NCAA Basketball: 10 teams most likely to win 2022 NCAA Tournament

4. Baylor Bears

Like the Wildcats, the Baylor Bears have some major injury concerns to contend with this postseason. The defending champions have something big going for them, though: they’re the defending champions.

Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchou isn’t walking through that door – he’s out for the year with a knee injury. LJ Cryer may not be walking through that door either, having missed most of the last six weeks with a foot injury.

Fortunately for Baylor, the young guns have proven to be worthy players following in the footsteps of the ailing elders, particularly playmaking freshman Jeremy Sochan and the athletic Kendall Brown, both of whom will have to continue playing big roles throughout the tournament run.

James Akinjo has been a great floor general for the Bears, averaging 13.4 points and 5.7 assists per game, though he leaves something to be desired shooting, hitting less than 30 percent from three. He shares the scoring lead (among players likely to compete) with Adam Flagler.

The team doesn’t have the requisite depth it has had in the past, particularly at the guard position, but they still throw out a solid group of starters and defenders on a nightly basis. Scott Drew will have them competing hard every night in search of an elusive repeat title in Waco.

Baylor gets Norfolk State in the First Round, followed by the winner of UNC and Marquette. Teams in Baylor’s way of another Final Four Trip could include UCLA, Purdue, and Kentucky.

The Bears know what it takes to win a championship, doing so in dominant fashion a year ago. If they can do it again, Baylor would become the first team to repeat as national champions since Billy Donovan and Florida did so in 2006 and 2007.