Baylor Basketball: 3 biggest keys for Bears to beat #1 Gonzaga

2. Baylor needs to contain Gonzaga’s big men the whole game

Perhaps this Baylor basketball team can learn from West Virginia’s mistakes with this one. The other night, the Mountaineers did a great job containing Drew Timme for a little over a half of play. Timme was actually shooting a shocking 1/9 from the field. He ultimately got it together and finished the night with 17 points while shooting 7/17 from the field. Gonzaga survived 87-82.

Timme finding his rhythm is what propelled Gonzaga to where they wanted to be late in the second half. Timme, along with Corey Kispert, makes up the excellent frontcourt duo for Gonzaga. If Baylor is able to keep them at bay early, then they need to do whatever they can to make that last.

Stopping these guys is going to require more great off-ball defense. This will allow the quick Baylor guards to shut down passing lanes that Timme and Kispert may use often to get an easy lane to the bucket. This will be a good start but the Bears must do even more.

The Baylor frontcourt is going to have to step up more in this game. They are more than capable of doing so, but it has to be on a different level. Stopping the Gonzaga bigs will require physical play. Foul trouble may result, but a little aggressiveness may be what cracks the code and keeps these guys from getting in the zone.

If they do this, and Gonzaga’s big men are removed from the picture, then Baylor should be able to get the job done.