Kentucky’s surprise, Arkansas’ explosive freshmen, and a HUGE Duke-Kansas showdown are making headlines, but Baylor might be the team everyone needs to watch closely
Baylor has shocked the college basketball world after pulling off two impressive exhibition victories against No. 1 Florida and No. 3 Illinois. Even more surprising? The Bears defeated Florida in Jacksonville, right in the Gators’ backyard, before following it up with another victory on Illinois’ home court.
Now, fans are asking a major question: Is Baylor becoming a serious contender this season, or are people getting carried away by exhibition results?
Before these games, expectations for Baylor were far from unanimous. CBS Sports projected the Bears to finish seventh in the Big 12, while the conference’s preseason poll placed them even lower, at No. 10. But these two victories have suddenly made people reconsider what this team could accomplish.
One of the biggest reasons for Baylor’s improved performance is sophomore point guard Kayden Mingo, who transferred from Penn State. His outstanding performances against Florida and Illinois suggest that Baylor’s backcourt could be much stronger than expected this season. Could he be the key to a surprising campaign?
However, not everything is perfect in Baylor’s camp. The team still has concerns in the frontcourt, and Illinois was dealing with injuries and missing All-American forward David Mirkovic during the exhibition matchup. That raises another important question: Are Baylor’s victories proof of genuine strength, or should fans wait before declaring the Bears a top-20 team?
With Kentucky attracting attention, Arkansas’ freshmen making waves, and a massive Duke-Kansas duel generating excitement, the upcoming college basketball season could be full of unexpected twists
Baylor will have another opportunity to prove itself when it heads to Las Vegas for the Players Era tournament on December 1. That could provide a clearer picture of whether these early victories are a sign of something special or simply exhibition-game hype.
The excitement is building, but which teams are genuinely ready to make a statement this season? And could Baylor be one of college basketball’s biggest surprises?
