Over the past couple of seasons, not many programs have had more success than Baylor Basketball and Villanova during the regular season. Both were ranked very-highly throughout the majority of last year and have since, plateaued.
Both teams are lead by potential NBA stars and have many recognizable names, that will etch their names into each program’s history.
For the second consecutive season, Baylor and Villanova were on a collision course to play a Non-Conference game against one another, in November. However, COVID-19, like many other instances for many other programs, had different plans.
Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew was confirmed to have COVID-19 and forced the Bears out of the Mohegan Sun and the chances of playing the Wildcats.
The year prior, the two faced off in among the best non-conference games of the 2019-2020 season. Led by terrific scoring from Jared Butler, Collin Gillespie, and MaCio Teague, Baylor won the first battle, 87-78.
The teams have been on similar paths since. However, the Bears have risen to be a consistent elite over the past few seasons. Baylor has put it to the test in the tournament and has taken care of Hartford and Wisconsin in their first two matchups.
Villanova has played well but has had favorable matchups, with facing 12-seed Winthrop and 13-seeded North Texas. The Wildcats played significantly better in their second-round game, sparked by a 34-6 run to end the half and put the contest out of reach.
For Baylor, it’s their most talented team yet, and the one with quite possibly, the highest potential to reach a National Championship berth and win, in over 70 years. Here are three keys for a victory for the Bears.