Baylor? Baylor

One of the surprises in college basketball this year has been Baylor. Picked to finish in the bottom half of the league, the Bears have exceeded expectations. Though .500 in league play, Baylor is 16-5 overall. They stand 13th overall in KenPom, 22nd in AdjustedO & 33rd in AdjustedD.

Baylor's defense stands out this year. While not elite, it's better than recent incarnations. Teams have an effective fg% of 44.7% against them. Teams only shoot 29% from 3 against them. They also defend without fouling. 

On offense, their calling card is offensive rebounding. They lead the nation in offensive rebounding %, 43.3%. They also shoot well from 3, making 38% from range. They don't get to the line much which is good because they shoot a putrid 65% from the line. Somewhat surprisingly, they shoot 44.8% from 2, only 280th overall.

Sr. G Kenny Cherry runs the offense. He is a better 3pt shooter than from 2 but is the one Bear you want shooting freebies. The interior is a strength. Jr. Rico Gathers gets 10 & 12 and Fr. Johnathan Motley provides valuable minutes. Motley is a rebounding machine. He's 2nd in the nation in offensive rebounding % and 53rd in defensive rebounding %. Sr. Royce O'Neale provides efficient minutes for Baylor. It's a good mix of talent.

Baylor swept through the SEC, beating South Carolina, Vandy & Texas A&M. They also have a win over Stephen F. Austin. 4-4 in conference, they lost by 1 at home to Kansas. Through this point of the season, the Big XII has established itself the best league.

Hard to say where Baylor lands this year come March. I like this group better than recent Baylor teams. Sweet 16 seems the ceiling but that's far better than what was expected