By KEVIN LONNQUIST
Publisher
Let's call this for what it is: this was a major meltdown. When you're up 12 points (56-44) with 2:54 to play, Baylor had control of this game. That calls for game management. You grind the clock down and work possessions inside of 10 seconds. Of course, your opponent has to do its part and play it straight up. But Baylor did none of that. The Bears were careless with the ball and paid for it dearly with four in that timespan. The missed dunk by Rico Gathers is mind boggling but when the best free throw shooter in the history of Baylor misses the front end of a one-and-one with 15 seconds to play. Who would have thought that?
We can rip Scott Drew all we want. When you're up double figures, the clock is your ally. Continue to make it your ally by bleeding it. Baylor just didn't execute.
I said the one thing that hurt this team is that it has been up and down with its ball handling all season long. This team has turned it over 15 or more times in nine games. Now, make it 10. And then four of a season-high 21 are committed in the final 2:54. Baylor had been playing with fire all day. The Bears had six turnovers in the first six minutes of the second half. Sooner or later this is going to catch up to you.
What's even more stunning is that your most experienced players made mistakes. Royce O'Neale had two turnovers. Taurean Prince had two turnovers. It just shows that the NCAA tournament is a different game. The emotions are so much a part of this game that it causes you to play differently than what you saw between December and early March.
You just have to tip your cap to R.J. Hunter. The kid hit an incredible shot. But that's why he's considered a potential NBA first round pick. There's nothing except to live with the result. The NCAA tournament is very cruel because of the finality. Everything you've sweated and worked on since October comes to an abrupt halt. But that's also the beauty of the tournament. When you're on the other side, there is no better feeling.
Baylor's guards of Kenny Chery and Lester Medford were just average today. Neither was in double figures scoring and combined for eight assists and five turnovers. Meh.
Yes, this is a loss that will stick with everybody for a long time. Probably until October when workouts begin for 2015-16. But the Bears can take solace in a season that went beyond expectations with a 24-10 record, sweeping Iowa State and sweeping West Virginia. Everybody but one team in this field is going to end with a loss. It's life. It happens.
But the recruiting class is pretty solid with the likes of King McClure, Jake Lindsey, Joseph Acuil and Wendell Mitchell. I have no reason to not think that this group will be doing some business in the NCAA tournament in 2016.
This post was edited on 3/19 5:21 PM by K Lonnquist
Publisher
Let's call this for what it is: this was a major meltdown. When you're up 12 points (56-44) with 2:54 to play, Baylor had control of this game. That calls for game management. You grind the clock down and work possessions inside of 10 seconds. Of course, your opponent has to do its part and play it straight up. But Baylor did none of that. The Bears were careless with the ball and paid for it dearly with four in that timespan. The missed dunk by Rico Gathers is mind boggling but when the best free throw shooter in the history of Baylor misses the front end of a one-and-one with 15 seconds to play. Who would have thought that?
We can rip Scott Drew all we want. When you're up double figures, the clock is your ally. Continue to make it your ally by bleeding it. Baylor just didn't execute.
I said the one thing that hurt this team is that it has been up and down with its ball handling all season long. This team has turned it over 15 or more times in nine games. Now, make it 10. And then four of a season-high 21 are committed in the final 2:54. Baylor had been playing with fire all day. The Bears had six turnovers in the first six minutes of the second half. Sooner or later this is going to catch up to you.
What's even more stunning is that your most experienced players made mistakes. Royce O'Neale had two turnovers. Taurean Prince had two turnovers. It just shows that the NCAA tournament is a different game. The emotions are so much a part of this game that it causes you to play differently than what you saw between December and early March.
You just have to tip your cap to R.J. Hunter. The kid hit an incredible shot. But that's why he's considered a potential NBA first round pick. There's nothing except to live with the result. The NCAA tournament is very cruel because of the finality. Everything you've sweated and worked on since October comes to an abrupt halt. But that's also the beauty of the tournament. When you're on the other side, there is no better feeling.
Baylor's guards of Kenny Chery and Lester Medford were just average today. Neither was in double figures scoring and combined for eight assists and five turnovers. Meh.
Yes, this is a loss that will stick with everybody for a long time. Probably until October when workouts begin for 2015-16. But the Bears can take solace in a season that went beyond expectations with a 24-10 record, sweeping Iowa State and sweeping West Virginia. Everybody but one team in this field is going to end with a loss. It's life. It happens.
But the recruiting class is pretty solid with the likes of King McClure, Jake Lindsey, Joseph Acuil and Wendell Mitchell. I have no reason to not think that this group will be doing some business in the NCAA tournament in 2016.
This post was edited on 3/19 5:21 PM by K Lonnquist
