Let's start with the obvious....
>Baylor wins for the first time in Ames, sweeps the Cyclones and snaps Iowa State's 21-game home court winning streak.
>When I wrote the look at the last five games last week, I said fighting ISU in the Hilton Coliseum was like fighting the Romans in Rome. Consider Rome conquered.
>Jake and others have said this, so I'll pile on. No one can suggest a better year of coaching that Scott Drew has done this year. But I've maintained the point that I think this is the kind of team that Drew works better with. When he doesn't have the one and done players, he's at his best.
>Has this team overachieved? In some cases yet because it's shot the ball better than what we thought it was going to shoot for the year. But it's defended so well. They actually played a little man to man Wednesday night. Actually, holding Iowa State to 70 is a really impressive effort because that's one of the best offensive teams in the country. The Cyclones are versatile. I like their big man Jameel McKay. He's really good.
>Pivotal moment is the 12-2 run the Bears made after trailing 64-57 with 7:22 to play. The Bears ripped four threes in that run -- Taurean Prince had two and Kenny Chery and Lester Medford each had one -- to give Baylor the lead for good, 69-66. Prince then added a fifth straight and Iowa State looked stunned. A game that looked like Iowa State was going to take control of suddenly flipped. Baylor went 14-26 from 3-point range and had more 3-point field goals than 2-point field goals (13).
>What we forgot: Austin Mills' 3-pointer midway through the second half that cut Iowa State's lead to 55-54. That was a pretty important basket.
>Great to see Kenny Chery return with a 15-point performance. He needed that. And it came at the right time. Better floor game with seven assists and only three turnovers.
>Taurean Prince is the best 6th man in college basketball. Honestly, how do you not appreciate someone coming off the bench and can give you double figures (sometimes 20 every night)?
>Second straight game with five players in double figures: Prince (20), Chery (15), Lester Medford (12), Royce O'Neale (10) and Rico Gathers (10). BTW, Gathers missed a double double with seven rebounds.
>Nine turnovers. Anything 12 or less and you have a chance to win.
>At 21-7, 9-6 Baylor has at least clinched a .500 record in the Big 12. There is no more fretting over the NCAA tournament. This is all about seeding. Baylor is at least a 5 seed in my judgment.
>Bears vs. West Virginia at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Ferrell Center. Be there!
This post was edited on 2/26 6:47 AM by K Lonnquist
>Baylor wins for the first time in Ames, sweeps the Cyclones and snaps Iowa State's 21-game home court winning streak.
>When I wrote the look at the last five games last week, I said fighting ISU in the Hilton Coliseum was like fighting the Romans in Rome. Consider Rome conquered.
>Jake and others have said this, so I'll pile on. No one can suggest a better year of coaching that Scott Drew has done this year. But I've maintained the point that I think this is the kind of team that Drew works better with. When he doesn't have the one and done players, he's at his best.
>Has this team overachieved? In some cases yet because it's shot the ball better than what we thought it was going to shoot for the year. But it's defended so well. They actually played a little man to man Wednesday night. Actually, holding Iowa State to 70 is a really impressive effort because that's one of the best offensive teams in the country. The Cyclones are versatile. I like their big man Jameel McKay. He's really good.
>Pivotal moment is the 12-2 run the Bears made after trailing 64-57 with 7:22 to play. The Bears ripped four threes in that run -- Taurean Prince had two and Kenny Chery and Lester Medford each had one -- to give Baylor the lead for good, 69-66. Prince then added a fifth straight and Iowa State looked stunned. A game that looked like Iowa State was going to take control of suddenly flipped. Baylor went 14-26 from 3-point range and had more 3-point field goals than 2-point field goals (13).
>What we forgot: Austin Mills' 3-pointer midway through the second half that cut Iowa State's lead to 55-54. That was a pretty important basket.
>Great to see Kenny Chery return with a 15-point performance. He needed that. And it came at the right time. Better floor game with seven assists and only three turnovers.
>Taurean Prince is the best 6th man in college basketball. Honestly, how do you not appreciate someone coming off the bench and can give you double figures (sometimes 20 every night)?
>Second straight game with five players in double figures: Prince (20), Chery (15), Lester Medford (12), Royce O'Neale (10) and Rico Gathers (10). BTW, Gathers missed a double double with seven rebounds.
>Nine turnovers. Anything 12 or less and you have a chance to win.
>At 21-7, 9-6 Baylor has at least clinched a .500 record in the Big 12. There is no more fretting over the NCAA tournament. This is all about seeding. Baylor is at least a 5 seed in my judgment.
>Bears vs. West Virginia at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Ferrell Center. Be there!
This post was edited on 2/26 6:47 AM by K Lonnquist
