Kansas State basketball: How to watch, odds, key matchups, and more vs. No. 9 Baylor

How to watch

Channel: ESPN+ I Fubo TV
Date: Tuesday, January 16
Game Time: 7:00 p.m. CT
Radio: K-State Sports Network
Venue: Bramlage Coliseum

All-time history

• The all-time series is tied 25-25
• Kansas State is 3-7 in their last 10 matchups against Baylor
• Kansas State is 13-11 at home against Baylor

Baylor narrowly favored

No. 9 Baylor is just a 1.5-point favorite over Kansas State in their matchup on Tuesday. The Bears just humped from No. 14 to No. 9 after a week of upsets in college basketball. However, it is interesting to see the Bears such a narrow favorite over a 12-4 Wildcat team.

The Bears have played only six games away from home this season, five of those at neutral sites. As all K-State fans know, when teams come into the Bramlage Coliseum, otherwise known as the Octagon of Doom, the crowd is a factor. I think the crowd will rock Baylor and give the Wildcats enough of a boost to hand Baylor their first conference loss.

The Wildcats are coming off a tough one-point deficit against Texas Tech on Saturday, where the Cats held an 11-point lead at one point in the game. Head coach Jerome Tang had seven wins over ranked opponents last year in his first season as a head coach and looks to add another one in the win column against Baylor on Tuesday.

Key matchups

Kansas State has three players ranked in the top 15 in scoring, Cam Carter, Tylor Perry, and Arthur Kaluma. Carter and Kaluma have each scored at least 10 points in Big 12 games. In his last two games, Perry has scored a combined 38 points. As long as these three players can get open and take shots both from the paint and beyond the arc, the Wildcats have a high chance at beating the Bears.

Prediction

Yes, Vegas has Baylor favored in this matchup, but I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that they are ranked. I think the Wildcats are coming in with a chip on their shoulder after the loss at Texas Tech. K-State will come in at home ready to take on Tang's former team and set the tone early defensively.

I am going to take the Wildcats in a narrow victory in this one. I think Tang will be ready and have a solid game plan against this number-one-ranked offense in the Big 12. I give Kansas State the victory 77-73 over Baylor.