Baylor Bears
Big 12 (18-14, 9-9)
Anyone who has seen Baylor play this year knows that they are not quite the team they were last year. Gone are Perry Jones III and Quincy Acy, two lottery picks in last year’s NBA draft. Losing that kind of production would hurt any team. The lone star holdover from last year is Pierre Jackson. He has done whatever he can to hold Baylor’s season together. They were the very definition of a bubble team. In any tournament, Baylor would not be considered a favorite to win it all. However, they do possess the ability to go in and knock off one or two of the frontrunners if they play their best.
Big Wins: 12/1 at Kentucky (64-55), 1/21 Oklahoma State (64-54), 3/9 Kansas (81-58)
Bad Losses: 11/24 Charleston (59-63), 12/4 Northwestern (70-74), 3/4 at Texas (70-79)
Coach: Scott Drew (10 seasons at Baylor)
Why They Can Surprise:
Statistically, Baylor is still a team that can put points up and play good team basketball. They are top 30 nationally in scoring (74.5 points per game). Jackson shares the ball as well as anybody. Alone he averages over six assists per game. As a team, the Bears average over 15 per contest. They constantly look for the open man for smart shots. They are also strong at cleaning up the glass at nearly 38 per game. As a team, the Bears shoot over 45 percent from the field, which is good for third best in the Big 12. Scott Drew also has some great young talent in the mix after losing Jones and Acy. Freshman Isaiah Austin is certainly in consideration for Big 12 freshman of the year. He is third in the conference in field goal percentage and second in rebounding, and he had ten double-doubles in his first year. He can become a force on the interior and take Baylor to the next level. If the game becomes a scoring battle then the Bears have a chance to come away with a victory. Their bread is buttered when the ball is in their offensive half.
Why They Can Disappoint:
The Bears have some baffling losses this season, which would really hurt any team’s chances to make the NCAA tournament. Based on those performances it would be difficult to see them having any sort of run in them for the postseason. All of their brutal losses were on their home court as well. As adept as they are at scoring themselves, they have a tough time stopping their opponents. They allow over 65 points per game (bottom half of the Big 12). They do not generate many turnovers in the defensive zone. At merely 6.7 steals per game and only a 1.0 in turnover margin, they are not doing their offense any favors. In fact, they are poor at protecting the ball. They give it up nearly 13 times per game to the other side. That will not win you too many games down the stretch. Perhaps the most frustrating thing for Baylor is their poor free-throw shooting. They rank in the bottom half nationally from the stripe (third worst in Big 12) at 67.9 percent. When a game is on the line, missing those shots is sure to cost them.
Probable Starters:
Pierre Jackson, Senior, Guard, 19.8 ppg, 6.5 apg, 3.6 rpg
Brady Heslip, Junior, Guard, 8.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg
A.J. Walton, Senior, Guard, 7.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg,
Isaiah Austin, Freshman, Center, 13.2 ppg,8.6 rpg
Cory Jefferson, Junior, Forward, 12.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.0 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
Gary Franklin, Junior, Guard, 3.9 ppg, 1.0 apg
Deuce Bello, Sophomore, Guard, 2.2 ppg
Rico Gathers, Freshman, Forward, 5.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 74.5 (30th in nation, 3rd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 65.7 (152, 6)
Field-Goal Percentage: 45.3 (77, 3)
Field-Goal Defense: 40.9 (88, 4)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.0 (86, 2)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.0 (110, 4)
Free-Throw Percentage: 67.9 (217, 7)
Rebound Margin: 2.5 (106, 4)
Assists Per Game: 15.3 (27, 3)
Turnovers Per Game: 12.4 (93, 3)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
2012 NCAA Round of 64 win over South Dakota State
2012 NCAA Round of 32 win over Colorado
2012 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Xavier
2012 NCAA Regional Final loss to Kentucky
2010 NCAA Round of 64 win over Sam Houston State
2010 NCAA Round of 32 win over Old Dominion
2010 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over St. Mary's
2010 NCAA Regional Final loss to Duke
2009 NIT First Round win over Georgetown
2009 NIT Second Round win over Virginia Tech
2009 NIT Quarterfinal win over Auburn
2009 NIT Semifinal win over San Diego State
2009 NIT Final loss to Penn State
2008 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Purdue
2001 NIT First Round loss to New Mexico
*all team stats through 3/10
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
