Can the Crown Tournament Give Baylor Basketball Some Momentum Heading into the Offseason?

Basketball expert Ashley Hodge discusses the positives that can come from the College Basketball Crown Tournament, as well as the odds that the Bears can put it all together and make a run.

Obviously, everyone would rather be playing in the NCAA Tournament right now, but the reality is the Bears are playing in the Crown instead. What positives can come from this tournament, and do you think the Bears have a legit chance to win it?

Ashley: Every year at this time, fans go through a wide variety of emotions. I know, for me, there's first the disappointment of watching other Texas schools celebrate getting into the Big Dance while your team doesn’t make it. But then a couple of days later, you watch with amusement as some of those teams take historic beatings.

Head coach Scott Drew says it a lot, but there are only a couple of teams happy at the end of the year. I guess you could argue the winner of the NCAA tournament, the winner of the NIT and the winner of the Crown. Drew will look for the positives better than most. I think he’s got this team locked in on winning this tournament.

One, I don’t think this team ever suffered from disliking each other or being hard to coach. That should help, because at this time of year, a lot of teams are just sick of each other. And probably a few of those are participating in the Crown. 

Second, this season didn’t go how anyone wanted or expected, but this is a new opportunity to end on a high note. Baylor and Creighton are already familiar with this format, having played in the Players’ Era Tournament earlier this season. Hopefully, that familiarity will yield results.

Third, as far as positives, I believe the staff is still evaluating what they need for next season. And it’s another opportunity for those moving on to showcase their talents. It should be a fun tournament. I’m looking forward to watching Baylor compete.