The Baylor Bears men’s basketball team started Week 10 of the NCAA Basketball season with high expectations. Entering the week as the number seven ranked team in the country and only having one loss, the squad expected to take care of business, winning two more games and establishing a case to be a part of the Top 5. Lo and behold, life does not always work out the way we planned.
The Bears faced a tough task by heading into enemy territory with a road game against number nine, the Iowa State Cyclones. Their Big 12 rivals came into the matchup undefeated, but Baylor knew they had a good shot. That game turned into a slugfest and ended with Iowa State pulling away in the second half to secure a 15-point win.
With a big opportunity to climb the ranks lost, the Bears found themselves scrambling to ensure they did not fall out of the Top 10. With teams like Villanova, Florida and conference rival Oklahoma State right behind them, Baylor needed a convincing win against the TCU Horned Frogs to maintain their status among the ten best teams in the country.
A convincing win is exactly what Baylor got on Saturday afternoon as the Bears cruised by TCU with a 26-point win. Taurean Prince led the way for the Bears, scoring a game-high 23 points and raising his season-best by seven points. Rico Gathers and Cory Jefferson each added double-doubles for Baylor as the team reminded the rankings voters why they got to the Top 10 in the first place.
Although TCU is not a win the Bears can build their resume around, it will serve as a strong holding block for the moment. Head Coach Scott Drew and his squad need to keep the momentum from the TCU game rolling to finish the season strong and ensure they have a good seed for the upcoming March Madness.
Isaac Comelli is a Los Angeles Dodgers writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @IsaacComelli, “Like” him on Facebook or follow him on Google.
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