20. Baylor (4-2)
No matter how you look at the opening weeks of this season, Baylor has had their fair share of challenges. Nobody will quickly forget how badly they looked on opening night against Gonzaga, though the Bahamas Championship offered them a chance to get back on the right track. Suffice to say, the results didn’t exactly speak for themselves.
Before heading to the Bahamas, Baylor made quick work of Tarleton State on Sunday in a 104-41 win, getting 20 points from Jalen Celestine off the bench. Their first matchup in the Bahamas turned into quite the battle, pulling out a 99-98 double overtime win against St. John’s. Norchad Omier had 24 points and 10 rebounds in another ranked win for the Bears. Unfortunately, Friday’s game got off to a putrid start, with the Bears falling 77-62 to Tennessee in the title game. Omier had 22 points and another double-double while VJ Edgecombe scored 20 points, but Baylor put up another poor performance.
The Bears’ wins over Arkansas and St. John’s won’t be ignored, but they were mashed early and often by the two elite teams they’ve faced this season. While expected to be a national contender in the preseason, their defense has legitimate issues and the offense has been very inconsistent. This team will get significantly tested in Big 12 play if those issues don’t get worked out, though next week’s only game is extremely winnable against New Orleans right before the holiday.