Stanford vs Baylor Picks and Odds (Nov. 20)

• #9 Baylor hosts Stanford on Saturday (November 20th, 1 pm ET) at the Ferrell Center, in Waco, TX
• The Bears are off to a 3-0 start, averaging 89.3 points per game
• Read below for odds, analysis and a betting prediction

#9 Baylor has started the 2021-22 campaign exactly how they finished up last season. By flat out dominating the opposition. The Bears breezed through the 2021 NCAA Tournament by winning all six games by at least 9 points en route to the national title, posting four victories of 13 points or more.

Through three games this season, Baylor has yet to break a sweat. They’ve racked up three wins of 27 points or more, ranking sixth in the country with an average score margin of +33.7. They’ll look to continue their hot start on Saturday (November 20th), when they host Stanford.

Stanford vs #9 Baylor Odds

Odds as of Nov. 19th at DraftKings.

The Bears opened up as a 14.5-point favorite, in a game that features a total of 141. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 pm ET at the Ferrell Center in Waco, a building Baylor where posted a perfect 12-0 mark last season.

Bears Breezing Past Competition

Last time out, Baylor posted its most lopsided victory of the season. The Bears trounced Central Arkansas 92-47, building a 23-point halftime lead and never looking back.

coast to coast 🏝#SicEm | #CultureofJOY 🏀 pic.twitter.com/wy9nRwWLsZ

— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) November 18, 2021

LJ Cryer led the attack with 20 points for the second game in a row, while freshman Kendall Brown added 19. Senior transfer James Akinjo posted 18 points and 10 boards, while Matthew Mayer chipped in with 12.

The Bears tied a school record with 21 steals en route to forcing 29 turnovers. Nope, that’s not a typo. They held their opponent to 31% from the field, and 14.3% from beyond the arc, while shooting 47.4% themselves.

2️⃣1️⃣ steals tonight ties a school record‼️

3️⃣-0️⃣‼️#SicEm | #CultureofJOY 🏀 pic.twitter.com/EOYHbcQaHL

— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) November 18, 2021

That’s the dangerous thing about this Baylor team. They’re just as dominant on defense as they are on offense. The Bears rank 16th in points per game (89.3) and 19th in points against (55.7). They lead the nation in assists per contest, while ranking second in made field goals, and 10th in total rebounding per game.

They’re holding enemy shooters to a 42.9% effective shooting percentage, while only four teams force more turnovers per outing.

Cardinal Off to Strong Start

Stanford meanwhile, are 3-1 to start the season, posting back-to-back victories. Last time out, they romped Valparaiso 74-60, led by Brandon Angel’s career-high 13 points. Noah Taitz splashed 11 points of his own, as Stanford built a 23 point second half lead and cruised to an easy win.

Those career-high high fives for @brandon_angel3 🙏#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/LMeJVOWHg1

— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) November 18, 2021

The Cardinal held the Beacons to 41.2% from the field, while dominating the rebounding battle and forcing 19 turnovers.

Offensively, they shot 46.3%, including a crisp 47.8% from beyond the arc, but those elite shooting numbers appear to be an outlier. Stanford ranks 149th so far in three point field goal percentage (33.7%), while averaging 71 points, the 152nd best mark in the country.

Took it inside, hit from outside. We did it 𝗔𝗟𝗟 this evening #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/oYs6mxS8HB

— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) November 18, 2021

Defensively, they’re yielding 65 points per outing despite facing just one program that ranks better than 242nd in offensive efficiency per KenPom.

That kind of effort is not going to cut it against the Bears, who rank eighth in offensive efficiency, and have averaged 83 points per game at home since the start of last season.

Stanford vs Baylor Pick

Baylor has won 16 straight overall at the Ferrell Center, and have been unstoppable versus non-conference opponents. Dating back to last season, they’re 17-0 against non-conference foes and they’re not only winning, they’re beating the spread at an outrageous clip as well.

There's no place like home‼️

1️⃣6️⃣-straight home wins is a new school record‼️#SicEm | #CultureofJOY 🏀 pic.twitter.com/QmbrjVjUt1

— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) November 18, 2021

The Bears are 13-4 against the spread during that stretch, and have already covered multiple double-digit lines this season.

Baylor is a massive step up in competition from what Stanford has seen this season, and the Cardinal just don’t have the talent to keep this game close.

Pick: Baylor -14.5 (-115)