It didn’t come easy, but the Baylor Bears found a way to hang on for a 75-72 win over Mississippi State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon.
With the win, Baylor (20-14) moves on to the second round and, barring a historic upset, will face the No. 1-seeded Duke Blue Devils.
Here are a few takeaways on the game and what it means for the Bears moving forward.
Fantastic Offensive Balance
Baylor’s offense has been efficient all year long, and in clutch time, they continued to be just that. Four Bears finished in double figures, with freshman guard Robert Wright III leading the way with 19 points on 8-for-15 from the field.
VJ Edgecombe was terrific (more on him in a bit) in the second half, Langston Love had 15 points on 7-for-11 and Norchad Omier was a vital piece inside, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds on the afternoon. Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard led all players with 26 points and kept the Bulldogs in the game, but the Bears were just good enough to keep the lead in the final moments.
Edgecombe Seals It Late
VJ Edgecombe has been one of the best guards in the country all season long, and when things got tight in the end, Edgecombe came up big. There was a sequence late in the game that it appeared Edgecombe would have a chance to convert an and-one, but the officials determined that the foul occurred on the drive and not the shot, so the points came off the board.
However, the star still found a way to give his team a vital three-point lead by sinking two free throws, and that lead would hold until the end. It was particularly impressive how he finished, considering he started 0-3 from the field and had just two points in the first half. He finished with 16 points and five rebounds, thanks to his monster second half.
Second-Chance Points Make the Difference
In a tightly-contested game that could’ve gone either way, there was one statistic that stands out as the difference-maker. Baylor had 15 offensive rebounds and converted those into 22 second chance points. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs had seven offensive boards and just 11 second chance points.
The Bears’ ability to attack the rim and dominate inside helped them outscore MSU 40 to 26 in the paint, and with game that had double-digit lead changes, that consistency gave them enough of a bump to advance.
What’s Next?
Baylor (20-14) will now get a day to rest and will face the winner of No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Mount Saint Mary on Sunday.
