Tonight is Senior Night for two Kansas University women’s basketball players.

One — Aquanita Burras — will be logging considerable minutes when the Jayhawks tangle with Big 12 Conference leader Baylor, but the other — Blair Waltz — most likely won’t.

Tipoff is 7:05 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse. The game will be televised live on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

“I can’t get my emotions up high and get too pumped up,” said Burras, a 5-foot-9 guard from Colorado Springs, Colo., “because when I get too pumped up I go too fast.”

Burras has been a workhorse for coach Bonnie Henrickson, averaging about 35 minutes a game.

“She’s been a defensive leader since we got here,” Henrickson said. “Aqua really might be the best on-ball defender that I’ve ever coached. When she comes with a focus and intensity, and the discipline to understand what her responsibilities are, she’s a very, very good defender.”

Waltz, however, has seen her minutes decrease since Henrickson took over. After averaging 23.5 minutes in her first three seasons — and making 52 starts — Waltz, a 6-0 forward from Blue Valley North, is averaging only 11.4 minutes as a senior and is averaging 1.8 points and 1.1 rebounds a game.

Nevertheless, Henrickson stressed Waltz’s value runs deeper than the stat sheet.

“The kid comes right every day,” the KU coach said, “and if you watched practice, you’d think she played 40 minutes a game. You can’t discount or underappreciate a young lady like that.”

Kansas-Baylor game notes (.pdf)

Kansas will have its hands full with No. 6-ranked Baylor. The Bears are 21-3 overall and 11-2 in Big 12 games. Kansas is 12-12 overall and 5-8 in the league.

Baylor’s 1-2 punch of Sophia Young and Stephanie Blackmon has been virtually unstoppable. The two post players are averaging a combined 33.9 points and 17.7 rebounds a game.

“They have tremendous athleticism, obviously, and arguably the best post tandem in the country, with speed and athleticism out around the corners,” Henrickson said. “They’re going to try and create some offense from their defense, which they have all year, so we’ve got to be able to take care of the ball on our end.”

After tonight, KU will have two road games remaining, also against upper-echelon league teams. The Jayhawks will travel to Kansas State on Saturday, then to Iowa State on March 1.

The Big 12 tournament will begin March 8 at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.