Baylor lost four of its five starters from last season's national title team, including its top three scorers, but you wouldn't have known it on Sunday as the No. 2 Bears dominated No. 6 Villanova 57-36 in the weekend's marquee college basketball showdown. The highly anticipated contest quickly turned into one of the season's most-impressive defensive showings as the Bears held Villanova to just 22.2% shooting. It was Villanova's lowest scoring output of Jay Wright's 21-year tenure as the Wildcats' coach.
With the win and with No. 1 Purdue's loss Thursday at Rutgers, the 9-0 Bears are likely to assume the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 when the new poll is released Monday. There should be little debate about whether they deserve the honor after such an impressive showing against a Wildcats' squad that entered as one of the most battle-tested in the nation thus far.
Baylor led 25-15 at halftime after limiting the Wildcats (7-3) to just one 2-point field goal. The Wildcats went inside to Eric Dixon for a bucket on the first possession of the second half. But after that, it was more of the same as the Bears opened up a commanding lead. James Akinjo led Baylor with 16 points, while Adam Flagler added 10. Jeremy Sochan came off the bench to add nine points and 10 rebounds for the Bears. Justin Moore led Villanova with 15 points and was the only Wildcat to reach double figures.
Assuming that Baylor would take a small step back after losing four starters from its national championship run seemed reasonable. But Sunday's result should do away with any notion that the Bears don't have what it takes to defend their title. In fact, such a dominant victory over a quality opponent should make Baylor the new favorite to win it all. Despite losing guards Jared Butler, MaCio Teague and Davion Mitchell, who were the team's leading scorers last season, the Bears again have elite guard play with Akinjo, LJ Cryer and Adam Flagler.
The freshman duo of Kendall Brown and Sochan are doing an excellent job of replacing Mark Vital, who was the team's quintessential "glue guy" last season, and they provide more athleticism and versatility than Vital. The front court remains solid with the veteran big man duo of Flo Thamba and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua holding things down.
It's rare to see a team coached by Wright look so inept, but the Wildcats appeared to lack fundamental toughness on Sunday. The fact that they converted just one two-point basket in the first half just underscores the issue. Villanova entered as an excellent 3-point shooting team, but on a day when the Wildcats struggled from the outside by hitting just 6 of 27 tries from beyond the arc, their lack of diversity on offense was strikingly apparent.
Without a player like Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who left for the NBA after a strong season, to operate out of the high post and in the paint, Villanova lacks an obvious go-to option when shots aren't coming through the flow of the offense. Senior point guard Collin Gillespie finished with three turnovers and just one assist Sunday. According to ESPN Stats and Info, this was the first time since 1979 that Villanova failed to reach 40 points.
Assuming Baylor does jump to No. 1 on Monday, it will be the fourth team this season to hold the spot. Now the question is whether the Bears can hold it for longer than their predecessors. Baylor plays just one game next week, and it won't be an easy one as they travel to face Oregon. The Ducks have been among this season's biggest disappointments so far, but they have a talented roster and should be playing in front of a fired up crowd.
But if the Bears can find a way to win in Eugene, Oregon, they should hold the top spot until the calendar flips to 2022. With games against Alcorn State and Northwestern State on Dec. 20 and Dec. 28 will be all that stands between them and the beginning of Big 12 play at No. 17 Iowa State on Jan. 1.
Final: No. 2 Baylor 57, No. 6 Villanova 36
Is there any doubt who the No. 1 team in the nation is? There shouldn't be. Baylor just DOMINATED a Villanova team that entered as one of the most-tested squads in the country. Bears didn't play a great offensive game and still thrashed a good team. Scott Drew has turned this program into a machine. Lowest scoring output of the Jay Wright era.
Villanova is shooting just 23% from the floor. This is a bloodbath, and it's making the defending national champions look like they haven't missed a beat, despite losing four of five starters. Home court advantage is huge, for sure, but it doesn't account for a margin of this magnitude. Baylor is just GOOD. Don't even have their best stuff offensively today but still dominating.
More than halfway through the second half, and Villanova has just four FG makes in the half, and only three of them are inside the arc. Gillespie is a fine PG, but they need someone who can slash and create off the dribble. He's got zero assists in this game and isn't giving them much of an offensive spark.
