Baylor (17)
by Dakota Schmidt
Since arriving to Baylor, head
coach Scott Drew has done a great
job of pushing the Bears from
Big 12 bottom-feeder (finished
8-21 in 2003-04) to respectability
(21-11, with a trip to the NCAA
Tournament, in 2007-08).
Projected Starters
G
5-10
PT%
73.90
G
PTE
9.04
6-3
PT%
42.72
F
PT%
63.82
6-9
PT%
53.68
F
6-8
PT%
74.63
HS100 AC/AA
Allerik Freeman
PTE
2.69
6-7
F
Lester Medford
HS100 AC/AA
62
Taurean Prince
SR
NBA
SO
NBA
SR
PTE
25.47
HS100 AC/AA
2-AC
NBA
32
PTE
7.03
HS100 AC/AA
NBA
PTE
31.06
HS100 AC/AA
32
1-AC
Johnathan Motley
Rico Gathers
SO
SR
NBA
83
Bench Rotation
G-F
6-5
PT%
21.91
G
PTE
1.28
6-3
PT%
0.00
C
G
HS100 AC/AA
58
King McClure
PTE
0.00
7-0
PT%
0.00
Ishmail Wainright
HS100 AC/AA
66
Jo Acuil
PTE
0.00
HS100 AC/AA
6-5 Jake Lindsey
PT%
0.00
PTE
0.00
HS100 AC/AA
JR
NBA
FR
NBA
JR
NBA
FR
NBA
Including that season, the
Baylor Bears have made it to
postseason play—be it NIT or
NCAA Tournament—in seven
of the past eight years; a run that
has included two trips to the Elite
Eight (2010 and 2012), and an NIT
championship in 2013.
This season, Drew will look to
push the program up another tier
with a Baylor squad that possesses
a wealth of young talent. Despite
losing dynamic playmaker Royce
O’Neale and facilitator Kenny
Cherry, the Bears return a solid
core of players, led by All-Big 12
First Team forward Rico Gathers
and reigning Big 12 Sixth Man of
The Year, Taurean Prince.
The 6-foot-8, 275-pound
Gathers has been one of the most
dominating rebounders in the
country since touching foot on the
Ferrell Center floor. During his
junior season, Gathers averaged
11.6 rebounds (4.7 offensive) per
game, for an outstanding 22.3 Total
Rebound Percentage. Although he
isn’t highly efficient, Gathers’ size,
surprisingly sound footwork, and a
developing left-handed hook shot
make for the solid foundations of a
developing offensive game.
While Gathers is a sheer brute,
forward Taurean Prince has evolved
to become one of the most versatile
forwards in college basketball,
scoring off a variety of cuts, postups, catch-and-shoots and off-the-
dribble jumpers. With his 6-foot-7
frame and 6-foot-11 wingspan, and
40 percent 3-point shooting, Prince
is the textbook 3-and-D wing.
Prince’s length and athleticism
is a disruptive force in Baylor’s
1-3-1 zone, generating 1.4 steals
per game—forcing opponents to
constantly move the ball, with the
defense resetting itself at even the
slightest hesitation.
While some of the most
disciplined offenses can take
advantage of the ensuing gaps, it’s
limited opponents to an atrocious
29 percent from behind the 3-point
line; the eighth lowest in the
country according to KenPom.com.
BBALLBREAKDOWN | 36