Kansas vs. Baylor: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2015 Regular Season

After playing one of the most difficult nonconference schedules in the country, Kansas was ready for Big 12 play. 

Beginning their quest for an 11th consecutive conference championship, the No. 12 Jayhawks went into Waco and held off No. 21 Baylor, 56-55, in a back-and-forth affair on Wednesday night. 

Kansas' nonconference murderers' row included games against Kentucky, Michigan State, Florida, Georgetown, Utah, Temple and UNLV. But the Jayhawks knew that conference play was still an entirely different challenge. 

"It's real different," said sophomore Wayne Selden before the game, via The Associated Press' Dave Skretta (h/t NCAA.com), "the intensity, the fans, the away crowds, the home crowds, everything about it is different."

Selden knocked down a handful of clutch baskets down the stretch, Jamari Traylor, Frank Mason and Brannen Greene each scored in double digits and the Jayhawks overcame an ugly 18-point first half to shoot 47.1 percent from the field. 

247Sports' Matt Scott noted an impressive streak for the Jayhawks, who have long dominated the Big 12:

Kenny Chery had 25 points, and the Bears, as they have done all season, dominated the offensive glass. But Scott Drew's squad was sloppy down the stretch, as ESPN's Jeff Borzello illustrated:

For fans who enjoy watching the ball go inside the basket, the first half wasn't a good one. Both teams shot under 30 percent from the field, and as ESPN noted, the top highlight was called off by a charge:

"

Baylor leads Kansas, 22-18, at the half. Johnathan Motley threw down a ridiculous dunk but was called for the charge http://t.co/1hLCbF6A5m

— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) January 8, 2015"

The Bears, though, fueled by 10 points from Chery, led for almost the entire half and were still able to take a 22-18 lead into the locker room. 

Kansas' inability to attack the zone with any consistency led to a lot of low-percentage, highly contested shots, but Traylor immediately changed that in the second half. Operating at the high post and collapsing the zone with his dribble, he scored the Jayhawks' first seven points out of the break. 

247Sports' Matt Scott put it simply:

But after Traylor put Kansas in front, he picked up his third and fourth fouls within a minute of each other, forcing him to the bench with 11:06 to go. He returned about five minutes later and immediately fouled out on a three-point play from Chery. 

The Jayhawks' backcourt picked up the slack, though. Greene knocked down a couple of jumpers, Mason penetrated into the teeth of the zone to score and Selden took over down the stretch, scoring seven straight points to give his team a late three-point lead. 

ESPN's Jeff Goodman noted the importance of the talented sophomore stepping up for Kansas:

Chery kept Baylor close, but his inbounds pass with just under 10 seconds remaining was turned into a turnover by Kelly Oubre's long arms. And when a missed free-throw from Mason gave Baylor another chance, the Bears couldn't get a shot off before the buzzer. 

CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein summed it up:

Kansas will return to Allen Fieldhouse to face Texas Tech on Saturday night, while Baylor will continue to search for its first conference victory against an improved TCU squad at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. 

Looking beyond that, Wednesday's tough, physical contest served as an example of what both of these teams can expect to see on a nightly basis in the deep Big 12.