs (17-7, 6-5 Big 12) versus the #14 Baylor Bears (18-6, 7-4 Big 12). TCU defeated Baylor earlier this season in an 88-87 victory in Waco.
Saturday’s tipoff is at 4 p.m. EST inside Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Baylor is a one-point favorite, and the over/under total is 148.5 points.
What to Know – #14 Baylor Bears
The Bears aim to improve to 3-0 in the month of February after earlier victories over Texas Tech and Oklahoma. Baylor finds itself a game ahead of the Horned Frogs in the conference standings and just one game back of the leading Texas Longhorns. In the KenPom rankings the Bears are ranked 13th and 11th in the NCAA NET rankings.
On offense, the Bears rank second in the conference averaging 79.0 points per game while shooting 44.8% from the field and 35.6% from the 3-point line. Baylor sits near the bottom of the Big 12 surrendering 69.2 ppg, 44.5% shooting from the floor, and 32.7% from beyond the arc.
Two players rank inside the top 10 in the conference in scoring. Keyonte George is fourth in the Big 12, averaging 17.5 ppg, while Adam Flagler is eighth, scoring 15.4 ppg.
Baylor is 12-11-1 against the spread so far during the 2022-23 season and 2-3-1 ATS on the road. The Bears are 14-6 over their last 20 matches against the Horned Frogs.
What to Know – #17 TCU Horned Frogs
TCU has lost two in a row and three of their last four to tumble down the rankings and Big 12 standings. The Horned Frogs are two games back of the Longhorns and need a win Saturday to keep their hopes alive of a regular season title. TCU is 23rd in the KenPom and 24th in the NET rankings.
TCU’s offense is fifth in the Big 12, scoring 76.6 ppg, connecting on 46.1% of its attempts from the floor and 28.7% from three. Defensively, the Horned Frogs are third in scoring defense, surrendering 66.6 ppg, 41.8% shooting from the field, and 30.2% from deep.
The leading scorer for the hosts is Mike Miles, who’s 18.1 ppg average has him second in the conference. Emmanuel Miller and Damion Baugh enter the weekend, both scoring 13.0 ppg for the Horned Frogs.
The Horned Frogs sport a 13-10-1 record ATS with an 8-4-1 record ATS on their home floor. TCU is 5-0 ATS in their last five home games against teams with a winning road record.
The Pick is In
Baylor’s schedule doesn’t get any easier after this weekend’s game against TCU, making this one a must-win if the Bears want to stay in the conference race. The Horned Frogs are a tough squad defensively, but Baylor’s ability to score with multiple players will be the difference here. We like Baylor to pull out a hard-fought road victory.
The Pick: #14 Baylor Bears ML
