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Baylor Basketball: Baylor Bears 2015-16 Season Preview

By Matt Ostrowski

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Baylor Bears

2014-2015 Record: 24-10 (11-7, Big 12)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament – Second Round

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Baylor Bears Head Coach Scott Drew has been plenty criticized for failing to translate on-court talent to on-court results. He’s silenced most of the critics with great NCAA tournament results, but for the first time since the 2008 tournament, Drew qualified for the tournament and lost in the round of 64.

But it figures to be a major bounce back year for Drew and the Baylor Bears. They lost two key seniors in Kenny Chery and Royce O’Neal, but they have plenty of guys that can pickup the extra minutes. They’re a popular sleeper pick to swoop in and steal the Big 12 crown from Kansas, Iowa State, or Oklahoma, three teams that figure to be in the preseason Top 10.

Newcomers

G – King McCLure (#69 247Sports Composite)
G – Wendell Mitchell (#169 247Sports Composite)
G – Jake Lindsey (#225 247Sports Composite)
C – Jo Acuil (JUCO transfer)

Key Non-Conference Games

Nov. 16 at Oregon – Most major conference school wait until December to have their first true road test. Baylor is doing it in their second game of the season. Lucky for them, they have an experienced and veteran starting lineup. But their young, inexperienced bench will certainly be tested. I’d expect them to win this game, but it sure won’t be easy.

Dec. 19 at Texas A&M – The Baylor Bears travel to College Station for another true road test in mid-December. This time it will be against a likely top 25 team and NCAA tournament team. Taurean Prince gets to battle with Danuel House, another one of the top wings in the country, and Gathers gets to fight inside with Jalen Jones. This should be a very fun game to watch.

Key Players

Lester Medford – I’m not sure that Medford is ever going to be the scorer that departing-point guard Kenny Chery was. But they don’t need him to be with Prince and Motley now playing major minutes. Medford just needs to get the ball down the floor, and initiate Baylor’s offense. He’ll likely serve as a spot-up shooter, as he shot a blazing hot 45% from there during conference play last year, but don’t expect him to break things down in late shot clock situations like Chery did. That job probably falls to Prince now.

Johnathan Motley – As a freshman last season, Motley exploded onto the scene as one of Baylor’s leading scorers early on. But of course, his numbers fell off once Big 12 play began, averaging just under 7 points and 4 rebounds in conference play. He’s very explosive, as evidence by this dunk on Jamari Traylor:

Yes, I’m aware it was a charge, but I really don’t think it was. Traylor slid under him after he was off the ground. Regardless, the explosiveness is there. But he failed to translate much of it to the floor, as he shot just 42% from the floor on the season, a terrible mark for a big man. He needs to take a big step forward, and at least replace the production of O’Neal, in order for Baylor to compete at the top of the Big 12 this year.

Season Outlook

Scott Drew boasts an experienced and talented team this season. He may not have the NBA talent he has in years past, with Motley and Prince being the only guys that ever figure to get drafted from this team, but I honestly think this starting lineup can compete with any in the Big 12. They suffer a major drop off once the bench comes in, but if the freshman can produce, and Ishmail Wainwright can take a step forward, they should be serviceable enough for Baylor to succeed this year. Drew likes to run a zone, so I see no reason why the starters can’t play major minutes anyway.

Next: Oklahoma Sooners 2015-16 Season Preview

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