INSIDER
No. 4 Kansas wins 18th straight at home, 64-61 over No. 13 Baylor
Read full article: No. 4 Kansas wins 18th straight at home, 64-61 over No. 13 BaylorHunter Dickinson scored 15 points to lead a balanced attack as No. 4 Kansas extended its home winning streak to 18 games with a 64-61 win over No. 13 Baylor.
Baylor AD critical of Big 12 officials after coach Scott Drew ejected in win over Iowa State
Read full article: Baylor AD critical of Big 12 officials after coach Scott Drew ejected in win over Iowa StateBaylor athletic director Mack Rhoades was critical of Big 12 officials after coach Scott Drew was ejected for the first time in his 21 seasons with the 18th-ranked Bears.
Gonzaga's brutal slate continues with No. 6 Baylor up next
Read full article: Gonzaga's brutal slate continues with No. 6 Baylor up nextGonzaga has already faced a brutal schedule this season with wins over No. 19 Kentucky and No. 20 Michigan State and losses to second-ranked Texas and fifth-ranked Purdue.
With heavy hearts, No. 16 UVA beats No. 5 Baylor in Vegas
Read full article: With heavy hearts, No. 16 UVA beats No. 5 Baylor in VegasArmaan Franklin scored a career-high 26 points, and No. 16 Virginia used a big second-half run to knock off No. 5 Baylor 86-79 in the teamโs first game since three Cavaliers football players were killed in a campus shooting.
No. 10 Kansas quickly builds huge lead, routs No. 8 Baylor
Read full article: No. 10 Kansas quickly builds huge lead, routs No. 8 BaylorChristian Braun and Ochai Agbaji each scored 18 points and No. 10 Kansas bolted to a big lead and routed No. 8 Baylor 83-59 to hold the top spot in the Big 12 Conference race.
Flagler, No. 1 Baylor rally past TCU for 21st straight win
Read full article: Flagler, No. 1 Baylor rally past TCU for 21st straight winAdam Flagler rallied No. 1 Baylor with 18 of his 22 points in the second half, and the Bears extended their national-best winning streak to 21 games with a 76-64 victory over TCU.
Baylor stays No. 1 in AP Top 25; Arizona rises to No. 6
Read full article: Baylor stays No. 1 in AP Top 25; Arizona rises to No. 6Defending national champion Baylor has maintained its top spot in The Associated Press men's college basketball poll, though not without ceding a No. 1 vote to Arizona, while the six remaining unbeatens continued their rise.
Offshore tourneys return in college basketball amid COVID-19
Read full article: Offshore tourneys return in college basketball amid COVID-19This week's Battle 4 Atlantis men's college basketball tournament in the Bahamas headlines the list of offshore events returning to the sport amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Final Four set, a question left: Can anybody beat Gonzaga?
Read full article: Final Four set, a question left: Can anybody beat Gonzaga?(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)Itโs not easy to bury a team as good as USC, let alone in a half, no matter how easy Gonzaga made it look. He asked Few the day before their game against the high-flying Trojans whether his defense was getting lost in the shuffle. โObviously, I think heโs the best defender in the country,โ Baylor coach Scott Drew said. Then Baylorโs bout with the virus came late in the season, requiring a pause of three weeks plus. After everything else fans weathered throughout this wacky season, a few more days might finally deliver a national championship game worth the wait.
Gonzaga's bid for a perfect season moves on to Final Four
Read full article: Gonzaga's bid for a perfect season moves on to Final FourGonzaga (30-0) has been an offensive juggernaut rarely seen in college basketball. AdโEveryone wants us to keep moving forward, but thatโs not how we roll,โ Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. That doesnโt lessen our desire to win this game, the next game or win two more games.โThe next one won't be easy. The Bears were embroiled in one of the darkest scandals in college basketball history, when Patrick Dennehy was murdered by teammate Carlton Dotson in 2003. They played in the Final Four.โ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25
Baylor beats Arkansas 81-72 for first Final Four in 71 years
Read full article: Baylor beats Arkansas 81-72 for first Final Four in 71 years(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS โ Baylor reached the Final Four for the first time in 71 years, getting 22 points from MaCio Teague and a dominating defensive performance from Davion Mitchell to beat Arkansas 81-72 on Monday night. The South Region final was a reunion of former Southwest Conference programs aiming to join another (Houston) in the Final Four. The Bears ran away from there, right into next weekend's Final Four against the Cougars. Mitchell led the stiff-arm charge as Arkansas missed 12 straight shots and Teague hit a pair of 3-pointers to put it out of reach. AdThe expected fast-twitch South Region final was going to be a drought-ender, just a matter of how long.
No. 12 Oklahoma St beats No. 2 Baylor 83-74 in Big 12 semis
Read full article: No. 12 Oklahoma St beats No. 2 Baylor 83-74 in Big 12 semisโ Confidence has never been a problem for Oklahoma State freshman Cade Cunningham. 12 Cowboys trying to rally from a second-half hole against second-ranked Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament, Cunningham calmly responded with back-to-back 3-pointers to give his team the lead. AdโYou have to give Oklahoma State a lot of credit," Drew said. The Bears did get off to a quick start, but Oklahoma State answered and gradually pulled ahead. Oklahoma State split the season series with the Longhorns, losing a 77-74 nail-biter in December before winning a 75-67 double-overtime thriller early last month.
Big 12 champ No. 3 Baylor beats No. 17 Oklahoma State 81-70
Read full article: Big 12 champ No. 3 Baylor beats No. 17 Oklahoma State 81-703 Baylor, fresh off clinching its first Big 12 title on the road two days earlier, beat No. 17 Oklahoma State 81-70 on Thursday night to end the Cowboys' five-game winning streak. Freshman standout and Big 12 leading scorer Cade Cunningham had 24 points and Kalib Boone 10 for Oklahoma State (17-7, 10-7), whose winning streak was the longest active in the Big 12. That came right after Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe had a dunk for Oklahoma State, prompting a timeout by Baylor coach Scott Drew. ... Oklahoma State was without guard Isaac Likekele (hand) for the fifth time in six games.
No. 3 Baylor clinches B12 title in OT, 94-89 over No. 6 WVU
Read full article: No. 3 Baylor clinches B12 title in OT, 94-89 over No. 6 WVU6 West Virginia 94-89 Tuesday for the Bears' first Big 12 regular-season title. AdโAt the end of the day, they just did more of the little stuff at the end to win the game," West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. But the Bears went scoreless for nearly six minutes before halftime, allowing West Virginia to keep it close the rest of the game. They shot 51% (36 of 70) from the floor against West Virginia. West Virginia hosts TCU on Thursday.
Michigan leaps Baylor into second behind Gonzaga in Top 25
Read full article: Michigan leaps Baylor into second behind Gonzaga in Top 25Gonzaga continued to hold down the top spot in the Top 25, just as it has all season, receiving 59 of 63 first-place votes among national media members. Illinois climbed one spot to fourth and Iowa gave the Big Ten three teams in the top five. They have a showdown with the Illini on Tuesday night before wrapping up the regular season with a home-and-home series against Michigan State. Thatโs a big part of what theyโre doing.โWest Virginia continued its steady climb, up four spots to No. The newcomer Boilermakers and sliding Badgers give the Big Ten six teams in the Top 25, one fewer than the poll-leading Big 12.
No. 2 Baylor returns with 77-72 win to stay undefeated
Read full article: No. 2 Baylor returns with 77-72 win to stay undefeatedBaylor then had six consecutive games postponed because of COVID-19 issues in the program, and hadn't even had another full practice until Sunday. With 6-foot-8 forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua out of the Baylor lineup, Mark Vital had 15 rebounds and three blocks. โCongrats to Baylor for figuring our a way to win, thatโs why theyโre No. But to come away get a win and be able to perform like we did, very very pleased with that. Coming into the game second in the Big 12 averaging 17 points, Butler had three turnovers and took only one shot before halftime.
Unbeaten No. 2 Baylor back to play after 3-week COVID break
Read full article: Unbeaten No. 2 Baylor back to play after 3-week COVID break2 Baylor are ready to get back to playing games after a three-week break because of COVID-19 issues in the program. 2 Baylor are ready to get back to playing games after a three-week break because of COVID-19 issues in the program. The Bears (17-0, 9-0 Big 12) are set to resume their season Tuesday night at home against Iowa State. With Baylor only halfway through its 18-game Big 12 schedule, every other team has played at least 11 conference games. The Bears also have not made up their scheduled Big 12 home opener against Texas that wasn't played Dec. 13.
Gonzaga, Baylor sit atop AP Top 25; Kansas returns at No. 23
Read full article: Gonzaga, Baylor sit atop AP Top 25; Kansas returns at No. 232 Baylor remained atop Monday's latest AP Top 25, where they have been for all 13 polls this season. 8 in the AP poll to pull closer to the committee's seeding of seventh overall shortly before the Crimson Tide scored 115 points in a win over against Georgia. THE TOP TIERCoach Mark Fewโs Bulldogs received 59 of 64 first-place votes in the new AP Top 25, while Scott Drewโs Bears claimed the other five. The Jayhawks fell out of last weekโs poll for the first time in 12 years. Kansas was one of three new additions to this weekโs poll, joined by No.
No. 2 Baylor on pause again because of COVID-19 protocols
Read full article: No. 2 Baylor on pause again because of COVID-19 protocolsBaylor coach Scott Drew, right, argues a call during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, in Austin, Texas. 2 Baylor has had its season interrupted again because of COVID-19 protocols, with the Big 12 Conference postponing the Bears' next two scheduled games. Their next scheduled game is now at home Feb. 13 against No. AdCoach Scott Drew missed the first two games of Baylor's reshuffled scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 in November. The Big 12 said it would work with Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma to reschedule the remaining postponed games.
The Latest: Big 12 postpones No. 2 Baylor's next 2 games
Read full article: The Latest: Big 12 postpones No. 2 Baylor's next 2 gamesThe Big 12 announced late Thursday that Saturdayโs home game against TCU and next Wednesdayโs game at Oklahoma have been postponed in accordance with the leagueโs interruption guidelines. With the latest changes, Baylorโs next scheduled game is at home Feb. 13 against No. AdThe NHL is releasing the names of players who are โunavailableโ to the club for practice, travel or games due to virus protocols. ___West Virginia is boosting home attendance to 2,800, or 20% of capacity, for the menโs basketball game Feb. 13 between the 17th-ranked Mountaineers and No. ___Thursdayโs womenโs basketball game between No.
Gonzaga, Baylor remain atop AP Top 25; Alabama cracks top 10
Read full article: Gonzaga, Baylor remain atop AP Top 25; Alabama cracks top 10Gonzaga forward Drew Timme celebrates after scoring a basket during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Pacific in Spokane, Wash., Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)Gonzaga, Baylor and Villanova remained atop The Associated Press men's college basketball poll Monday, while ninth-ranked Alabama climbed to its highest ranking in 14 years. Villanova remained third followed by Michigan, with the Wolverines cracking the top five for a second straight season under Juwan Howard after being unranked earlier in the year. 18 Tennessee took the week's biggest tumble, falling 12 spots after losses to Florida and Missouri. ___More AP college basketball: http://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap
Gonzaga, Baylor remain atop AP Top 25; UConn in at No. 25
Read full article: Gonzaga, Baylor remain atop AP Top 25; UConn in at No. 25(AP Photo/Steve Dykes)Gonzaga and Baylor were the top two teams in The Associated Press preseason menโs college basketball poll. Villanova, Texas and Iowa rounded out a top 5 that remained the same from last week. Gonzaga and Baylor split most of the first-place votes in the preseason AP Top 25, but the Zags have become the clear-cut No. Gonzaga, which had five games canceled due to COVID-19 issues last month, has won 16 straight dating to last season. The Huskies won the national championship in 2014 but went to the NCAA Tournament only one more time before Hurley was lured from Rhode Island.
Gonzaga-Baylor remain 1-2 in AP Top 25; Texas rises to No. 4
Read full article: Gonzaga-Baylor remain 1-2 in AP Top 25; Texas rises to No. 4The top-ranked Zags and second-ranked Bears remained 1-2 in Monday's latest Top 25 as they have all season. 25 Florida State had the week's biggest tumble, falling seven spots after losing at Clemson and then having its game against No. 6 Kansas fell three spots after the Texas loss, bringing the total of teams that fell from last week's rankings to 11. CONFERENCE WATCHThe Big Ten continues to have the biggest haul of ranked teams, though the Big 12 has a strong showing in the poll's top tier. But the Big 12 has three of the top six teams in Baylor, Texas and Kansas and five teams overall.
Gonzaga, Baylor remain atop AP Top 25 after game scrapped
Read full article: Gonzaga, Baylor remain atop AP Top 25 after game scrappedWest Virginia and Gonzaga play during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, in Indianapolis. Gonzaga was scheduled to play Baylor but the game was cancelled due to COVID. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)Gonzaga and Baylor remained atop the AP Top 25 men's basketball poll Monday after their hotly anticipated weekend game in Indianapolis was called off about 90 minutes before tipoff because of positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing within the Bulldogs' program. Wisconsin was tied with the Longhorns, followed by Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Texas Tech, Virginia, Richmond and Florida State. The final five were Rutgers, Ohio State, Arizona State, San Diego State and Louisville.
No. 1 Gonzaga vs No. 2 Baylor called off over virus tests
Read full article: No. 1 Gonzaga vs No. 2 Baylor called off over virus testsGonzaga was scheduled to play Baylor but the game was cancelled due to COVID. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)INDIANAPOLIS โ Coaches Mark Few of Gonzaga and Scott Drew of Baylor scheduled Saturday's game for all the right seasons. "They (the Bears) are good, really, really good. Just really, really good." And whenever they do play, Drew knows one thing โ people will be watching.
Gonzaga and Baylor to face off in rare top-2 meeting
Read full article: Gonzaga and Baylor to face off in rare top-2 meeting2 Baylor will play in Indianapolis on Saturday for the ninth meeting between the top two teams in AP Top 25 since 2005. 2 Kentucky met last season in the previous 1-vs.-2 meeting, a game won by the Wildcats 69-62. Playing in Las Vegas, Baylor opened with a 112-82 win over Louisiana-Lafayette and followed with an 96-52 thumping of Washington. Jay Wright's Wildcats opened the season in Bubbleville and opted to stay in Connecticut to face Hartford. Villanova won that game 87-53 to bounce back from its first loss of the season, 81-73 to No.
No. 2 Baylor uses stout defense to get past No. 5 Illinois
Read full article: No. 2 Baylor uses stout defense to get past No. 5 IllinoisAnd after an uncharacteristic first half, Drew understood why his players might have been a little unnerved. โIt was a frustrating night," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. Baylor forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua started the decisive stretch by making two free throws with 12:51 left. After Illinois made a 3-pointer, Baylor scored five more points and then took control with another run, this time 9-0. ... MaCio Teague added 11 points and Tchamwa Tchatchoua had nine points and nine rebounds.
No. 1 Zags: Gonzaga begins season atop Top 25 for first time
Read full article: No. 1 Zags: Gonzaga begins season atop Top 25 for first timeFILE - Gonzaga players celebrate after defeating Saint Mary's in an NCAA college basketball game in the final of the West Coast Conference men's tournament in Las Vegas, in this Tuesday, March 10, 2020, file photo. Gonzaga will begin the college basketball season No. 1 for the first time after coach Mark Few's bunch earned 28 first-place votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll released Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
No. 1 Zags: Gonzaga begins season atop Top 25 for first time
Read full article: No. 1 Zags: Gonzaga begins season atop Top 25 for first timeIowa was picked fifth behind national player of the year front-runner Luka Garza, its highest preseason ranking in school history. The Bears, who also have their highest preseason ranking, spent five weeks at No. THE REST OF THE POLLCreighton lost Ty-Shon Alexander to the NBA and Davion Mintz to Kentucky but still landed the highest preseason ranking in school history at No. 17, its highest preseason ranking since the final Phi Slama Jama team of Hakeem Olajuwon began the 1983-84 season at No. 6 in the final poll last season but losing Mountain West player of the year Malachi Flynn and two other elite producers.