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KU Basketball: Where To Watch Kansas Vs Baylor

Dec 22, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self talks to guard Wayne Selden Jr. (1) during the first half against the San Diego State Aztecs at Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self talks to guard Wayne Selden Jr. (1) during the first half against the San Diego State Aztecs at Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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KU Basketball opens up Big 12 play with a matchup with the 23rd ranked Baylor Bears on Saturday.

On Saturday, January second, the second-ranked Kansas Jayhawks open their Big 12 season with a matchup against the Baylor Bears. The Bears are ranked twenty-third with a 10-2 record. They also lead the nation in team assists per game and should pose an interesting matchup for the Jayhawks.

The Jayhawks are likely to jump to the number one rank if they can win this game since Michigan State lost earlier this week to the Iowa Hawkeyes. They lost mostly in due part to their best player, Denzel Valentine missing the game due to injury.

Kansas has arguably the best roster talent-wise in the nation this season. Their lone loss is to the same number-one-ranked Spartans.

KU basketball has some pretty tough competition in the Big XII this season with Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma, and West Virginia all ranked in the current men’s basketball standings. They take on the #3 Oklahoma Sooners as soon as Monday coming off this matchup with Baylor to determine which of Oklahoma and Kansas will have the number one spot on Monday.

With the Big XII being so good this season, the talented Jayhawks won’t have a cake-walk to the tournament this year. This very well could be the year that they lose grip of the Big XII Conference and Championship titles, but with so much talent themselves, it should make for one hell of a conference season.

KU Basketball Television Viewing Essentials:

Who: #23 Baylor Bears (10-2)

Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas

When: Saturday, January 2nd, 3 p.m. CST

How: CBS; Jayhawk Radio Network

KU Basketball Live Stream: CBS Live

CBS Live tends to provide more video and highlights and less live streaming, but if you should be able to catch some highlights if you are on the go!

Related Story: Where to Live Stream Your Favorite Team

Three Players to Watch for the Baylor Bears

Taurean Prince – 15.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 78% free throw shooting

Rico Gathers – 14.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, 56% field goal shooting

Al Freeman – 13.2 points, 1.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds

Three Players to Watch for the Kansas Jayhawks

Frank Mason III – 13.3 points, 5.7 assists, 45% three-point shooting

Wayne Selden Jr. – 14.8 points, 3.2 assists, 53% three-point shooting

Perry Ellis – 15.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 53% field goal shooting

Kansas’ team program says this about the Jayhawks:

"Senior F Perry Ellis has pulled down nine rebounds in three of his last four games. Ellis leads KU in scoring at 15.1 points per contest and rebounds with a 6.2 average. His scoring average is tied for fifth in the Big 12 and his rebounds are 10th in the league. Junior G Wayne Selden Jr. leads Kansas with 31 3-point field goals made and a 52.5 3-point field goal percentage which both rank second in the Big 12. Selden scores 14.8 points per game, which is seventh in the conference.Junior G Frank Mason III has 24 assists and four turnovers in his last four games. He scores 13.3 points per contest and averages 3.9 rebounds per outing. Mason’s 22 steals are tied for first on the team with sophomore G Devonte’ Graham. The duo’s 1.8 steals per game are tied for sixth in the Big 12. Mason is third in the league, eighth nationally, with a 4.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. Graham is second in the Big 12, sixth in NCAA Division I, with a 4.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. His 3.4 assists per contest are 11th the conference. Graham scores 10.1 points per game. Senior F Hunter Mickelson (3.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, team-high 16 blocked shots) rounds out the KU starters."

The matchup with the Baylor Bears should be a good one and an exciting start to the 2016 Big 12 season for KU basketball.

Next: Ranking the KU Coaches all-Time

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