Quinton said:

---

Omier is going to have to stay on the floor nearly the whole entire. If he gets in foul trouble against good teams it's probably a wrap unless the offense is on fire.

We don't have a bridges type unfortunately, Celestine is playing ok and rebounding better. He is toughing it through injury so credit to him. But he just isn't that guy.

Toppin or even one of the Houston kids who only play half the game would have been great.

---

I agree. Without Josh, Omier will be even more tired and ineffective though. When he gets in foul trouble (which is every game) he is nonexistent on the defensive side of the floor. No matter how you slice it, we are in big trouble. Have to rely on variance and hope we can catch fire and shoot lights out to have a chance against the better teams.

Rothstein would tweet CBB news through an alien invasion.

However, in all seriousness, Josh Ojianwuna was having a moster year for the Baylor Bears.🐻

SQ Percentile rankings:
SQ PPP - 99th
Shot Making - 87th
High Freq. Creating Shot - 97th
High FT Rate - 95th
Block Rate - 84th https://t.co/YnN5AiWpcu pic.twitter.com/eAuUWEcQTh

— ShotQualityBets (@ShotQualityBets) February 10, 2025

TWD 1974 said:

---

Quinton said:

---

boykin_spaniel said:

---

This is why I'd hoped we add another big in the portal. Someone who could play 5-10 minutes and simply bang in the paint and get some reps behind Omier and Josh O. Foul trouble happens and sadly injuries do too. Best to Josh O on his recovery so he can be back 100% next year.

---

We were all hard on the staff but apparently they swung for another big portal get and missed. I thought they should have brought in a solid big, could have been a physical forward. But they tried to hit a big one and then were left scrambling

---

We had an early commit from the 7ft. Forward, who decommitted and signed with LSU,

---

Nebraska JUCO kid, Noah Boyde. He's a project, but definitely could've used him right about now.

boykin_spaniel said:

---

Always need a backup plan

---

100 it's on them. They should have gone after a solid but unspectacular big that was more certain. Now they're stuck with small ball and grinding Omier into the ground.

Vj and Wright are going to need to be great to have a shot. Love, Celestine, Nunn, and Roach should all be capable of knocking down the open shots those two create.

Rebounding needs to be an obsession now and we know consistent energy isn't our strong suit. We play the hardest playing team in the country next so need to bring it

If I'm the opposing coach I'm making it my goal to get Omier in early foul trouble with lots of drives and shots in the post.

I really don't know how to keep him out of foul trouble with him being the only big body on the floor for us.

Olay defense. He's good for 1-2 dumb fouls a game as is. Gonna be really hard to keep him on the court. Houston will have him in foul trouble early tonight.

Honestly, we weren't going anywhere this year anyway. If this means Asemota, Dubravich and Ndjonga get some minutes that give them some confidence and game experience, that's not really a bad thing.

If Omier keeps playing like he played on Saturday, we have a puncher's chance. Certainly not as good of a chance as we had prior to Josh going down (obviously). The good news for tonight is that Houston's bigs are just as foul-prone as Omier is. If Norchad can avoid the silly reach fouls 80 feet from our basket, he should be ok. Being able to spell him is a different story, though.

On the transfer bigs, we were heavy on Trazerien White, who is now at TCU (where he averages 8.5ppg and isn't an effective rebounder) and Igor Milicic Jr., who now plays at Tennessee. He's averaging 10.7 points and 8 rebounds per game. We shifted our priorities when Omier became a possibility, and I get why we did.

We don't have the NIL budget that an Arkansas or a Kentucky do, where we can afford to pay a reserve big starting P5 money. Hindsight being what it is, maybe you make the White-Milicic combo trade for Omier, but we went for the highest upside and now we have to live with it.

Things may look bleak for @BaylorMBB after the season-ending injury to junior center Josh Ojanwuna. But, Bears played “small ball” the last 35 minutes vs. @UCF_MBB. While their margin for error is certainly slimmer, the 4-guard lineup is talented & will present problems.

— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) February 10, 2025

GoodOleBaylorLine said:

---

Honestly, we weren't going anywhere this year anyway. If this means Asemota, Dubravich and Ndjonga get some minutes that give them some confidence and game experience, that's not really a bad thing.

---

Has Yanis ever appeared in an actual game in 2 years? I'm assuming he is not physically able but would love to be wrong on this.

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

IowaBear said:

---

We have no choice but to go small. Extremely small. The foreign big is nowhere near ready. I'm not even convinced we could get 5 minutes from him that aren't completely disastrous. This also forces Omier to play olay defense. He simply cannot be in foul trouble

---

Does he have a choice? He needs to grow up.

---

If he's not a high D1 player right now, nothing is going to change that. It would be the staff's fault, not the player.

I think we could put him in for a minute or two at times in extremely specific situations to limit the damage while allowing rest. Anything more is probably game over

Mitch Henessey said:

---

The good news for tonight is that Houston's bigs are just as foul-prone as Omier is.

Hindsight being what it is, maybe you make the White-Milicic combo trade for Omier, but we went for it

---

Tonight I doubt it, Omier is going to get mauled. When he plays physical in return he's going to get in foul trouble, probably early.

The line up when he's out has absolutely no options inside. Will be interesting to see what they come up with when he's in foul trouble.

Vj, Wright, and Love showing out is the path. That's the core . One of Nunn, Celestine, or Roach probably need to go off in our remaining games too. Warrior small ball and make the bigs come out.

Put Vj on one of their two scoring guards and let the chips fall where they may. Rebounding could get ugly with how they crash the glass.

TWD 1974 said:

---

GoodOleBaylorLine said:

---

Honestly, we weren't going anywhere this year anyway. If this means Asemota, Dubravich and Ndjonga get some minutes that give them some confidence and game experience, that's not really a bad thing.

---

Has Yanis ever appeared in an actual game in 2 years? I'm assuming he is not physically able but would love to be wrong on this.

---

Redshirting this year. Will be a tough decision for the staff to remove it, but that's why they get paid the big bucks.

Mitch Henessey said:

---

TWD 1974 said:

---

GoodOleBaylorLine said:

---

Honestly, we weren't going anywhere this year anyway. If this means Asemota, Dubravich and Ndjonga get some minutes that give them some confidence and game experience, that's not really a bad thing.

---

Has Yanis ever appeared in an actual game in 2 years? I'm assuming he is not physically able but would love to be wrong on this.

---

Redshirting this year. Will be a tough decision for the staff to remove it, but that's why they get paid the big bucks.

---

Kind of a strange situation. I presume he took a medical redshirt last year. He shows one year at UNM, so he should have at least another year even if he burns a redshirt this season (he turns 24 this month). Redshirts can play in no more than 30% of scheduled games. So, he could play 9 games before burning his redshirt. You're right about staff earning the big bucks on this one.

It's simple…They can choose between Asemota, Celestine or Dubravcic to backup Omier. No one else available has any size. The next best option is Love.

Asemota needs to show something. When he gets the ball, which is not often, he is immediately looking to score. He had a break away a couple of games ago with a wide open player running alongside, took a terrible layup and missed it. I think he is just always too anxious to make a big play vs playing within his skill set. There is zero chance he can play D with any Houston big, they will eat his lunch. But I guess we don't have another option. He might have to come in just to foul and try and disrupt the game.

TWD 1974 said:

---

GoodOleBaylorLine said:

---

Honestly, we weren't going anywhere this year anyway. If this means Asemota, Dubravich and Ndjonga get some minutes that give them some confidence and game experience, that's not really a bad thing.

---

Has Yanis ever appeared in an actual game in 2 years? I'm assuming he is not physically able but would love to be wrong on this.

---

I'm pretty sure he's redshirting this year, and he was out all last year with the knee injury. I don't think we'll see him on the court this season.

BUCANDOIT82 said:

---

It's simple…They can choose between Asemota, Celestine or Dubravcic to backup Omier. No one else available has any size. The next best option is Love.

---

82, up the tempo, spread the floor, and force the opponents bigger lineup to guard 25 ft out?

Depending who's in the game, camp Celestine, Roach and Nunn at the 3 and let Wright, vj, and Love work.

Celestine crashes and boxes out like his job depends on it. Get him acting lessons and fall aggressively when you're pushed to draw fouls.

Two words brethren: Loyola Marymount.

Those who know, know. This is the way forward.

Quinton said:

---

BUCANDOIT82 said:

---

It's simple…They can choose between Asemota, Celestine or Dubravcic to backup Omier. No one else available has any size. The next best option is Love.

---

82, up the tempo, spread the floor, and force the opponents bigger lineup to guard 25 ft out?

Depending who's in the game, camp Celestine, Roach and Nunn at the 3 and let Wright, vj, and Love work.

Celestine crashes and boxes out like his job depends on it. Get him acting lessons and fall aggressively when you're pushed to draw fouls.

---

Asking Celestine to become a rebounding PF is something that's never been in his game. As bear2 has pointed out in the past, his game is more like an oversized 2 guard than it is a 4. But if he can pull it off, I'll be incredibly impressed with this staff.

I'm on the side of the fence that's bummed about our ceiling being significantly lowered, but that we can still make the second weekend. We could also easily get bounced in the first round, which would be a real shame considering the top end talent this team has.

TWD 1974 said:

---

Mitch Henessey said:

---

TWD 1974 said:

---

GoodOleBaylorLine said:

---

Honestly, we weren't going anywhere this year anyway. If this means Asemota, Dubravich and Ndjonga get some minutes that give them some confidence and game experience, that's not really a bad thing.

---

Has Yanis ever appeared in an actual game in 2 years? I'm assuming he is not physically able but would love to be wrong on this.

---

Redshirting this year. Will be a tough decision for the staff to remove it, but that's why they get paid the big bucks.

---

Kind of a strange situation. I presume he took a medical redshirt last year. He shows one year at UNM, so he should have at least another year even if he burns a redshirt this season (he turns 24 this month). Redshirts can play in no more than 30% of scheduled games. So, he could play 9 games before burning his redshirt. You're right about staff earning the big bucks on this one.

---

Yanis has never played at UNM. He played at New Mexico Military Institute, which is a junior college. If the temperature of eligibility continues in the NCAA with the way it appears to be headed, he'll get that year back.

Jokerman said:

---

Two words brethren: Loyola Marymount.

Those who know, know. This is the way forward.

---

VJ can do his best Bo Kimble, but we don't have a Hank Gathers.

Hope we don't.

Even the most rudimentary basketball fan could see that our failure to land a quality 5 in the portal was a huge miss and would rear itself at some point during the season. Believe we will make the NIT but not make it past the second round. No way we make the NCAA tournament.

Cove Dawg said:

---

Even the most rudimentary basketball fan could see that our failure to land a quality 5 in the portal was a huge miss and would rear itself at some point during the season. Believe we will make the NIT but not make it past the second round. No way we make the NCAA tournament.

---

This is silly.

With our wins over Saint John's and Kansas, all we need to do is win the games we should and we're a virtual lock for the tournament.

Win either of the home games against Arizona or Houston and we're definitely in the field.

It's the only option unfortunately. The staff will be preaching to him 24/7. Every one who has any height is unplayable other than a few stand in minutes for Asemota.

Finally have a great freshman and transfer post and can't break through. Need to find a way. Vj and Wright have to go Wade/Paul to make this work.

Quinton said:

---

It's the only option unfortunately. The staff will be preaching to him 24/7. Every one who has any height is unplayable other than a few stand in minutes for Asemota.

Finally have a great freshman and transfer post and can't break through. Need to find a way. Vj and Wright have to go Wade/Paul to make this work.

---

We're going to have to be really good offensively to have any hope of doing anything in March. But with VJ, Wright and Omier all playing at a high level right now and Love back on the floor and looking healthy for the first time in a long time, that possibility exists.

Those four allow Celestine to be a spot-up shooter and Roach and Nunn to play more complementary roles, which makes this offense much, much tougher to defend IMO.

Obviously UCF's defense is awful. But I thought Saturday was the best we've moved the ball all year. That makes sense given that it was basically the first time all year we've been fully healthy at the guard position.

We should have a decent shot to go 5-3 or 4-4 in our last 8 games.

That would make our conference record either 12-8 or 11-9. I think we are in if we pull that off.

boognish_bear said:

---

We should have a decent shot to go 5-3 or 4-4 in our last 8 games.

That would make our conference record either 12-8 or 11-9. I think we are in if we pull that off.

---

The importance of the Kansas win can not be overstated. That game gave us some margin that we didn't have before it and wouldn't have had without it.

That was a resume-building -- potentially season-saving -- victory in a lot of ways.

Hopefully we'll get another one of those against either Arizona or Houston at home, so we won't have to sweat at all on Selection Sunday.

If it were me I would play Dubravcic a few minutes as the backup 5 as long as we are playing zone. But our winning or losing doesn't come down to the backup 5 unless Omier goes down and they become the starting 5.

No team in the country can guard our lineup of VJ, Jeremy, Robert and Langston and no one in the country can guard VJ. How they roll determines our fate (which needs to be reevaluated if Omier goes down). And they could go all the way.

15-8 yet no one in the country can guard anyone on our team. Crazy!! We should be undefeated!!

IowaBear said:

---

15-8 yet no one in the country can guard anyone on our team. Crazy!! We should be undefeated!!

---

Someone should tell Tennessee they couldn't guard VJ, Wright, Omier, Love and Roach when they were on the floor.

They were all 5 on the floor when we were losing 42-14 in the first half to Tennessee in the Bahamas.

You'll have to forgive 82… he has short term memory loss

We take down Houston tonight. That's my reply.

You promised that prior to ISU too and every other team. Everyone knows why.. if we win you can claim to be the smartest in the room. Same act different day