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Big 12 Basketball: 10 questions looming for the 2021-22 season

By Jerran Anderson

Apr 3, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Baylor Bears head coach Scott Drew talks with guard Jared Butler (12) and guard Davion Mitchell (45) and forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua (23) and guard Mark Vital (11) during the first half against the Houston Cougars in the national semifinals of the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Baylor Bears head coach Scott Drew talks with guard Jared Butler (12) and guard Davion Mitchell (45) and forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua (23) and guard Mark Vital (11) during the first half against the Houston Cougars in the national semifinals of the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Does the Big 12 run through Baylor?

Big 12 Basketball has gotten a facelift in recent years and that’s been a relatively good thing, especially for Baylor Basketball. This past season after they won their first NCAA Championship in school history by upsetting the Gonzaga, it looks like the power index is shifting away from the Kansas Jayhawks. The Jayhawks have won 19 Big 12 Regular Season titles since the conference was established in 1996-97.

On the flip side, head coach Scott Drew has won the Big 12 Coach of the Year award two years in a row and just led the Bears to their first NCAA title in school history. He’s led the Bears to nine appearances in the NCAA Tournament since arriving in Waco in 2003 with a tournament record of 17-8.

Baylor will have a lot to replace with the departures of their top three scorers in Jared Butler, MaCio Teague, and Davion Mitchell but it also helps they were a squad that went nine deep this past season so it’s “next man up” with head coach Scott Drew and company.

The world will certainly get to know recent transfer James Akinjo (Arizona) given his ability to score the ball and make plays for others. Though Akinjo will be at his third stop since 2018, he’s still got production left in the tank after putting up 15.6 points, 5.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game with Arizona in 2020-21.

Kendall Brown and Langston Love will be two freshmen names to get to know as well.

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After last year’s result, fans can certainly expect more excitement in the Big 12 with the Baylor Bears and Kansas Jayhawks battling for the top spot with the Texas Longhorns close on their heels.

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