BAYLOR ROUTS GONZAGA FOR 1ST TITLE
Bears deny Gonzaga unbeaten season with convincing win
INDIANAPOLIS — Heck, everyone’s entitled to an off-night. But the beatdown that Baylor put on undefeated Gonzaga with the national title on the line — nobody saw that coming.
The Bears obliterated the Bulldogs’ march to perfection in an 86-70 runaway Monday to bring a once-downtrodden program’s first national title back home to Waco, Texas.
Jared Butler scored 22 points and MaCio Teague 19 for Baylor (28-2), which was ranked second or third in the Associated Press’ Top 25 poll all season. The Bears were never first, however, because of Gonzaga.
Pounding the offensive glass and scrapping for — and winning — the lion’s share of the 50-50 balls, Baylor never let this one come down to a miracle by Jalen Suggs. The Bulldogs freshman’s buzzer-beater from near the half-court logo at the overtime buzzer Saturday against UCLA got Gonzaga to the final in a game that stood as their first true test of the season.
The Bulldogs passed against
UCLA but were not even close against the Bears.
After opening a 19-point lead early, Baylor never let Gonzaga get any closer than nine. Butler made four three-pointers and added seven assists and was named the Final Four’s most outstanding player.
‘‘They came out, they fed off each other and we got off to a great start,’’ Bears coach Scott Drew said. ‘‘And defensively, we’re pretty good.’’
They sure are.
Guard Davion Mitchell — nicknamed ‘‘Off Night’’ because so many opponents encounter one when they go against him — finished with 15 points and did his best to limit Suggs, who finished with 22 points — most after the Bulldogs were well into desperation mode — and likely will be heading to the NBA lottery next.
Gonzaga’s first loss in 32 games this season — and in 36 dating to 2019-20 — leaves Indiana’s 1975-76 team as the last to go undefeated. If Scott May, Quinn Buckner and the rest of coach Bob Knight’s team were keeping champagne cold to celebrate — a la the perfect 1972 Dolphins — they could’ve uncorked it by halftime. Or sooner.
Baylor led 9-0 after 2oe minutes, and the Bulldogs faced only their fourth double-digit deficit of the season when they fell behind 11-1. They faced their biggest deficit of the season — 15 points — with 7:10 gone. By then, Suggs had two fouls and was watching from the bench.
He tried hard to breathe some fire into his teammates and the Gonzaga fans in attendance, who made about as much noise as the cardboard cutouts that were scattered through Lucas Oil Stadium to make it seem full.
‘‘Let’s ... go!’’ Suggs screamed after he got fouled on a layup early in the second half, only to miss the free throw.
But more than anything in the title game, it was Suggs’ memorable basket two nights earlier that laid the groundwork for this one. His bank shot at the buzzer capped one of the most riveting college basketball games ever. Back on the floor about 46 hours after that emotional roller coaster, it was clear the Bulldogs were gassed.
Gonzaga coach Mark Few, now 0-2 in title games, gave full credit to Baylor and didn’t blame his team’s fatigue for the loss.
‘‘Obviously, it’s a tough turnaround, but it was more just the aggressiveness and athleticism of Baylor,’’ Few said. ‘‘They deserved it. Quite frankly, they were terrific.’’