NCAA Basketball: Ranking the top 25 programs of the 2010s
. . Baylor Bears. 21. player. 460.
Baylor made seven NCAA Tournament appearances over the course of this decade and they made the most of them. The Bears managed to reach the Sweet 16 on four separate occasions and the Elite Eight twice. It is hard to argue with their wins per appearance as Baylor was simply always dangerous once their name was called on Selection Sunday.
Additionally, the Bears exhibited a 10-year KenPom average of 27.5. Although they were unable to win either a conference regular-season or tournament title, that should not take away from their consistency; Kansas (and the rest of the Big 12) make it very difficult to land those trophies. Baylor won 20+ games in all but two campaigns during the decade.
Some of the best players to take the court in Waco this decade were Johnathan Motley, Taurean Prince, Pierre Jackson, Quincy Acy, and Brady Heslip, among others. The Bears’ success has been largely overlooked for the past few years as they have emerged as a constant presence on the national stage.
Head coach Scott Drew, who led the team throughout these 10 years, is widely known as one of the most underrated leaders in the country. It is likely that Baylor will continue strong play with him in charge.