Big 12 Tournament 2012 Schedule and Bracket: Breaking Down Kansas vs. Baylor

The Kansas Jayhawks and Baylor Bears are all set to square off in the semifinals of the 2012 Big 12 tournament, and it's expected to be another thrilling game. 

Baylor lost to Kansas both times this year, but the Bears are fully capable of pulling off the upset. It's March, so anything can happen in college basketball. As with every year, it is best to expect the unexpected. 

Both teams are very strong and should have great success in the NCAA tournament, but their focus is on winning the conference tournament right now. 

That being said, let's take a look at some specifics of this Big 12 showdown. 

When: Friday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET 

Where: Sprint Center Kansas City, MO 

Watch: Big 12 Network, ESPNU 

Baylor Player to Watch 

Fresh off scoring a career-high 31 points, Perry Jones III is the Baylor player you need to keep an eye on. 

The sophomore forward is fighting hard—not just for his team, but also his draft stock. With consistent play, he can definitely work his way up to being a surefire lottery pick. 

Since he'll be up against the best team in the Big 12, this is a chance for Jones to really shine. Plus, his team desperately needs him to thrive. 

Jones is the best player on the Bears, and when he's off, Baylor is likely to go down. He did pretty well the first time against Kansas, but the second time he only scored five points. 

He's had his ups and downs this season, but now is the time for him to put all his attention toward beating Kansas, as it will help his draft stock and increase the chances of the Bears getting a high seed in the NCAA tournament. 

Kansas Player to Watch 

Thomas Robinson is the leader for the Jayhawks, averaging 18 points and 11.9 rebounds on the year.

He too has a chance to greatly increase his draft stock in this game and the rest of March. Having played very well against Baylor in both games, Robinson is sure to shine once again for Kansas. 

In the two games against Baylor, Robinson averaged 21 points and 12.5 rebounds. He's a beast for the Jayhawks, and this great trend versus Baylor should definitely continue on Friday night. 

Robinson has dealt with a great deal of adversity over the last year or so, but his level of play hasn't been hindered because of it. 

Look for Robinson to dominate the stat sheet tonight, carrying the Jayhawks from tip-off all the way till the clock hits triple zero. 

Key Matchup 

The key matchup in this Baylor vs. Kansas rematch is all about the big men. 

For Baylor, in addition to Jones there is Quincy Ash and Quincy Miller, and they're going to have to rise up if the Bears hope to pull of the upset. 

For Kansas, in addition to Robinson there is Jeff Withey, a 7-foot center who is capable of having a monster performance on any given night. 

How these guys match up against one another will determine who wins this game. If the Bears' forwards control the paint, then the Jayhawks will have a tough time in the game. They'll have to rely on their guards to not have an off night of shooting. 

If the Jayhawks' big men are able to dominate down low, then it's going to be a long night for Baylor because the guard play from Kansas is going to be elite. 

Prediction 

Expect Baylor to put up a good fight and fare better than it did in the previous meetings it had with Kansas. It's tournament time, so each of the Bears will be ready to rock. 

Unfortunately, Kansas is the much better team, and the Jayhawks will come out on top. Robinson steals the show and powers past Baylor in the closing minutes of the game. 

Kansas 72, Baylor 68