Published Feb 1, 2025
Quick recap: Kansas blows 21-point first half lead to shorthanded Baylor
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Sam Winton  •  JayhawkSlant
Staff Writer
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Kansas' 19-point halftime lead vanished in the first seven minutes of the second half. The Jayhawks battled and held leads in the second half, but couldn't come out with the win, falling 81-70 to Baylor in Waco on Saturday. The Jayhawks at one point held a 21-point lead, blowing the largest lead in school history.


The Bears played without Jeremy Roach and Langston Love, and freshman standout VJ Edgecombe left the game with an injury after scoring 14. Fellow freshman Robert Wright III took over the game for Baylor, finishing with a career-high 24 points. Norchad Omier tallied 18 points and 16 rebounds.


Hunter Dickinson powered the Jayhawks' offense with 20 points but fouled out with about a minute to play. Dajuan Harris made his return after a one-game absence due to an ankle injury, and he finished with 12 points and 8 assists.


The Jayhawks got a boost from their bench, with Rylan Griffen and Diggy Coit each knocking down multiple threes. Kansas completely fell apart down the stretch, falling to 6-4 in Big 12 play.


First half

Hunter Dickinson knocked down a pair of short jumpers, but that was the only offense the Jayhawks managed in the first four minutes. Kansas missed its first three shots from outside as Baylor got off to a similarly cold start. The Bears led 5-4 at the under-16 thanks to four early from freshman standout VJ Edgecombe.


Kansas heated up following the cold start, making five shots in a row. Rylan Griffen knocked down the Jayhawks' first three as they pushed in front. Griffen converted a zone-beating lob to give Kansas a 15-9 lead.


The Jayhawks had another quick spurt to total a 15-1 run over four minutes. Diggy Coit stayed hot with a pair of threes, and Flory Bidunga had a steal and dunk to extend Kansas' lead to 23-10.


Griffen knocked down another three and Kansas was rolling, leading 26-12 at the under-eight timeout.


Baylor struggled to put the ball in the basket, going scoreless for over four minutes. Edgecombe broke the ice with a three, but the Bears continued to play from behind. Kansas held a firm 32-15 advantage with 3:58 to play in the first half.


Kansas took a 40-21 lead into the half, shooting an efficient 57.7% from the floor. Edgecombe had over half of Baylor's first half points, and the Bears turned it over 12 times and made just one three.

Second half

Self called an early timeout after a 7-0 spurt from Baylor. Norchad Omier knocked down a three and Robert Wright III got to the rim for a layup to cut into Kansas' lead, with the Bears still trailing 40-28.


Jalen Celestine hit consecutive threes to energize the Foster Pavilion crowd and make the score 44-38. Baylor was right back into the game just five minutes into the second half.


The Bears erased a 19-point halftime deficit in seven minutes, taking a 47-46 lead from two free throws following a Kansas turnover. Zeke Mayo answered with a three on an extra possession created by KJ Adams. Harris finished a layup through contact to give Kansas a 51-47 lead going into the under-12 timeout.


The Jayhawks took control, going on a 13-2 run. Mayo knocked down another three, and Adams scored a second-chance bucket to put Kansas' lead back at double-digits, 59-49.


After Edgecombe left the game with an injury, Wright started to take over for the Bears. He converted an and-one and got to the rim again to cut Baylor's deficit to six.


Wright tied the game at 63-63 with another shot inside the paint. Celestine capped off an 11-0 Baylor run with a fly-by three to put the Bears on top at the under-four timeout.


Omier gave Baylor a 72-63 lead with 2:19 to play with a pair of free throws. Baylor secured the victory with a 17-0 run late in the second half.