No. 17 Baylor has performed 4 ranked groups in its first six video games of the season, balancing their pre-Huge 12 Convention schedule between ranked opponents and opponents from non-power conferences.

After beating then-No. 22 St. John’s 99-98 in double time beyond regulation, adopted by a 77-62 loss to then-No. 11 Tennessee within the closing of the Baha Mar Hoops championship in Nassau, Bahamas, final Friday, Baylor (4-2) will face New Orleans on Wednesday afternoon in Waco, Texas.

Bears coach Scott Drew stated the early season losses present useful expertise.

“What you danger is you’ll be able to lose confidence when you lose some video games,” Drew stated of the gauntlet of ranked opponents. “However when you keep collectively you achieve an important staff as a result of diamonds are shaped beneath stress and we have to know what we will get and what to anticipate from guys in these conditions.”

Drew already has realized so much about how his staff responds to adversity. Within the season opener, Baylor went on the street to face then-No. 6 Gonzaga, fell behind by 19 at halftime and could not get again within the sport, shedding 101-63.

The Bears bounced again to beat then-No. 16 Arkansas 72-67 in Dallas earlier than profitable handily in dwelling video games towards Sam Houston and Tarleton State.

They fell behind St. John’s by as many as 18 factors within the first half and did not take their first lead till lower than three minutes remained in regulation. Although the Bears got here up brief towards Tennessee, they fought again from a 28-point first-half deficit and outscored the Volunteers 42-30 within the second half.

“We’re making strides,” stated Drew, whose staff has one other notable pre-conference sport developing when it visits two-time defending nationwide champion UConn on Dec. 4.

Baylor has 5 scorers averaging in double figures, led by ahead Norchad Omier, a Miami switch who’s averaging a double-double (16.5 factors and 10.0 rebounds), and guard VJ Edgecombe, who’s averaging 12.5 factors. Duke switch guard Jeremy Roach chips in 12.7 factors per sport.

For New Orleans (2-4) of the Southland Convention, guard James White’s 31 factors drove the Privateers to a 93-87 time beyond regulation victory at crosstown rival Tulane final Friday.

New Orleans led 39-27 at halftime and nonetheless held a 12-point lead with 1:35 left within the second half, however Vincent Jamond fouled the Inexperienced Wave’s Kaleb Banks on a 3-point try with 0.9 seconds left in regulation. Banks made all three free throws to power time beyond regulation.

In time beyond regulation, the Privateers completed with a 14-8 scoring edge to win.

“We needed to get by way of a bit adversity there,” first-year head coach Stacy Hollowell stated. “We needed to refocus in time beyond regulation and do what we do. We’ll proceed to construct. We bought the job actual late (April 25) and put the staff collectively in two weeks. Hopefully this propels us in the correct course.”

New Orleans shot a season-best 50 p.c from the ground and White, a switch from UAB, scored eight in time beyond regulation.

“Clearly, it was tough going to time beyond regulation,” White stated, “however we caught it out as a bunch and got here collectively.”

–Subject Stage Media