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Baylor Basketball

BREAKING: Baylor dominates Gonzaga, wins first ever National Championship

April 5, 2021
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Get your National Championship gear!

INDIANAPOLIS — Baylor put the exclamation point on an already historic season Monday evening as the Bears put the country on notice with a dominating 86-70 victory over previously unbeaten Gonzaga to claim the program’s first ever National Championship. 

The Bears led from start to finish including holding a double-digit victory for the majority of the 40 minute contest.

Baylor came out of the gates red hot to start the game, extending its lead to 9-1 before Gonzaga hit its first field goal of the game 4:31 into the first half. Led by MaCio Teague’s 14 first half points,  Baylor saw that eight point lead expand all the way out to 19. Teague connected on both of his two three point attempts in the first 20 minutes.

From the opening tip, senior Mark Vital paced Baylor’s effort and energy to help create separation as all five of his rebounds came on the offensive end as the Bears dominated on the glass with a 16-10 rebounding edge in the half. Vital finished the game with 11 rebounds, six points, two assists, two steals and one block. 

Baylor finished the game with a 38-22 rebounding advantage over Gonzaga.

After a Teague three pushed Baylor’s lead to 29-10, Gonzaga’s elite offensive squad put pressure on the Bears in the final stretch of the opening period. The Bulldogs knocked down nine free throws after eight Baylor fouls to cut into the large lead before a layup to beat the buzzer trimmed it all the way down to 10. 

The run by the Zags would prove to be short lived, however. After the intermission the Bears quickly widened the gap to 15 points and never looked back. 

Gonzaga entered the game as the top ranked offensive team in the country, but Scott Drew’s unit had none of it. Led by Davion Mitchell, Baylor forced 14 turnovers and blocked five shots while holding Gonzaga to just 70 points, 21.6 points below its season average. 

Mitchell finished with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. 

Offensively the Bears continued a hot streak found against Houston from deep. After hitting 11 against Houston in the Final Four, Baylor hit another 10 in the championship game. 

Junior guard Jared Butler scored 22 points, dished out seven assists with no turnovers and hit 4/9 three point shots. Senior MaCio Teague (19) and sophomore Adam Flagler (13) also notched double-digit performances.  

Discussion from...

BREAKING: Baylor dominates Gonzaga, wins first ever National Championship

11,336 Views | 15 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by historian
Celtic Bear
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Yeah, baby. First ever Men's Basketball championship!!! And, my best birthday ever!!!
ElwoodBear57
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Yes, outstanding!
ElwoodBear57
Bearup3
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My Dad went to NYC to watch us lose the 1948 final. But 73 years later we were not to be denied. Awesome playing. Defense /offense were spectacular. Completely dominated both ends of the court!
A game never to be forgotten!
Dow Heard
syme
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Irish Whiskey Bear said:

Yeah, baby. First ever Men's Basketball championship!!! And, my best birthday ever!!!


Lol same here!
gobears20
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Staff
gobears20
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Staff
DCTB
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This is so cool!
https://nikcosports.com/baylor-bears-ncaa-final-four-basketball-limited-edition-exclusive/?salesrep=Marc
MrGolfguy
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Yeah they did!
jdkingbear
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There is a very good and understandable reason why Gonzaga was undefeated. They had yet to play the Bears. Lots of hype about the Zags going undefeated and winning a National Championship - the first time in almost 50 years. Oops. They forgot to consult with Scott's team of miracle workers. No last-minute eked out win this. It was a complete rout of a very good team by an even better team - The Baylor Bears!!
jdkingbear
Squatch Hunter
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Our guards were too fast, our bigs too strong and athletic. Great win for Baylor but not a close or competitive game.
Porteroso
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No doubt who the best team in the country was tonight. To manhandle an undefeated team like that, only 6 other equal or greater blowouts in the natty game, is a statement by our team.

I think back to our Elite 8 game against Duke, with all those players I loved so much, Tweety, Acy, Lomers, Udoh, because that was the first time I thought we really had a run in us. For all the players through the years, I give this natty to all of them. Not that I can, but you know.

It will take me a long time to process this, which I will enjoy immensely. A pleasure seeing all of you post on this board (well, most of you).
Aliceinbubbleland
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Great post man, as always. I share those views too.
Astros in Home Stretch Geaux Texans
historian
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jdkingbear said:

There is a very good and understandable reason why Gonzaga was undefeated. They had yet to play the Bears. Lots of hype about the Zags going undefeated and winning a National Championship - the first time in almost 50 years. Oops. They forgot to consult with Scott's team of miracle workers. No last-minute eked out win this. It was a complete rout of a very good team by an even better team - The Baylor Bears!!

To that point:

“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!”
Psalm 119:36
historian
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Good recap:



I love Avery Johnson!

"Do you really believe that if this came had been played a couple days later the outcome would have been different?"

"NO!"
“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!”
Psalm 119:36
historian
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I did a Google search of "Baylor basketball" earlier and it had green and gold fireworks. Every time I go back to that page, it's the same. Pretty cool.
“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!”
Psalm 119:36
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