Men's Basketball Shoot Around

Let’s hop around the Bears first three games of the season and see what we can glean, shall we?

Midnight Murder in Spokane

If you had said the Bears were 2-1 to start the season, no one would have blinked an eye. “Oh yeah, starting with Gonzaga in Spokane and then Arkansas right after? No big to drop one of those.” But if you followed up with the fact that Baylor beat Sam Houston State by 37 and is still only +4 in total points on the season, that might have raised some eyebrows.

Certainly, the wails on Tuesday morning shortly after the close of the 101-63 loss to the Bulldogs had some merit. The sky wasn’t falling, but it was clear that the Zags were a cohesive team in a way Scott Drew’s reformed squad simply wasn’t that night, particularly on defense. Baylor played tentatively, giving Gonzaga the breathing room it needed to cut and pass the Bears to death. Star freshman VJ Edgecombe and top transfer Jeremy Roach both struggled from the floor (5-20 FG and 5 turnovers combined), and third year player Josh Ojianwuna doesn’t look to have advanced much at all over the previous two seasons. That left folks to wonder if the pieces maybe just weren’t there in the way people expected prior to the season.

Yet, a few bright spots shone through the darkness. First, the college basketball world got its first real glimpse of the athleticism and absolutely disrespectful attitude of Edgecombe in the open court.

You’ve seen it, but I doubt you’ll mind another couple of looks:

My personal favorite part of the clip is at the end, where Baylor freshman Robert Wright III grabs hold of his plentiful hair in a plaintiff cry for Joe Few’s immortal soul.

Speaking of Wright, he was the other real bright spot that night. He’s got such great poise with his dribble under the basket, and early on he looks like the only true point guard on the team.

Thus far he’s sporting a 14-4 assist-to-turnover ratio on the season and will absolutely be on the floor for some crucial moments as the season goes on.

Dallas Redemption

The Arkansas game was the bounce back the Bears wanted. Beating a top 20 team 72-67 ain’t bad, but the manner of the win just meant more.

Physicality.

Effort.

Edgecombe and Norchad Omier, in particular, will be the tone setters this season for Baylor’s hustle play. Omier got the first of his two double-doubles this season against Arkansas, often through the brutal work shown in the clip above. I’ll admit I’m a touch worried he can’t finish with his left hand, and his discipline defending in the zone is questionable when he’s not in the center, but he’s going to bury guys under the hoop all season. The more he’s able to focus his game there, the better it will be for Baylor.

In the offseason, Edgecombe had drawn Dwyane Wade comparisons from some corners. With defensive plays like these, it’s not hard to see why he brings the guard king of the chase down to mind:

Overall, Baylor showed against Arkansas that its defensive identify will rest in the 1-3-1 zone, while the offense will come primarily out of drive and kicks, particularly to Jayden Nunn, who has been a lights out 45% from deep through three games and seems to be the steadiest guard on the team so far. He’s confident in his shot, knows when to attack, and is the best defensive communicator on the floor at the top of the zone. It’s easy when making, “Imagine this cool likeup” lists to leave him off, but he might be the most essential man on the floor for the Bears right now.

No Problem to Report, Houston

Nunn’s essential qualities were really highlighted on Tuesday night in the home opener against Sam Houston State:

And Nunn’s impact spread over the rest of the team for this one. He’s an important release valve for guys like Edgecombe and Wright, and guys like Jalen Celestine need Nunn to draw a little attention to get open on the left wing for those dagger threes.

Sam Houston is one of those programs that’s just been killing it for the last decade. Even after a 37-point loss, they’re still just outside the KenPom top 100. And when 44% of your shots are from three, you’ve always got a chance to make it close. But Baylor managed to totally outpace the Bearkats from deep with 14-32 shooting over 10-28.

Of course, Baylor also just had dudes who could go out and make plays when the moment called:

In the end, Baylor’s athletic and talent advantage really overwhelmed Sam Houston. That’s sort of what you hope for in a game like this, and the Bears delivered that reassurance that some fans may have needed. This team needs more time to gel, but when the talent can click together, it’s going to be trouble for whoever’s on the other side.