UK D.

 

Did you watch the game tonight?? :lol:

Kentucky opens as a 7.5 point favorite over Baylor

Baylor is a good, athletic team. They have a pass first point guard who had 16 points and 10 assists. A sharp shooter who drained 8 threes earlier in the tournament. A big, physical post who had 20 and 15 tonight. They also had two long athletic players who can hurt UK. This will be the best team UK has seen...

 

I agree. This is the only team in the South Region that worried me. It is because they are long and athletic.

Cats by 17.

Cats by 20 the Bears have never faced a team that plays both O and D and they will crumble!

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Remind me, what does Baylor have in the way of big men?

Brittany Griner...I can't wait to see the Griner vs Davis matchup.

First game of the tournament that gives me any pause. I'll tentatively take Kentucky by 5, but I will not be shocked if Baylor takes them down. UK needs to do the things they did tonight, namely getting to the rim more than settling for threes.

 

Remind me, what does Baylor have in the way of big men?

 

As I said in the other thread I didn't get to see the Baylor game, and really haven't watched them this year. I'm in the dark on this one. If DragonFire is only predicting a 5 point win I'm more than a little concerned.

 

Here is what I could find about Baylor:

 

ATLANTA — On Sunday, the Kentucky Wildcats might feel as if they are looking in a mirror.Coach Scott Drew's Bears are long. They are athletic. When the 2012 NCAA Tournament began, many hoops observers considered the Bears (30-7) to be one of the three most physically talented teams in the field along with UK and (a healthy) North Carolina.

Of Baylor's seven losses, five of them were against Big 12 titans Missouri (three) and Kansas (two).

 

The Bears have a front line whose talent and size can battle Kentucky's.

Quincy Acy, the Bears' muscular 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward, hit Xavier for a double-double (20 points, 15 rebounds) in Baylor's 75-70 win.

 

Perry Jones III, a multi-talented 6-11 sophomore, is a name you'll find near the top of many NBA mock drafts. By reputation, Jones does not always play to his talent level, but he hit seven of eight shots against Xavier and, in one tense stretch of the second half, scored six straight points.

 

Quincy Miller, a 6-9 freshman whose name was linked with Kentucky's recruiting efforts for a time, averages 10.8 points per game.

 

For all the attention Baylor's front line gets, its leading scorer is 5-10 junior guard Pierre Jackson (13.6 ppg). Jackson averages more than five assists a game and had 10 against Xavier.

 

His running mate at guard, sophomore shooting guard Brady Heslip, has been on fire in the NCAA tourney. The Canadian scorched Colorado for nine three-pointers and 27 points in Baylor's round of 32 victory.

 

Read more here: Mark Story: Mirror, mirror: Baylor's Bears look a lot like Cats | Basketball: Men | Kentucky.com

Why are you so confident Clyde?

 

Not Clyde, but Baylor doesn't play defense.

 

They let their offense predicate their defense. If they aren't scoring, they aren't even putting in any effort on the defensive side. They don't play as a team, a lot of one-on-one action. Very undisciplined. Getting by thus far on athleticism alone.

Not Clyde, but Baylor doesn't play defense.

 

They let their offense predicate their defense. If they aren't scoring, they aren't even putting in any effort on the defensive side. They don't play as a team, a lot of one-on-one action. Very undisciplined. Getting by thus far on athleticism alone.

 

 

So you expecting UK to win rather easily?

So you expecting UK to win rather easily?

 

I'd say a similar margin as last night. Probably a final of somewhere in the 8-12 range, but never really a game you feel is in jeopardy.

Did you watch the game tonight?? :lol:

 

I am assuming that the officials will not call it like they did tonight where every defender on both teams was afraid to make contact.

Baylor has a few Coach Cal recruits don't they? I think it will be a close game, hope Cats pull away during 2nd half stretch.

This is a very interesting game. If both teams are playing to full potential, it could go either way. Baylor has been known to not play to their best ability at times, but we will see. Regardless of the outcome, I see it being close.

 

As far as the starting five is concerned for both, I believe it is a pretty equal matchup.

Not Clyde, but Baylor doesn't play defense.

 

They let their offense predicate their defense. If they aren't scoring, they aren't even putting in any effort on the defensive side. They don't play as a team, a lot of one-on-one action. Very undisciplined. Getting by thus far on athleticism alone.

 

They don't play smart and like you said they are undisciplined. Get PJIII off his game and he can disappear for long stretches. Keep Acy under control on the boards and they will be fine.