By Michael Haag | Sports Editor
Even Kansas head coach Bill Self admitted Baylor handed his Jayhawks three or four free possessions during Saturday’s contest.
Baylor matched a season-high 21 turnovers in the 64-61 road loss, which marked the second time in the last three games that the Bears have turned the ball over 20 or more times. Head coach Scott Drew said he expects better ball security moving forward.
“You just can’t have a lot of unforced ones,” Drew said. “Obviously, Kansas’ defense caused a couple. Their length on our drives tipped some balls, and they did a good job with that. But we had way too many self-inflicted wounds, I like to call them.
“Just not catching the ball with two hands, not hitting a person in the shooting pocket or where they want it. So hopefully it’s a one-game anomaly, from the standpoint that we’ve been overall very good taking care of the ball and with our turnovers.”
These are the final 30 seconds of the game that had Bill Self very frustrated postgame. It doesn't look great… #KUbball pic.twitter.com/l0NFB7invu
— Michael Swain (@MSwain247) February 11, 2024
With the loss, Baylor (17-6, 6-4 Big 12) is now tied for fourth place in the Big 12 as of Monday morning. The Bears’ three game-winning streak was snapped in the process, and now they look toward a clash with No. 25 Oklahoma, which is set for 8 p.m. on Tuesday in the Foster Pavilion.
The Sooners (18-6, 6-5 Big 12), who hold sole possession of sixth place in the conference standings entering Monday, will visit Waco for the final time as part of the league. Baylor won’t take a trip to Norman, Okla., so Tuesday marks the last meeting between the longtime rivals as members of the Big 12.
Drew said Oklahoma is another strong Big 12 foe that will be tough to defeat on Tuesday. This is the first meeting since March 1, 2016, in which both programs are ranked in the AP Top 25.
“Another excellent team defensively, offensively,” Drew said. “Defensively, they rank higher than they do offensively nationally. … Their two guards are very quick, very athletic; they can hurt you in a bunch of ways. And then, through the portal, they brought in a lot of players with playing experience that have not only played Power Six basketball but started and been effective in Power Six basketball.”
Going into Monday, the Sooners rank 30th overall and sixth in the Big 12 in the NET. Ten teams in the conference are in the top 45. By comparison, the Bears are 12th overall and fifth in the league.
Oklahoma is also coming off a four-point Bedlam win over Oklahoma State on Saturday in Norman, Okla. Junior forward Jalon Moore led the Sooners with 15 points, as he was the lone player on his side to record double figures.
Baylor, meanwhile, is looking to get back in the win column after Saturday’s heartbreaking loss to Kansas. Following a 21-point outburst, freshman center Yves Missi was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Monday. Missi averaged 19 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game last week.
Drew said the 7-footer has found success by being more assertive.
“The other thing is, the more our guys get used to playing with him, the more they expect from him, the more they look to him,” Drew said. “So he’s done a good job really being efficient offensively and taking care of the basketball.
“A lot of times, freshman bigs can have a turnover problem, just getting used to the spacing and physicality and defenses, putting two on the ball and whatnot. But Yves has really done a great job, and the team’s done a good job finding him.”
Baylor freshman Yves Missi wins the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honor after averaging 19 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in two games last week. He's the third Big 12 honoree this season after Ja'Kobe Walter (Newcomer) and RayJ Dennis (Player of Week).
— Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry) February 12, 2024
The Bears may be without redshirt sophomore guard Langston Love, who’s been the team’s leading scorer (12.8 points per game) in Big 12 play, despite coming off the bench. Love missed the Kansas game with an undisclosed leg injury and is still “day-to-day,” according to Drew.
Freshman guard Miro Little played 19 minutes in place of Love on Saturday, something he said he had to be ready for as a rotational player who can have his name called at any moment.
“Every time I get in, I’m going to let the game come to me,” Little said. “Not force too much, just read and enjoy and have fun at the same time.”
Barring results from other league contests on Monday and Tuesday, Baylor could secure sole possession of fourth place in the conference or even take the third-place spot. Senior guard RayJ Dennis said the loss to the Jayhawks stings even more in terms of the Bears’ contention for the No. 1 spot in the Big 12.
“But those are good lessons you learn in losses,” Dennis said. “Maybe you learn a little more lessons by losing than had we pulled that game out. I think it’ll help us in the long run.”
Tipoff between Baylor and Oklahoma is set for 8 p.m. on Tuesday in the Foster Pavilion, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2. The Sooners lead the all-time series 46-24, but the Bears have won each of the last 10 regular-season meetings, including seven-straight at home and 12 of the last 14 meetings overall.
