NCAA Basketball: Kansas State, Providence on the rise on latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
23. Baylor (10-5)
There’s a lot of talent in the Big 12 this season, and Baylor seems to be the victim of that surplus. The Bears have looked the part of a top-level team this year, but the results just haven’t been there all the time. Wins over Gonzaga and UCLA still look really impressive, though conference play has been exceedingly unkind to the Bears.
The Bears played and lost two really close games this past week, beginning with an 88-87 home loss to TCU. Talented freshman Keyonte George had 27 points while guards LJ Cryer and Adam Flager added 13 points apiece in the loss. Saturday’s game was even more heartbreaking, dropping a 97-95 game in overtime against Kansas State and former assistant Jerome Tang. Among the stars of the game were Flagler (23 points, 7 assists) and George (22 points, 5 rebounds), who continue to shine for the Bears.
Three straight losses are stunning for the Bears, but this is absolutely still a ranked team; one that’s running the gauntlet in the nation’s toughest conference. Baylor will bounce back in the coming weeks, especially with the way this backcourt has been playing. Next week begins with a road trip to West Virginia before a winnable home game against Oklahoma State over the weekend. Can Baylor get things back on track before they fall out of the rankings completely?