NCAA Basketball: Arizona, UConn, Marquette, Baylor all fall in latest top 25 power rankings

14. Baylor (10-2)

After a fantastic start to the season, especially on offense, Baylor fell for the first time last weekend, getting blown out by a desperate Michigan State squad. The Bears didn’t exactly stockpile significant wins during the nonconference slate, though that Auburn win does look pretty decent. There was one last shot for a great win before Big 12 play, but the Bears fell short once more.

A second straight loss came Baylor’s way on Wednesday, falling 78-70 in New York against Duke. RayJ Dennis had 17 points and 7 rebounds while JaKobe Walter continued his nice start to his college career with a 15-point outing in the loss. Their Friday opponent was significantly weaker as Baylor delivered a 107-48 win against Mississippi Valley State. Walter was fantastic with a 26-point effort in what was clearly an easy pre-Christmas performance for the team.

You could certainly argue that the Bears’ two toughest games were in the last week and a half and both ended in defeat. Does that mean Baylor can’t win big games? These pieces are still meshing with another, but it’s clear that Scott Drew has another talented squad in Waco, we’ll just have to see how they fare against the Big 12. They won’t see the court again until after New Year’s.