Big XII Conference Preview, Part 1

Baylor (4-13, 4-12)(coached by Scott Drew)

Projected Rotation:

Jr PG Aaron Bruce
So G CJ Jerrells
Fr G Tweety Carter
So PF Kevin Rogers
So C Mamadou Diene

G Henry Dugat
SG Patrick Fields
F Tim Bush

Bears Suddenly a Step Ahead of the Pack...

Believe it or not, Scott Drew is now one of the grizzled veterans of the conference. As numerous traditional contenders began the slide toward rock bottom, Drew was laying the groundwork for a return to respectability. Half of the Big XII brings in a new coach this fall and a good number of those programs will be looking up at the Bears in the standings, probably viewing the Baylor resurgence as a best case scenario for their own. Just one year removed from a crippling, NCAA-imposed non-conference ban, Baylor is suddenly as deep, talented and experienced as just about anybody in the Big XII. This group hasn’t proven it is capable of beating anybody yet, but with a dynamic backcourt and enough frontcourt athleticism to get by, wins should be easy to come by against teams going through a rebuilding-from-the-ground-up process that Drew knows all too well. Did anybody expect Baylor basketball to bounce back this fast?

Drew has done a masterful job of recruiting, landing key area targets and also taking advantage of his strong international connections. Junior Aaron Bruce was the first piece two seasons ago, and the dynamic Aussie floor general looks to bounce back after an injury-marred sophomore campaign. Where Bruce is a constant fast break threat due to his elite vision in the open court, combo guard Curtis Jerrells, a native Texan, gets it done the traditional way. A blur with the ball in his hands, Jerrells pushes the tempo relentlessly, scores points in bunches from the outside, and gets into the lane with ease. The pair should comprise one of the nation’s elite backcourts in 06-07.

Of course, Drew has a lot more to work with than his two accomplished lead guards. The program had lacked a legitimate interior presence since Lawrence Roberts transferred in the wake of the scandal, but that changed last year with the arrival of athletic specimen Kevin Rogers and 7-footer Mamadou Diene. Neither player offers much in terms of skill at this early juncture, but few 6’8 players can run the floor like Rogers and Diene should rank near the top of the conference leaderboard in both rebounds and blocked shots. Senior combo forward Tim Bush has helped the program through the lean years, while his classmate Patrick Fields is the closest thing Drew has to a traditionally-sized wing presence. Sophomore shooter Henry Dugat was beaten out by Jerrells, but will still light it up from the outside from time to time.

The talent continues to roll in with Drew at the helm. He just missed on Darrell Arthur, but signed his first McDonald’s All-American in the explosive Tweety Carter. One of the most accomplished scorers in high school basketball history, Carter is undersized and without a true position but will stretch defenses with almost unlimited range on his jumper. Carter in a 3-guard lineup with Bruce and Jerrells would be quite the show. 6’10 Finnish import Jari Vanttaja is available after a redshirt season. Top 100 types Josh Lomers and Penny Thiam are also on board. The 7-footer Lomers was coveted by every school in the state. Thiam is a versatile wing out of Senegal.

Backcourt: B+
Frontcourt: B-
Depth: B
Experience: C+

If this was a normal year in the Big XII, it might be easier to take a wait and see approach with this group. As talented as it appears, Baylor was just 4-13 last year and didn’t have to deal with the pressure of winning expectations. That won’t be the case in 06-07, as the rebuilding job is over and now Drew must start making his presence felt in the standings – not just on the recruiting path. But given the state of the conference and the encouraging signs from last year’s abbreviated run, a middle of the pack finish seems very likely. Drew kept the reigns on his inexperienced team last season, but certainly has the athletic ability and depth to pick up the pace in 06-07. Even if an NCAA Tournament berth is still a year away, the future is bright. Elite committed shooting guard LaceDarrius Dunn could be the final piece of the puzzle in 2007. Expect to see some exciting basketball in Waco this season.

Prediction: 7th

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Missouri(12-16, 5-11)(Coached by Mike Anderson)