Predictions: Baylor or Gonzaga?
Who do you think wins tonight? And who do you want to win?
We all know Gonzaga was taken to OT the other night by 11-seed UCLA so maybe they aren't the unstoppable juggernaut they've been advertised as. I wouldn't hate seeing Gonzaga and Mark Few win their first Championship but think Baylor might actually pull off a close win. Should be a great game.
Gonzaga...they'll be riding the momentum of Jalen Suggs' buzzer beater. Plus they had not been tested all year (UCLA was just the 2nd team to keep it within single digits).
The fact that they've now played in a tight game and came through answers the question of if Gonzaga can get it done in a close game when the pressure is on.
I see Gonzaga being up by 5-9 points for most of the game and then pulling away late.
Well, they got it done but needed a 40-footer at the buzzer to do it. They blew a seven-point lead in the second half and five-point lead with a minute to go in overtime. I felt like they escaped that game more than they put it to bed.
I was underwhelmed by Gonzaga's defense. Suggs is tough on the ball but beyond that, they seem pretty ordinary to me. I thought Baylor looked like a more complete team Saturday. But we'll see.
Technically yes, but the 40 footer just kept them from another OT.
Gonzaga is very lucky to still be alive. Juzang had the ball with a chance to win at the buzzer in regulation. I thought they were done
Sorry, but I don't think there's anything about being tested or supposedly having momentum from a buzzer beater that translates to them playing better against Baylor. How does Baylor not have momentum after dismantling Houston?
Baylor is playing well, I just feel like there's something behind riding momentum from close wins or buzzer beaters.
But I do think it was important for Gonzaga to finally be tested and respond by winning the game, even if it was in OT. Baylor has had games they've either lost this year or have come down to the wire, Gonzaga just has not.
It was a meaningful lesson they've learned and should probably come out better for it. Plus, they beat a UCLA team that just couldn't miss when it came to tough mid-range jumpers or 3's.
And as another poster mentioned, Baylor could have trouble with Timme inside. He's a mismatch
Can’t stand Timme but I think he’ll be the difference in this one. Baylor doesn’t have an answer for him.
Baylor wins. I hope I'm wrong.
Baylor. Just cause.
If Kispert has another off night from three and Baylor can handle Timme enough, I think the Bears will counter with threes and layups of their own from their lightning quick guards and take down the Zags.
How quickly did we forget Baylor and their rape culture and Ken Star?
Apparently as quickly as you forgot how to spell Ken Starr's name.
Baylor
Zags
Go Fighting Jesuits!?
Jesuits for the win!
Jesuits vs. Baptists?
Zags look beatable. Baylor 3 point shooting will be the difference.
Yep.
The sad thing: UM at full strength could have won it all. Oh well, you have to be good AND lucky I suppose...
I'm convinced that we could have won it all even without Livers. We just didn't get it done.
Based on what? What makes you think we could hang with Baylor or Gonzaga without livers? I am not even sure we could with him; definitely not Baylor.
UCLA exemplifies both good and lucky as they showed both. They certainly over achieved. Michigan wasn't good enough to overcome their game long scoring drought then wasn't lucky enough to get that buzzer beater.
Gonzaga got their lucky 40 ft shot buzzer beater to beat UCLA so the 1 vs 2 matchup should be a close game. As to the winner, Gonzaga to win it all.
Not so sure about that. Michigan looked pretty mediocre against elite backcourts (Illinois and OSU) this year. I don’t see how they keep up with Gonzaga and Baylor offensive efficiency. They may keep it close against Gonzaga, but I think Baylor would have dusted Michigan *AT* full strength by about 10-15.
I don't care. I kept thinking during the Gonzaga UCLA game that we should have been playing
I hope the Zag's finally get one... Mark Few has had his team within reach for so long, and so consistently, that he's earned it. And he's done it without any hint of scandal, questionable tactics, or gamesmanship - just a class act.
Baylor, OTOH, let a player get killed by a teammate a while back. Not necessarily relevant to this years team, but it speaks to the long term nature of an athletic department for which there are no uncertainties about the priority over everything else - winning. The Dept wide coverup and glossing over of rape just cannot be excused. Especially when you consider the way they covered up the 'investigation' that left everyone in charge remain in charge. Fuck Baylor.
Good luck to Gonzaga!
Edit: Oh, wait - this is a prediction thread! So... I predict that Gonzaga gets a close, but somewhat comfortable win.
Gonzaga
Only because of my bracket and the $600 that would come with it..... Go Bears!
After Saturday’s games I feel more more confident that they can, and will, pull it off.
Gonzaga is very good but beatable. I wish we could play them with Livers.
Not sure I have enough interest to watch it until midnight
Not a fan of either school, but I actively dislike Baylor. Don't care who wins, but I've had Gonzaga winning it all so I'll stick with them in a close victory.
BAYLOR.
Baylor’s bench will be the difference . They will pound them on the offense glass . 84-76 Baylor ! I have them
$50 on the moneyline
You always get a +1 because Owosso.
I think Baylor wins, but rooting for Gonzaga - Mark Few has stayed despite bigger jobs and they’ve been close a handful of times.
Baylor all day. Gonzaga's weaknesses were on full display vs UCLA and after playing in a weak ass conference and having a weak ass run to the final game they finally face a team that wont beat themselves. 82-70 BEARS
Baylor. I haven't seen that much of either team, but Baylor kinda feels like a Beilein team with way more athleticism, which is scary. They shoot lights out from 3. They distribute it well. Mitchell is a terror on both ends of the court and even driving or shooting on offense. I think Michigan with Livers beats Gonzaga in a 7-game series. I don't think that about Baylor though.
FWIW, they took a big jump up on Kenpom after killing Houston. You can dismiss Houston, but they're better than basically all of Gonzaga's competition. And Baylor would probably be even higher if they hadn't had a post-covid lull.
Before Saturday night I would've told you this title was Gonzaga's to lose. Now I'm not so sure. UCLA really pushed them to the brink and showed that they are beatable.
I think I'm still going to go with Gonzaga, but the door is wide open for Baylor to take this game. But I really want to see Gonzaga win it. Got to love seeing a guy like Mark Few who has stayed at Gonzaga his whole career, built the program from nothing into a perennial national power, and is on the cusp of capping off a historic season with potentially the school's first national title. He appears to have done everything the right way, and I'd love to see a mid-major win it.
I also went to a Jesuit high school, and while I'm not really religious anymore, much less a staunch Jesuit follower, I did have a great experience there. So I suppose it would be cool to see Gonzaga win for that reason as well.
Few didn't exactly build them from nothing. Dan Monson took the Zags to the Elite Eight in 1999, before leaving for Minnesota (!) and being replaced by Few. But Few has kept it going far longer than anyone would have imagined.
Gonzaga wins, completing their perfect season.
Expect a pretty close one, though.
As far as who I WANT to win? I really don't care. I'm fine with either one, really.
Baylor. Or Gonzaga. I don't know though.
Feels like Gonzaga got their one close game out of the year and they'll be ready for Baylor. Also, UCLA is seemingly a weird matchup for a lot of teams that forces you to do things that don't make sense (for example, giving up contested mid-range jumpers in any other context is a considered a win for the defense) that I wouldn't read too much into it.
I hope its as entertaining as the Women's championship game was....
Baylor wins (I feel a little bad saying that).
After the buzzer, a Baylor player goes over to Timme, rubs his mustache and points to the crowd. (I can dream, can’t I ?)
I think Gonzaga would win 6/10 games played. Baylor has some sharpshooters (they are #1 in team 3-pt %), and if they are off they probably don't stand a chance. But if they're on, it will be a game.
I can't stand either program so I hope they both lose. Gonzaga will claim greatest of all time if they finish undefeated and they will not be. The 1992 Duke squad (which I hated) could claim this in many ways, however the ACC back then was ridiculously good. Now Gonzaga has a shot that will rival Laettenrer's shot against Kentucky in 1992.
I've been wrong about just about everything this tournament, and my gut says Gonzaga's gonna win. Therefore, I bet Baylor wins by 7-10
Matchups say tossup. I think Kispert is a liability in this game due to Baylor's pressing guards and expect to see a lot more of a Nembhard along Suggs lineup so there are 2 point guards on the floor for the Zags.
Because Aayayi is also a good ball handler, I think the Zags have enough to mitigate Baylor's tenacious perimeter D and win it in a close one.
If Nembard doesn't get big minutes, though, I could see Suggs wearing down late and Baylor pressing them into turnovers. Mark Few is a great coach, so I doubt he'd let this happen.
I have a hunch Baylor wins this by 10+. We're all expecting a good game which means it won't happen.
At first I though Gonzaga was going to win this thing easily. But UCLA showed that they may not be that far above other top programs in the the country. Now I'm leaning towards Baylor winning this game. I just hope it is a close game but it would not surprise me if zaga just wins easy, much like nova did to us a few years ago.
UCLA played a much better game against Gonzaga than they did Michigan. I kept thinking it was a good thing Michigan lost to UCLA because Gonzaga would have blown our doors off. Their guards would have overwhelmed Smith.
Hoping Gonzaga wins tonight. Their game with UCLA was epic -- one of the best games I have watched in a long time. Was like an old school 15 round heavyweight match. The 3 off the backboard in OT was the icing on a great cake. Plus I hate Baylor. I think Gonzaga is more disciplined team and that may be the difference. Who knows though -- it has been a crazy tournament.
Gonzaga deserves it.
21 straight tourneys. Made the finals a couple years ago and Few learned a few lessons. Hehe.
This team hasn't lost since the beginning of LAST season (UM) .
Just one more. Go Zags.