Creighton vs Baylor Predictions & Game Preview- March 19, 2023 | March Madness 2023

Looking to secure the final spot in the Sweet 16 out of the South region of the March Madness bracket, Creighton will face off against Baylor.

The 7:10 EST matchup has a lot on the line, with both teams having the expectation of making a deep NCAA Tournament run coming into the year.

Baylor entered the tournament as a 3 seed after going 23-10 in the regular season and being ranked 14th in the nation, according to KenPom. They produced a convincing 74-56 victory over the 14th-seeded University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) in the opening round.

The Bears are led by the backcourt duo of Adam Flagler and Keyonte George, who have each averaged 15.6 points per game throughout the season. The duo combined for 33 points in their first-round victory.

Their well-rounded team effort has produced the second-best adjusted offensive efficiency as well as the 36th-best three-point shooting rate in the country. Defensively, they rank 98th in adjusted efficiency, doing a nice job avoiding fouling opponents and winning rebounding battles regularly.

It will not be an easy matchup against Creighton, who share some similar strengths. After going 22-12 in the regular season, Creighton was given a 6th seed in the tournament. They cruised past NC State 72-63 in the first round after the Wolfpack were a trendy upset pick.

It took an impressive game from 7-foot-1 center Ryan Kalkbrenner to get the win. The junior finished with a career-high 31 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. The backcourt duo of Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander also combine for 26.2 points per game on the season and are all capable of catching fire.

While they are a lower seed in the tournament, Creighton ranks 13th in KenPom ratings - one spot higher than the Bears. They are 14th in defensively adjusted efficiency, which is highlighted by their ability to hold opponents to just 42.0% from the field. The Bluejays also rank 29th in offensive efficiency and shoot 46.7% from the field, which is the 55th-best rate.

Creighton vs Baylor prediction

The outcome of this game will be largely dependent on Baylor's ability to guard Ryan Kalkbrenner.

They are somewhat limited at the big man position, with Flo Thamba and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchua each set to get an opportunity. If Kalkbrenner gets going early, as was the case in the opening round, it will be difficult for Baylor to get the win.

However, the Bears have more ways to win than the Bluejays and their athleticism will cause some issues. Expect their hard-nosed and switchable perimeter defense to cause problems and find a way to win.

They are favored by 1.5 points and for good reason. Expect this to be a game that comes down to the wire, but for Baylor to ultimately move onto the Sweet 16.