They did it! Baylor Bears dominate Gonzaga to capture first NCAA basketball championship

[TexasTowelie]

Source: Waco Tribune-Herald

INDIANAPOLIS — Eighteen years after Scott Drew took over a devastated program no other coach wanted, his Baylor basketball team stood inside Lucas Oil Stadium hoisting a trophy everybody covets.

What once seemed utterly impossible is now reality: The Bears are 2021 national champions.

Combining frenetic energy with remarkable precision, the Bears jumped out to an early 19-point lead and romped to an 86-70 win over No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga, which saw its bid to become the first unbeaten team in 45 years denied.

The Bears (28-2) captured their first national championship on Monday night 73 years after making their only other title game appearance in 1948 when they dropped a 58-42 decision to Kentucky.

Read more: https://wacotrib.com/sports/college/baylor/they-did-it-baylor-bears-dominate-gonzaga-to-capture-first-ncaa-basketball-championship/article_6f75c40a-968c-11eb-98d5-7bbfeba94eac.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

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Posting in LBN because reports about sports are allowed in LBN if it involves a national championship.

[captain queeg]

1. Wow. I don't follow BB much but lived in Spokane for a long time

Watched the Zags rise to dominance. I’m bummed they didn’t have the perfect season but Baylor trounced them, stunning.

[speak easy]

2. Gonzaga : you can not lose if you do not exist.

Gonzaga does not exist. Jimmy Kimmel blew the whistle on them. Who won Gonzaga vs King Kong? You cannot lose if you do not exist. EOM.

(Alternative Reality : I feel bad for the Gonzaga kids . This is shaping up like curse of the Bambino)

[2naSalit]

6. Well...

I have been to the library at Gonzaga while doing research. But I can't prove that.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

3. They are a great team! Gonzaga looked like little pests all

night and Baylor kept swatting them away. Even Gonzaga's obvious strategy of always skillfully weaving in to the basket (either get the basket or draw a foul) wasn't enough.

Kinda half makes up for Mulkie seemingly blaming the Baylor women's loss on masks

[kentuck]

4. It was anti-climatic...

...after the historic game with UCLA just two nights ago. They played their hearts out. There was nothing left.

Baylor looked like they could defeat a few NBA teams last night.

[underpants]

11. Completely agree

They were spent. From what I’ve read Baylor hit everything from the tip and thy never let Gonzaga back in.

[2naSalit]

5. That's great!

I haven't paid much attention to basketball for years so I am not up on who has what standing and all that. But I do root for the underdog teams, especially in college athletics.

[Maxheader]

7. Big 12 rules.....!

fwiw... , kansas beat the bears this season!...

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. That game was in Kansas

Kansas is always hard to beat at home. Kansas always has a tough team

[LetMyPeopleVote]

9. I missed having a real POTUS

Link to tweet

[TexasTowelie]

13. Guess who is getting an invite to the White House for dinner?

I bet that President Biden doesn't order takeout from McDonalds.

[underpants]

10. Boo!

Not a fan of Baylor.

Apparently they dominated the first few minutes and that was it.

[MyMission]

12. Go Bears!

Haven't been following the tournament this year.
I usually do, as we sell sporting goods and tend to turn on the tv at work for playoffs.

Glad they won.

[iluvtennis]

14. It was a great game - Baylor was awesome on both sides of the floor - offense and defense.

[Roc2020]

15. Gonzaga got beat like a drum

Didn't expect that arse whupping.

[murielm99]

16. It was hard for me to know who to support in this game.

I have always loved the Zags. I like Butler, Loyola, University of Illinois.

Who do I like best? I am a graduate of Valparaiso University. How could I not support Baylor and Scott Drew?

The Drew family is a dynasty. They are a legend. They are gentlemen and scholars.

I have found them to be humble as individuals.

Eighteen years ago, when Scott Drew said they would win games and be in the tournament, he was not bragging. He was stating the facts. He built that program from nothing.

I love college basketball.

[VarryOn]

17. I would have been happy with a win from either team...

They were clearly the best two...but wow, Baylor can play some basketball!!!
I was impressed with their coach in his post-game interview. He was gracious and seemed to be a genuinely good person.

[jmowreader]

18. I have disliked Gonzaga for many years

There was an interview in my competitor in which either Coach Few or one of his players was complaining about the Bulldogs still being considered a mid-major team even though they’ve had a lot of success on the court. Well...Gonzaga is considered a mid-major because of the conference they’re in. The West Coast Conference is 10 Christian universities, the one that’s farthest east being Brigham Young University. And as long as Gonzaga stays in the WCC, they’ll remain a mid-major. Sorry kids, but that’s how it works. I suspect the PAC-12 would take them as they have, under Coach Few, become a consistently good team...but the WCC would go apeshit if their premier team left for more competitive pastures.