KANSAS

Kansas Basketball Suffers Biggest Blown Lead in School History Against Baylor

The Jayhawks endured a rough outing in Waco.

Mathey Gibson

Feb 1, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson (1) and Baylor Bears forward Norchad Omier (15) battle for position during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Feb 1, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson (1) and Baylor Bears forward Norchad Omier (15) battle for position during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images / Chris Jones-Imagn Images
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Kansas basketball experienced a historic meltdown on Saturday, blowing a 21-point lead—the largest in program history—in an 81-70 loss to Baylor.

The Jayhawks dominated early, leading 38-17 late in the first half, thanks to strong performances from Hunter Dickinson and Rylan Griffen.

However, the second half was a completely different story.

Baylor outscored Kansas 60-30 after halftime, flipping the script with relentless defensive pressure and hot shooting from beyond the arc.

The Bears shot 58% from the field in the second half, including 8-for-13 from three-point range, while Kansas struggled to find any offensive rhythm, shooting just 35% in the same stretch.

Baylor’s comeback was fueled by a 19-2 run midway through the second half, erasing the Jayhawks' double-digit cushion in less than eight minutes.

Kansas turned the ball over seven times after the break, leading to easy transition points for the Bears.

This loss marks the biggest blown lead in Kansas basketball history, surpassing their previous record of a 19-point collapse.

Kansas will host No. 3 Iowa State on Monday, while Baylor heads to face No. 22 Texas Tech on Tuesday.

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Mathey Gibson
MATHEY GIBSON

Mathey Gibson is the Managing Editor for the Kansas Jayhawks On SI. A graduate of the University of Alabama, he has extensive experience covering major college sports, including reporting on Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like Alabama Crimson Tide On SI, The Crimson White, and Tide Illustrated. Now focused on Kansas, Gibson has covered significant events such as the NCAA Tournament, College World Series, and the College Football Playoff, bringing a deep understanding of collegiate athletics to one of the nation’s premier programs.

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