By Bennett Parker | Sports Writer
Baylor men’s basketball went 17-17 last season, missing the tournament while holding onto the bubble for most of the year.
It didn’t have the feel of a typical, balanced Scott Drew team. While some of the struggles were probably a product of having zero returning players, the squad felt like it was missing the cohesion and consistency to push it into the NCAA tournament.
The Bears relied heavily on the star power of Tounde Yessoufou and Cameron Carr. Both had some fantastic moments yet were very inconsistent at times. There is still a lot of roster turnover this year, but Drew has retained a pair of starters from last season in junior guard Isaac Williams and fifth-year center Caden Powell. Those two, along with a slew of talented additions, should make for a more balanced, deep team.
Williams is expected to be the pulse of this team. He will continue to emerge as a steady force for Baylor, stuffing the stat sheets while also stepping up as a leader. With the help of Baylor alum VJ Edgecombe, Drew was able to lure more talent into the backcourt. Bringing in sophomore guard Kayden Mingo from Penn State helped attract his five-star brother, freshman guard Dylan Mingo, into the fold.
The brothers have been key in the impressive exhibition performances, with Kayden putting up 55 points between the two games and Dylan adding an eight-assist performance in just 17 minutes against Illinois. What is even more exciting about the New York brothers is their play on the defensive side of the ball. Their basketball IQ and chemistry are evident while also having disruptive length and athleticism to break up passing lanes.
Drew also bolstered the three-point shooting over the offseason with the addition of junior guard Brett Decker Jr. from Liberty. Decker shot the lights out from beyond the arc, knocking down threes at a 47% clip. He is joining a Baylor team that struggled from deep last season, landing at 14th in the Big 12 in three-point percentage despite taking 23.8 3-pointers a game.
Another weakness last season was the lack of big man depth; the frontcourt had to solely rely on Powell after the injury of then-junior center Juslin Bodo Bodo. Drew tried to reinforce the rim protection with the controversial addition of freshman center James Nnaji but quickly cut his minutes after lackluster play. The frontcourt is healthy and experienced this season, potentially the most stark improvement from the year prior.
The Bears can showcase a scrappier defense, stronger frontcourt play and more balanced scoring to propel them back into the rankings, easily earning the team an NCAA Tournament bid, making it out of the first weekend and possibly further.
After coaching up the greatest men’s basketball teams Baylor has seen through 2019-2022, Drew seems to have had trouble navigating the current NIL scene; perhaps this is the year his team breaks back into dominance.
The Bears open their season against Northwestern State at 8:30 p.m. Monday at Foster Pavilion.
