INDIANAPOLIS – Years before leading his team to the first national men’s basketball championship by beating Gonzaga 86-70 Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, Coach Scott Drew led a tour of his team’s relatively new practice facility. To open the doors, he put his hand on a nice scanner.
Inside, there were large TVs above each player’s booth, which also had video game systems. There was a huge theater screen for movie sessions and cold tubs for post-game recovery.
“Don’t say too much about that,” Drew said of the amenities. “I don’t really want too many people to know.”
The thought of another team copying the blueprint for his team’s facility worried Drew at the time. However, after Baylor’s win over Gonzaga on Monday night in the national title match, Drew could have every team in the country look for ways to mimic his schedule.
It’s not just the victory. It’s the history tied to Baylor’s first national championship.
The Bears dominated – and never lagged behind – an undefeated Gonzaga team with the goal of completing its first perfect season since 1976. They didn’t hit a buzzer beater or took the win over some questionable calls. They kicked Gonzaga’s ass and stole the buzz. Gonzaga coach Mark Few had no answers for Jared Butler, MaCio Teague, Adam Flagler and Davion Mitchell, all of which ended with double digits and a variety of dazzling plays.
Butler, who scored 22 points and cleared four 3-pointers, won the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award.
Gonzaga hovered around a 50% clip all night, but couldn’t overcome his turnover, Baylor’s defensive pressure, and his chances of a second chance. The Bears earned 45% of their 3-pointers. They won every individual matchup.
Baylor was simply better than Gonzaga as it completed one of the most impressive runs in recent NCAA tournament history. The Bulldogs became the fifth team since 1976 to enter the NCAA tournament with an unbeaten record, but failed to win the title.
The confetti, the cameras, the fans and the city itself were all set for a historic moment. Everyone got what they expected … but with a different team.
A year after winning 23 games in a row and likely the first to compete in the NCAA tournament, had the tournament not been canceled, Baylor would have brought back every major player who contributed to that series.
Although they started out winning their first 18 games this season, the Bears were largely overshadowed by Gonzaga, who appeared capable of becoming the first team since the Indiana Hoosiers from 1975-76 – and grew the first team since the NCAA tournament. out to 64 teams in 1985 – to complete a perfect season.
In addition, Baylor’s slow return from a three-week hiatus was not encouraging.
After a poor performance against an underperforming Iowa State team and losing to Kansas in the regular season and then Oklahoma State in the Big 12 tournament, it was fair to wonder if Baylor had lost anything while being offside without the possibility to complete full workouts.
However, Drew told ESPN that the early loss to Oklahoma State in the Big 12 tournament helped his team refocus and prepare for this run.
While the aftermath of Monday’s match-up will likely be that Gonzaga will miss his chance at history and the impact on a program that seemed destined for a flawless season, what unfolded for Baylor on Monday was equally rich.
The bears also have an underdog story.
Drew took the job in 2003 after the program endured a scandal involving a murder and former coach Dave Bliss’ attempt to cover up. In its third season, the NCAA told Drew’s team it would have to pay for Bliss’s sins by not playing non-conference games. He turned that axis into a schedule that took runs in multiple NCAA tournaments, but could never beat the best teams that stood between it and the national championship. See you Monday.
Baylor finished the 2020-21 season as America’s best team and a champion. It took that victory over a team that hadn’t lost all season. One of the game’s great juggernauts.
Now a coach who feared years ago that his coaching colleagues would get a head start on his schedule if they knew about the trinkets in his locker room has become the standard in college basketball.
Baylor is an elite program.
That’s the story.