Baylor vs. Kansas is becoming the rivalry in Big 12 basketball these days. While the overall series is lopsided – Kansas leads 34-7 – crunch it over the last four years and it’s far different.

Kansas leads only 4-3. But one of those Bears wins was in 2020 when they snapped a 17-game losing streak in the Allen Fieldhouse. The teams split the 2021 meetings. Each winning at home.

So here are these two powers meeting again in familiar territory – fighting for first place. Kansas (18-3, 7-1) leads Baylor (19-3, 7-2) by a half game in the standings. Baylor also has this streak going. The Bears have nine consecutive games against Top 10 teams.

But this game features each teams missing or possibly missing key players. Kansas was without Big 12 leading scorer Ochai Agbaji (20.5) because of COVID-19. He didn’t play Tuesday at Iowa State. Arizona State transfer Remy Martin also missed Iowa State with back issues.

Then there’s Baylor where the status of guards Adam Flagler (knee) and LJ Cryer (foot) – two of the top three scorers at 13.9 and 12.7 ppg - won’t be known until game time. Flagler didn't play Monday against West Virginia. Cryer has missed the last two games. Baylor head coach Scott Drew said it’s a pain tolerance for both. If either or both can play, the question becomes how much can either play.

“Yes. I learned early on that when you don’t’ plan for someone and then they do play, it’s a lot worse,’’ Drew said. “We always plan on people playing. And obviously those are two very good players as well.”

Still, these are two of the top five offensive teams in college basketball. Kansas averages 80 points per game and loves to get into transition. Baylor averages 78.8 points per game and shares the same goal. One of keys will be who does the better job of limiting the other from doing that.

They both shoot at a high percentage. Baylor is at 48.8 percent. Kansas 49.1. Both are better than 36 percent from the arc.

However, if Agbaji doesn’t play, that changes a lot from the arc as he was averaging 46 percent from there. That could mean a more concentrated effort for the Jayhawks to get the ball to center David McCormack who scored 20 points in Lawrence against Baylor last year. He’s been in double figures in three of his last four games.

“He’s had games where he’s been dominant, last year when they beat us up there, I think he had 14 in the first half,’’ Drew said. “He’s a tremendous player. He’s somebody who’s really talented. I don’t know how much his foot injury has effected him this year, but he’s definitely one of the best bigs in the country.’’

Baylor’s resiliency was found in the 81-77 Big Monday win over West Virginia, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the second half. James Akinjo scored 24. Matthew Mayer delivered all nine of his in the closing minutes.

Mix in the likes of Dale Bonner starting to find some offensive rhythm – averaging 6.3 points in his last three games – and the sum of the parts could be key to the Bears trying to take the lead in the Big 12.

“He’s someone that God’s blessed with talent and ability, Drew said., “and he’s worked hard and gotten better, and he’s had an opportunity to show what he can do. I know the teammates really like him and really trust him.”