Following Duke men's basketball's big-time victory against Mount St. Mary's, the Blue Devils will take on No. 9-seeded Baylor Sunday afternoon with a chance to go to the Sweet 16. The Blue Zone breaks down the Bears and provides an X-Factor for each squad:
Overview
2023-24 record: 24-11, 11-7 in Big 12
2024-2025 record: 19-14, 10-10 in Big 12
Head coach: Scott Drew
Last meeting: 78-70, Duke, Dec. 20, 2023
Head coach Scott Drew has led Baylor to its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The Bears reached the pinnacle of the sport when they won their first-ever NCAA championship in 2021. However, they have not fared well in the tournament since then. The No. 9-seed squad had a rocky start to the season including a blowout loss to Gonzaga, but throughout has had impressive showings such as wins against St. Johns and Arkansas. The Bears were eliminated in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals against top-seeded Texas Tech, after a potential game-winning shot by highly-touted freshman VJ Edgecombe bounced off the rim in the dying seconds.
Also in the backcourt for Baylor is a familiar face in Jeremy Roach. The former Duke guard has been a helpful veteran presence in a rather young lineup. The senior from Leesburg, Va., has been averaging 10.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Bears this season.
The frontcourt for Baylor has been shorthanded since forward Josh Ojianwuna suffered a season-ending knee injury five minutes into a contest against UCF. The 6-foot-10 junior was second on the team in rebounds and provided height in a rather short lineup. In his absence the Bears have nobody taller than 6-foot-7 in their active rotation, showing a weakness in the interior. Their tallest presence is forward Norchad Omier, who averages 15.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, both bests on the team.
X-Factor
Baylor: VJ Edgecombe
Headlining the Bears' lineup is Edgecombe, a freshman whose name has appeared in NBA lottery pick conversations. The 6-foot-5 freshman has been averaging 15.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, and leads the team in steals averaging 2.1 per game. The Bimini, Bahamas, native has been a constant offensive threat from all over the court. Edgecombe has been shooting 34.5% from behind the 3-point line, but most of his damage comes from driving to the rim and being able to get to the charity stripe. In a conference tournament game against Kansas State, Edgecombe led the Bears in scoring with 19 points while being effective on the boards, getting 10 rebounds.
The freshman leads the team in minutes played per game and will be a consistent force to be reckoned with on the floor. Drew has manipulated his offense to open up lanes and create opportunities on the perimeter to compensate for a thin frontcourt.
Duke: Khaman Maluach
Baylor's lack of interior play and undersized frontcourt gives the Blue Devil big men the opportunity to really play to their strengths, both on offense and defense. Freshman Khaman Maluach had an excellent ACC Tournament, as the 7-foot-2 center tallied eight points at a 4-of-5 clip from the field in the championship game against Louisville. He also grabbed 10 rebounds while blocking two shots in the contest.
Throughout the season, his development has been noticeable, both on offense and defense. He utilizes his height to protect the rim effectively and has the agility to switch onto guards on defense. Maluach, alongside classmate Patrick Ngongba II, have been a great one-two punch as Duke’s centers and hold a heavy advantage against Baylor’s smaller size. The Blue Devils’ guards already match up well against the dynamic and versatile Bear offense, but dominating the paint and the glass will be helpful if Duke wants to secure the victory.
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