Baylor-Iowa State preview
(POST GAME THOUGHTS)
Now, the attitude going to Austin Saturday will be far better.
With no Rico Gathers, who started feeling ill during Tuesday's shoot around and missed his second game in the last week, No. 22 and shorthanded Baylor (19-7, 8-5) still mustered enough to beat Iowa State, 100-91, in overtime at the Ferrell Center. The home three-game league losing streak (Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech) ended. Baylor has won four straight against the Cyclones.
There are two things you are going to have to accept with this 2015-16 Baylor basketball team.
1. This is a really good offensive team that can find a lot of ways to score.
2. This is a really bad defensive team that doesn't challenge shots enough or just get enough stops.
The script played out just like we anticipated. Baylor shot 53 percent from the field and watched Iowas State shoot 51.5 percent. Baylor shot 44 percent from 3-point range. Iowa State shot 38 percent from 3-point range. There were some good defensive plays at the end of regulation that forced the extra period.
But for a team that really needed to feel better about itself, the Bears found the right elixir - the Cyclones (18-8, 7-6). They're not a very good defensive team either. Teams like Baylor are very comfortable playing them. Baylor definitely enjoys this kind of game where it can get a slew of high percentage shots and a lot of quality perimeter looks.
Enter Johnathan Motley. He scored a career-high 27 points in the 94-89 victory Jan. 9 in Ames, IA. He matched it Tuesday in Waco and added 10 rebounds. Transition play fits him. If the game gets more to a plodding style where it gets more physical in the block, Motley struggles. The same is for Terry Maston. He had 13 in Ames. He had 15 in Waco.
Lester Medford got well with 14 points (four 3-pointers) and nine assists. I thought his decision making was really good. In total, Baylor had 24 assists for 35 made field goals. Pretty good stuff.
You have to admit that when Baylor watched a seven-point lead in the final minutes disappear in the blink of an eye, you probably thought the Bears were going to give this one away. When Motley was blocked at the end of regulation, it had major nausea written all over it.
It's a really fun game to watch as fans, spectators and observers. It's a real nightmare for coaches. The Bears have a sweep of Iowa State. That could be really important for tiebreakers in the Big 12 tournament.
However, this is your team. It will score. It won't stop a lot of people. And it will find a way to get to the NCAA tournament. It's going to be a much different story Saturday afternoon in Austin. Baylor will need to take a grinding mentality to the Erwin Center.
For now, this group gets a chance to exhale.
(POST GAME THOUGHTS)
Now, the attitude going to Austin Saturday will be far better.
With no Rico Gathers, who started feeling ill during Tuesday's shoot around and missed his second game in the last week, No. 22 and shorthanded Baylor (19-7, 8-5) still mustered enough to beat Iowa State, 100-91, in overtime at the Ferrell Center. The home three-game league losing streak (Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech) ended. Baylor has won four straight against the Cyclones.
There are two things you are going to have to accept with this 2015-16 Baylor basketball team.
1. This is a really good offensive team that can find a lot of ways to score.
2. This is a really bad defensive team that doesn't challenge shots enough or just get enough stops.
The script played out just like we anticipated. Baylor shot 53 percent from the field and watched Iowas State shoot 51.5 percent. Baylor shot 44 percent from 3-point range. Iowa State shot 38 percent from 3-point range. There were some good defensive plays at the end of regulation that forced the extra period.
But for a team that really needed to feel better about itself, the Bears found the right elixir - the Cyclones (18-8, 7-6). They're not a very good defensive team either. Teams like Baylor are very comfortable playing them. Baylor definitely enjoys this kind of game where it can get a slew of high percentage shots and a lot of quality perimeter looks.
Enter Johnathan Motley. He scored a career-high 27 points in the 94-89 victory Jan. 9 in Ames, IA. He matched it Tuesday in Waco and added 10 rebounds. Transition play fits him. If the game gets more to a plodding style where it gets more physical in the block, Motley struggles. The same is for Terry Maston. He had 13 in Ames. He had 15 in Waco.
Lester Medford got well with 14 points (four 3-pointers) and nine assists. I thought his decision making was really good. In total, Baylor had 24 assists for 35 made field goals. Pretty good stuff.
You have to admit that when Baylor watched a seven-point lead in the final minutes disappear in the blink of an eye, you probably thought the Bears were going to give this one away. When Motley was blocked at the end of regulation, it had major nausea written all over it.
It's a really fun game to watch as fans, spectators and observers. It's a real nightmare for coaches. The Bears have a sweep of Iowa State. That could be really important for tiebreakers in the Big 12 tournament.
However, this is your team. It will score. It won't stop a lot of people. And it will find a way to get to the NCAA tournament. It's going to be a much different story Saturday afternoon in Austin. Baylor will need to take a grinding mentality to the Erwin Center.
For now, this group gets a chance to exhale.
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