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Baylor Basketball

Gameday Thread: Baylor Closes Utah Swing Trip against BYU Cougars

January 27, 2025
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Baylor (13-6, 5-3) closes its Utah swing trip against the BYU Cougars (13-6, 4-4) in Provo, Utah Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. CST. The game will be televised on ESPN2.  

Predictions

KenPom: BYU 74, Baylor 71

Torvik: BYU 74, Baylor 70

Evan Miyakawa: BYU 74, Baylor 72

Haslemetrics: BYU 72, Baylor 70

Coaches

BYU: Kevin Young (43); 13-6

Baylor: Scott Drew (54); 479-261 overall (459-250 at Baylor); 12 NCAAs; 5 Sweet 16s; 3 Elite 8s; FF; 1 National Championship

Head to Head: 0-0

BYU Starters

  • Guard: Egor Demin (Fr.) 6-9 190 lbs; 11 ppg; 4 reb; 6 asst; 43% FG; 30% 3pt; 67% FT 
  • Guard: Trevin Knell (Sr.) 6-5 190 lbs; 10 ppg; 2 reb; 49% FG; 44% 3pt; 73% FT
  • Guard: Richie Saunders (Jr.) 6-5 200 lbs; 15 ppg; 4 reb; 52% FG; 45% 3pt; 73% FT
  • Forward: Mawot Wag (Sr.) 6-7 215 lbs; 5 ppg; 2 reb; 53% FG; 32% 3pt; 73% FT
  • Forward: Keba Keita (Jr.) 6-8 230 lbs; 6 ppg; 8 reb; 61% FG; 42% FT

BYU Bench

  • Forward: Fousseyni Traore (Sr.) 6-6 240 lbs; 9 ppg; 6 reb; 62% FG; 33% 3pt; 83% FT
  • Guard: Dallin Hall (Jr.) 6-4 200 lbs; 6 ppg; 2 reb; 4 asst; 37% FG; 37% 3pt; 78% FT
  • Guard: Dawson Baker (Jr.) 6-4 190 lbs; 9 ppg; 2 reb; 48% FG; 39% 3pt; 74% FT
  • Forward: Kanon Catchings (Fr.) 6-9 200 lbs; 9 ppg; 3 reb; 40% FG; 33% 3pt; 50% FT

Baylor Starters

  • Guard: Jayden Nunn (Sr.) 6-4 190 lbs; 10 ppg; 3 reb; 39% FG; 44% 3pt; 64% FT
  • Guard: Rob Wright (Fr.) 6-1 180 lbs; 12 ppg; 5 asst; 45% FG; 35% 3pt; 80% FT
  • Guard: VJ Edgecombe (Fr.) 6-5 190 lbs; 14 ppg; 5 reb; 3 asst; 2 st; 43% FG; 35% 3pt 77% FT
  • Forward: Norchad Omier (Sr.) 6-7 245 lbs; 15 ppg; 10 reb; 58% FG; 33% 3pt; 72% FT
  • Forward: Josh Ojianwuna (Jr.) 6-10 255 lbs; 7 ppg; 7 reb; 75% FG; 63% FT

Baylor Bench

  • *Guard: Jeremy Roach (Sr.) 6-2 180 lbs; 12 ppg; 4 asst; 41% FG; 35% 3pt; 70% FT
  • *Guard: Langston Love (Jr.) 6-5 215 lbs; 7 ppg; 3 reb; 36% FG; 29% 3pt; 75% FT 
  • Forward: Jalen Celestine (Sr.) 6-7 215 lbs; 8 ppg; 3 reb; 41% FG; 39% 3pt; 93% FT
  • Forward: Jason Asemota (FR) 6-8 200 lbs; 2 ppg; 2 reb; 34% FG; 26% 3pt; 33% FT

*questionable with injury*

Discussion from...

Gameday Thread: Baylor Closes Utah Swing Trip against BYU Cougars

30,191 Views | 397 Replies | Last: 4 hrs ago by bear2be2
Crawfoso1973
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In reply to IvanBear • 11:05a, 1/29/25
IvanBear said:
Omir continues to look more focused on pretending he has a shot and is getting drafted than being serious about playing for the team. It's becoming a more and more obvious problem and the coaches won't or just can't rope him back in to being a good contributor.
Since the 1-7 performance in the ISU game his 3 point shot has actually been fine the past few games. He is fine shooting it from outside and does so within the flow of our offense. He does not need to be roped in.

It's his energy level the past few games that has been the problem. And his very low IQ decision making like committing needless fouls 28 feet from the basket. Not sure if just ongoing fatigue or if he is nursing an injury. But he dramatically needs to ramp up the energy level for us turn things around.
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IvanBear
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In reply to IowaBear • 11:07a, 1/29/25
IowaBear said:
This team has a boatload of problems. Norchad is pretty far down the list of issues.
The staff failed him and Josh by not getting them a suitable back up big to spell them routinely
I agree but Omir is now having a hand in deciding games with his play last night and continued wasted shots from the 3. It was a minor issue it's now becoming a larger one.

Don't get me wrong this team is bad because of roster building but even from the low bar it's at it's starting to underachieve. It's also frustrating to watch guys like VJ and Wright actually develop and get better as freshman while Omir is taking weekly backward steps.
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boognish_bear
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In reply to IvanBear • 11:57a, 1/29/25
IvanBear said:
Omir continues to look more focused on pretending he has a shot and is getting drafted than being serious about playing for the team. It's becoming a more and more obvious problem and the coaches won't or just can't rope him back in to being a good contributor.


Norchard is often floating around the top of the arc on offense. He's there so often rather than in the paint I can only assume that's designed for him. I don't understand working away from his biggest strength.
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Robert Wilson
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In reply to Crawfoso1973 • 12:02p, 1/29/25
Crawfoso1973 said:
IvanBear said:
Omir continues to look more focused on pretending he has a shot and is getting drafted than being serious about playing for the team. It's becoming a more and more obvious problem and the coaches won't or just can't rope him back in to being a good contributor.
Since the 1-7 performance in the ISU game his 3 point shot has actually been fine the past few games. He is fine shooting it from outside and does so within the flow of our offense. He does not need to be roped in.

It's his energy level the past few games that has been the problem. And his very low IQ decision making like committing needless fouls 28 feet from the basket. Not sure if just ongoing fatigue or if he is nursing an injury. But he dramatically needs to ramp up the energy level for us turn things around.
And also leaving 4 points uncollected at the FT line in the last couple minutes of regulation.

Is he just tired? Like out of shape? That would explain some bad fouls, bad decisions, and missing FTs down the stretch.

That would almost be a good answer because it's fixable.
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ImABearToo
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In reply to IvanBear • 12:31p, 1/29/25
There's a reason he's in his 5th year of college and The League still hasn't been attracted to his talents.
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Mitch Henessey
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1:45p, 1/29/25
Nobody eats their own like Baylor fans after a loss. Sheesh.
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IvanBear
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In reply to Mitch Henessey • 2:33p, 1/29/25
Mitch Henessey said:
Nobody eats their own like Baylor fans after a loss. Sheesh.
Nothing like someone who's never set foot on a message board for an SEC school.
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Quinton
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In reply to Crawfoso1973 • 2:47p, 1/29/25
They have to find a way to get into the tournament. Vj is a very dangerous player in a tighter called game that you typically see in the ncaa's. You can't hack away in the tournament.

If you have two guards who can go off it's a tough cover for any college team.
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BearFan33
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In reply to boognish_bear • 3:45p, 1/29/25
boognish_bear said:
IvanBear said:
Omir continues to look more focused on pretending he has a shot and is getting drafted than being serious about playing for the team. It's becoming a more and more obvious problem and the coaches won't or just can't rope him back in to being a good contributor.


Norchard is often floating around the top of the arc on offense. He's there so often rather than in the paint I can only assume that's designed for him. I don't understand working away from his biggest strength.
I agree. A saw a lot of that last night. Running the shot clock down and having no one under the basket when we had to force up a 3 pointer as the time was running out.
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Robert Wilson
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In reply to Mitch Henessey • 4:25p, 1/29/25
Mitch Henessey said:
Nobody eats their own like Baylor fans after a loss. Sheesh.
Is that a joke?
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BUCANDOIT82
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In reply to Bear2393 • 4:55p, 1/29/25
Bear2393 said:
Go back to zone on defense!
I believe there is a thread about this.
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bear2be2
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In reply to Crawfoso1973 • 7:11p, 1/29/25
Crawfoso1973 said:
Quinton said:
It's time to ride Vj with Roach playing off him with a focus on knocking down spot up shots and driving off close outs.

Wright can be handed the keys with some guardrails and ride that the rest of the year. Omier.. no clue what's up with him but need something to change quickly. If those three are playing ball and Roach settles into his old Duke role, they can still make the tournament.

And who knows how good Vj will be by then. Is close to a top 10/5 guy in the big 12 right now.

Agreed, VJ is playing at an absolute elite level and will have to carry us. Where are all the 5 star haters now? Some people on these boards were saying he is a developmental guy who should be benched? Their mouths are shut now.

Roach has been a bust and Omier hasn't been good for several games. Extremely disappointing for 5th year guys expected to carry us. Omier looks sluggish or worn down the past several games. Still have hope that Roach can give us something if we play him off the ball and let him focus on scoring.

Wright was nails in this one, gonna need him to play at this level to ride him along with VJ from here on out.
VJ is the best freshman we've had, and it will mean **** all in the end because this team was built like *****

That's the problem people have with one-and-done recruiting. It has nothing to do with the individual players themselves. It's a stupid strategy for trying to build winning college basketball teams -- a goal we seem to have lost sight of as a program.

Other than Sochan (and maybe Missi), Edgecombe is my favorite one-year freshman that we've had. But I have to force myself to watch him play because he's playing for my least favorite Baylor team since probably 2006-07, which was every bit as undisciplined as this one and less talented.

I get no solace whatsoever from where players who played one year for us are drafted or what they do in the NBA. I only care about what they help Baylor do as a program -- and specifically in March. It's not VJ's fault this team is such a hard watch. But he's not capable at this stage of his development of elevating it past what it is either.

It makes for some very frustrating watching. And unfortunately, we're in a multi-year cycle right now that we simply can't get out of.
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