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It be not moderately as special as these first four days of the NCAA Tournament, however the weeks round Thanksgiving continuously delivers dandies, especially when ballrooms are eager. This season is rarely any moderately about a and the magic will get started a piece of of early.
No. 13 Baylor stunned Mo. 22 St. John’s ninety 9-98 in double-past abnormal time on Jeremy Roach’s game-winning 3-pointer as time expired in Thursday’s Baha Mar Championship opener. Roach might maybe presumably must aloof not have had the opportunity to fabricate a game-winner if he hadn’t bricked a free throw slack in regulation to originate the door for St. John’s to discontinue alive .
“He talked about, ‘I will miss this free throw so I can get a SportsCenter Top 10 play,'” Bears coach Scott Drew suggested newshounds gleefully in a while.
College basketball, of us. It be the gift that retains on giving.
But there isn’t any time for Baylor to relaxation on its laurels when No. 11 Tennessee awaits the Bears not up to 24 hours later. The Vols throttled Virginia 64-42 within the aid of 26 beneficial properties from the earn-shredding Chaz Lanier.
Let’s dive into this early-season matchup between two high-15 groups loaded with firepower and splashy transfer portal hauls.
Tennessee vs. Baylor: Key pivot point Can Baylor’s guards pressure the ball? Right here is energy on energy. Baylor’s offense has pivoted faraway from a ton of opt-and-rolls and as an alternate beneficial properties a bunch more pressure-and-kick actions to attack lengthy closeouts and accentuate its deep, loaded backcourt. Baylor can continually obtain a outdated hyperlink on the perimeter and get opposing defenses into rotation with turbo drives.
But Tennessee’s point-of-attack defense is a fortress. Jahmai Mashack and Zakai Zeigler are on the Nationwide Defensive Player of the twelve months shortlist. Their off-ball defense is at probability of be even better than their ridiculously impactful, on-ball defense. Tennessee shall be in industry if Baylor’s lead guards can’t pressure the ball and get into the paint. Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier has been extra special all season offensively, however the Volunteers can’t conceal the North Florida transfer on this matchup. Baylor has attain too many guards with juice. Lanier has to play his ideal defensive game of the season.
Tennessee vs. Baylor: Most impactful matchup Tennessee’s Igor Milicic vs. Baylor’s smaller guards: Baylor has pleasing been attain better this season when it goes diminutive, inserting freshman point guard Rob Wright into the game and taking center Josh Ojianwuna off the ground. Norchad Omier shifts to the 5, Jeremy Roach slides into a 2-guard characteristic and Baylor begins buzzing … on offense. That’s going to be advanced to inspire out in opposition to Tennessee. If that happens, among the most gruesome-matching will get awkward for both groups.
If Tennessee stays with its abnormal starting up 5, Vols’ center Felix Okpara will discontinue on Omier. Which methodology Milicic, a 6-foot-10 forward, will have to guard one in every of Baylor’s backcourt studs cherish Jayden Nunn or VJ Edgecombe. That’s potentially going to be an attend for Baylor. But Baylor has to guard him with a smaller guy, too. Milicic has been grand not too lengthy ago, rising over defenders for 3s and attacking the glass with a vengeance. Milicic might maybe pressure Baylor to discontinue grand if he’s dominating some of Scott Drew’s diminutive-ball lineups. But if he’s struggling to defend in situation, Tennessee shall be the team that has to counter to circulate diminutive and get Jordan Gainey on the ground in a bustle.
The chess match shall be attention-grabbing.
Jeremy Roach is making a grand early influence for Baylor after transferring from Duke.
Getty Photography
watch Tennessee vs. Baylor stay Date: Friday, Nov. 22 | Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
Dwelling: Baha Mar Conference Center — Nassau, Bahamas
TV: CBS Sports Network [Channel finder]
Live circulate: CBSSports.com | Cellular: CBS Sports App (Free)
Tennessee vs. Baylor prediction, opt All odds via BetMGM . Take a look at out the latest BetMGM promo code to get within the game.
Baylor, a 4.5-point underdog vs. Tennessee at BetMGM sportsbook, is a piece of of an advanced matchup for the Volunteers since it has sufficient creators/taking pictures to generate upright appears and furthermore convert ’em. I furthermore marvel if Tennessee has pleasing been working a piece of hot not too lengthy ago offensively. The Vols don’t take many 3-pointers, however they’re taking pictures a hot 40%. I will take the Bears in considerably of an upset. Preserve an gape on Norchad Omier’s ground-stretching abilities. He hasn’t shot it well but, however he’ll lastly. This might maybe maybe even be the X-Element in opposition to Felix Okpara who would valuable somewhat hang out attain the rim. Prediction: Baylor 75, Tennessee 74