March Madness scores and live updates: Results, bracket, FAU vs. Northwestern,


No. 3 seed, West Region

Opponent, time, TV: Colgate, 12:40 p.m., truTV

Team in 16 words: Talented enough to reach the Final Four — especially if the defense can get a stop.

Record: 23-10 (11-7 Big 12)

Coach: Scott Drew (19-10 in NCAA Tournament, 1 Final Four, 1 national title)

Player to watch: RayJ Dennis (second-team All-Big 12)

Numbers:

BetMGM title odds: +3500

Sweet 16 projected chance: 40.3 percent

Final Four projected chance: 6.7 percent

Strengths: Scoring. Baylor ranks among the national leaders in 3-point shooting (39.4 percent) and inside the arc (53.3 percent), and they’re also among the top 20 teams in getting to the free-throw line. And when the Bears miss? They grab 35 percent of their misses, 24th in the country.

Weaknesses: The Bears show flashes of defense, especially when freshman big man Yves Missi is active in the middle. But when he’s off the court (and even when he’s on) they’re soft in the middle, and rarely force any turnovers.

Outlook: If you’re looking for a dark-horse champion, Baylor is it. Half of the Bears’ losses were either in overtime or by a single possession. They feature two future NBA lottery picks in Missi and Ja’Kobe Walter; Jalen Bridges is an experienced, versatile forward with size; and Jayden Nunn might be the most underrated scorer in the Big 12. Plus, Scott Drew won it all just three years ago. The difference between that championship team and this one is that this year the Bears lack a lock-down defender. Otherwise, everything else is pretty much the same.

— Mike Miller

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Read More: March Madness scores and live updates: Results, bracket, FAU vs. Northwestern, 2024-03-22 17:08:28

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