Baylor (25-7)
COACH: Scott Drew, seven years at Baylor, two in NCAA tournament.
HOW THEY GOT IN: At-large bid
MATCHUP BREAKDOWN: Baylor has a lot of confidence entering the tournament, and it'll need it. Sam Houston State won't be here for the swag bag. The Bearkats might need to crash the boards five at a time to avoid being dominated in rebounding, but they embrace the role of David and already this season took a few good shots at Kentucky. The Bears are difficult to guard, with an experienced playmaker in Tweety Carter, a streaky long-range bomber in LaceDarius Dunn, and a formidable inside presence in Ekpe Udoh. The Bears like to zone opponents defensively, and the presence of Josh Lomers and Anthony Jones gives them three players 6-10 or taller along the back line. Finding a weakness won't be easy for Sam Houston State. The key might be pinning in Carter with on-ball defense. He's a very good distributor when he has an open lane.
GO-TO GUYS: Where the ball might go on a given possession depends on which spot on the floor the Bears find an advantage. The Bears developed a strong inside-out game with LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter capable of scorching from 3-point range, and Ekpe Udoh or Quincy Acy capable of a big night underneath. Carter, a senior who came to Baylor as one of the most prolific high school scorers of all-time, changed his game and was the Big 12 assists leader. He influences the attack and creates shots. Dunn was the Big 12's streakiest shooter and ranked second in the league with a 19.2-point average, which includes 3.3 makes on average from 3-point range. Udoh, a Michigan transfer, is an imposing force defensively who led the league in blocks. He can also convert boards into points.
THEY'LL KEEP WINNING IF: They don't get stagnant in their 2-3 zone defense. The Bears were the most improved defensive team in the Big 12, largely because they capitalized on Udoh's strengths to protect the glass and prevent second-chance points. But sometimes the zone breaks down along the perimeter and allows for easy shots. Drew, however, will occasionally energize his team by using a man-to-man scheme, which can be effective, especially in the paint. A postseason run to the NIT finals last season instilled confidence and was a good postseason primer for this NCAA bid.
STRENGTHS: The Bears' versatility and experience are chief assets. Carter can handle the ball, Dunn can shoot it and Udoh can block or rebound it. All three were chosen among the top 10 on the All-Big 12 team. With Udoh underneath, Baylor features a commanding inside presence many NCAA qualifiers lack, plus an experienced senior running the point is always a good thing.
WEAKNESSES: Production from others in the Baylor rotation has improved, though C Josh Lomers still struggles at times, plus Fs Anthony Jones and Quincy Acy are inconsistent. The only other NCAA bid under Drew resulted in a first-round defeat, but the coach gets a pass after inheriting a program rocked by turmoil, scandal and even the murder of a player.
