Big 12 Basketball: Baylor Bears season review

After another successful regular season, things continue to chug along in Waco for this Big 12 basketball squad going into the 2016-2017 season.

In 2015-2016, the Bears went 22-12 overall with a 10-8 mark in Big 12 play, which was good for sixth place in American’s most competitive conference. They reached the NCAA tournament for the fifth time since 2010, but had their second straight first round exit.

Instead of a last second heartbreak, Yale muscled past Baylor employing the same sort of rebounding proficiency we saw from the Bears in conference play.

The team had a couple great wins during the regular season, including home wins over Vanderbilt and at Iowa State, but they had trouble maintaining home court advantage. The Bears went just 4-5 at home during the regular season before losing to Kansas in the Big 12 semifinals.

For post-season awards, the team saw Taurean Prince receive All-Big 12 first team honors, Rico Gathers and Johnathan Motley both were named to the third team, and Lester Medford was an honorable mention.

Baylor was originally projected fifth, so considering they landed about square with where most thought they would, this was a solid season in Waco.

Final Season Grade: B

So, what is next in Waco?

Players Gone:

G – Lester Medford (8.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.6 spg, 36% 3pt)

F – Taurean Prince (15.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg, 36% 3pt)

F – Rico Gathers (11.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 51% FG)

F – John Heard

G – Austin Mills

C – Jo Acuil (transferring)

Without Prince, Gathers, and Medford, Baylor loses three of their top six scorers, top two rebounders, and number one assist man. Little-used Heard and Mills also graduate. Redshirt junior Acuil is heading for greener pastures for his final season.

This team could have a mild identity crises early on just because of how iconic their big men were the past couple seasons.

Players returning:

G – Allerik Freeman (11.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 38% 3pt)

G – King McClure (4.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 38% 3pt)

G – Jake Lindsey (2.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.0 apg)

F – Ishmail Wainright (5.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.0 spg, 41% 3pt)

F – Terry Maston (6.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg)

F – Johnathan Motley (11.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg)

This is very solid core from which to build around for next season. The stars here are Freeman and Motley, who should be the primary pieces next year on both ends. Wainright can do a little bit of everything from the wing. Finally, McClure, Lindsey, and Maston will be asked to fill in around the edges.

McClure in particular could be among the candidates for most improved player next season considering he was once a top 100 recruit.

Who’s new:

G – Manu Lecomte (transfer from Miami): averaged 7.9 ppg, 1.8 apg, 46% 3pt in ’14-15

F – Mark Vital (6’6″, 220 lbs, 67th ESPN 100)

F – Nuni Omot (6’8″, 193 lbs, transfer from Indian Hills [IA] CC)

Lecomte could start right away at the point. He only stands 5’11”, but he is speedy and should provide a major shooting spark for a squad that already shot 37% as a unit from distance.

Vital could be a major contributor on the wing with his size, while Omot might be asked to jump into the post from the get go. This group has big potential, but time will tell how they handle the hyper-competitive Big 12.

Baylor is in the race for 13th rated prospect Terrance Ferguson from Dallas. The 6’5 forward decommitted from Alabama several weeks ago and holds offers from Arizona, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, and NC State in addition to one from the Bears.

If Ferguson goes to Waco, this team is likely a top 25 preseason pick and a potential upset candidate over Kansas and their 12 straight Big 12 titles.

Lastly, Kory Holden from Delaware is also in the mix as a transfer for the 2017-2018 season.

Final Numbers to know:

72% – as in the number of minutes now open with Prince and Gathers graduating. Motley is the new rock, but Maston, Omot, and Wainright are incredibly important in keeping teams from constantly doubling the junior-to-be. There will be some major battling to see who can lock down a spot in the front court rotation.

222 – the number of assists that Medford dished out in ’14-15. That was over 1/3 of all assists the team racked up this year. Lecomte will help, but don’t be shocked if this team plays more isolation without as capable of a distributor.

174 – the number of rebounds that new star forward Johnathan Motley pulled down in his second season. The sophomore was a beast through the latter half of the season and might as well be the best returning big man in the Big 12. Don’t be surprised if he averages 15 and 10 next season with a bump from his 20.9 minute per game average.

Next: Big 12 tournament grades

Overall, Baylor is looking good. They lose some major contributors this summer, but there is more than enough potential to keep this team from falling into the lower half of the Big 12.

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