Four of the seven players in Baylor’s rotation werent on the team last year … they’ve lost their top rebounder (JTT) and their leading scorer (Cryer) has been out for a month … yet the Bears are 24-5 & in line for a No. 1 seed … And no one is mentioning Scott Drew for COY? Wow
With four, 1st-year-at-Baylor players in his seven-man rotation, Scott Drew has
*won a second straight Big 12 title
*(most likely) secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Again.
*notched more Quadrant 1 wins than any school in the country
No other choice for Big 12 COY
I knew this Kansas team was challenged in terms of personnel, so I’m not shocked KU is having a lackluster season. What does surprise me, though, is that the Jayhawks aren’t improving. They’re getting worse. You never see that under Bill Self. His teams always get better.
Can’t imagine how sickening and gut-wrenching it must feel to get curb-stomped (once again) by your rival in the last-ever game at your historic arena.
#ouch
The Baylor player national media is forgetting about - and the one I’m most excited to watch - is guard LJ Cryer. Dude scored 3,488 points in big-class Texas high school basketball. That ranks No. 5 in state history, in any class. And No. 1 in Houston high school history
#stud
“(Baylor is) as physical, talented and quick as anyone we’ve played against” Villanova’s Jay Wright, and I’m wondering if he was talking about this season, or like … ever
I love this pic. It captures the key reason Baylor is so successful.
@MarkVitalJr
had 2pts Saturday & has had a frustrating tourney overall. But in this pic he radiates joy & positive energy. So selfless. It’s the perfect illustration of the key ingredient to BU’s program
People can analyze a dip in Kansas’ talent all they want. It’s true the Jayhawks have missed on some high-caliber guys. But Frank Mason & Devonte Graham weren’t exactly huge names either, and ... yeah. Fact is, KU has an elite coach who will develop his players & have them ready
Best play of that title game: Vital blocks Kispert, Butler comes up w/ the ball, races down the court for a fast-break layup, path gets block so he's SELFLESS enough to pull back & a cross-court pass to Flagler for a dagger 3 to make it 67-51 with 12:32 left. That was it.
My first assignment as the KU beat writer for the KCStar was covering Roy Williams’ decision about whether to leave for UNC. Glad he stuck around for 3 more seasons. Covering Roy, Hinrich, Collison, Gooden, Langford, Miles, Lee, Simien & Boschee were the best times of my career
Mark Few and Scott Drew have been Pickle Ball partners in the bubble during the NCAA tournament. Other participants a few weeks ago included Bryce Drew and Grant McCasland.
In 747 career Division I games coached by Bruce Weber, no opponent had ever reached the 100-point plateau. Until Saturday, when second-ranked Baylor beat K-State 100-69
In his entire career, Bruce Weber’s teams have surrendered 100 points in a single game twice. Both of those games occurred this season .... against Baylor.
Had a nice conversation w/ an elderly Arkansas fan in the concession stand line here at Lucas Oil Stadium. He bid me farewell when it was time for him order, but I heard him say: "Regular popcorn ... wait, make it a large. I need a little extra to throw at Baylor fans." 😂😂😂
Mark Vital to
@SicEm365
on Baylor's annihilation of Gonzaga: "They hadn't seen dawgs like us before. At the end of day, for 40 minutes, we just kicked their ass."
Leaving a school you led to the Final Four for a conference/in-state rival is a bold-ass move, but Chris Beard went all honey badger. Doesn't give a ****. One factor, I've heard, was Texas Tech's contract with Under Armor. Beard felt it hurt him in recruiting.
@JonRothstein
He is one of my favorite one-and-done players ever .... but this is 100 percent the wrong pick. Butler was the only choice for this award.
Baylor's suffocating defense limited Villanova to just 37 points - the lowest total of the Jay Wright era. The Wildcats' previous low was 40 against Connecticut in Wright's first season.
Nice one-on-one basketball there by Butler to beat his man off the dribble to score a key basket. Chris Beard wouldn't approve but it was a good play in my book.