NCAA basketball media reacts to Baylor winning National Championship over Gonzaga
Members of the media were awed by the Baylor Bears as they demolished the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the NCAA Basketball National Championship Game.
Baylor is the champion of NCAA basketball after a thoroughly dominant performance against Gonzaga.
Some may have picked the Bears to win it all, but no one could have foreseen just how much Bayor would outpace the undefeated Bulldogs.
The NCAA basketball media was in the same boat. It was clear Baylor was good. But being this much better than Gonzaga was a shock.
Baylor won the national championship by stunning Gonzaga
The night’s biggest takeaway wasn’t that Gonzaga dropped the ball, but that this outstanding Baylor team should get their due.
We just saw one of the best teams in college basketball history.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 6, 2021
The Baylor Bears.
2020-21 National Champions.
Baylor is talented, focused and just plain good. This championship game wasn’t lost by Gonzaga... it was taken.
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) April 6, 2021
Bummed for Gonzaga & their shot at history, but Baylor is clearly the deeper, tougher & more dominant team. There was not a phase of the game tonight the Bears did not win.
— Brock Huard (@BrockHuard) April 6, 2021
Both of these teams are elite. Baylor just happens to be better, and has a particularly good matchup on Gonzaga. Doesn’t reduce Gonzaga. Frankly, it should elevate Baylor into real conversation regarding the elite teams of the last few decades. Probably unbeaten if not for COVID.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) April 6, 2021
If Baylor's lead holds, the lazy storyline will be that undefeated, history-chasing Gonzaga was too overhyped, blah, blah, blah.
— Jerry Brewer (@JerryBrewer) April 6, 2021
The real story is Baylor, a close No. 2 all season, is undeniably great.
Zags didn't choke.
They're getting choked.
Recognize the difference.
Baylor has systematically taken Gonzaga apart. The Zags haven't played horribly. They just can't keep up.
— Cedric Golden (@CedGolden) April 6, 2021
Head coach Scott Drew picked up some serious praise.
Baylor's men’s basketball team has existed since 1906.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 6, 2021
Tonight, it will win its first national championship.
Scott Drew arrived 18 years ago and took over a situation no one envied.
And for a long time, few of his contemporaries ever believed he could win a national title.
Scott Drew has led Baylor from purgatory to ecstasy. The Bears left no doubt. As good of a national title game performance as we've EVER seen. DOMINANT.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 6, 2021
Baylor did it by finding the antidote to Gonzaga’s formidable shooting.
How big are 3s and offensive rebounds? Gonzaga is shooting better from the field than Baylor. I could watch this Baylor team every day for the next year and not get bored.
— Jonathan Allen (@jonallendc) April 6, 2021
Baylor 10-19 3s. Gonzaga 1-8.
— Woody Paige (@woodypaige) April 6, 2021
Comparisons between what Gonzaga did to others and what Baylor did to Gonzaga were rampant.
Gonzaga beat: Kansas, West Virginia, Iowa, Virginia, USC, UCLA, Oklahoma and Creighton this season.
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) April 6, 2021
This isn't a "Gonzaga is overrated" thing.
It's a "Baylor is that damn GOOD" thing.
I thought Creighton played incredibly quick defense and Gonzaga had no problem beating it. Baylor makes Creighton look like Creighton made Ohio look.
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) April 6, 2021
Some wondered if that UCLA game had any impact on Gonzaga. It was an emotionally and physically exhausting overtime bout afterall.
Baylor was going to be a difficult matchup for Gonzaga no matter what. But UCLA game clearly took a toll on the Zags. One-two punch: Bruins staggered 'em, Bears sent 'em through the ropes.
— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) April 6, 2021
Baylor’s Final Four: smoked a Houston team that was worn out by one Pac-12 school, then smacked a Gonzaga team that was worn out by another.
— Brian Witt (@Wittnessed) April 6, 2021
The Bears defense was the star of the night. They took the Bulldogs out of the game early and never gave them the chance to get back in it.
Baylor is doing a great job of making things as chaotic as possible when Gonzaga gets the ball. The flow exponentially slows down when Baylor switches from defense to offense.
— Jasmine Styles (@_newsbae) April 6, 2021
Honestly, just an ass kicking by a faster team, and a more aggressive defense. Thought it was a tough matchup for Gonzaga, but this is just ridiculous. Incredible performance thus far from Baylor.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) April 6, 2021
Gonzaga-Baylor feels a lot like Chiefs-Bucs. Someone came to play, brought the defense and the other team couldn’t handle a punch in the mouth.
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) April 6, 2021
https://twitter.com/MarkJonesESPN/status/1379265016004677634
Maybe there was more to it than just basketball prowess?
Baylor has won at every category but it really started with:
— Bobby Reagan (@BarstoolReags) April 6, 2021
Mullets > Mustache
The grey jerseys > Gonzaga not wearing retros
Whatever happened, the Bulldogs were definitely not having fun anymore.
Baylor to Gonzaga tonight: pic.twitter.com/9zimk6HR3l
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) April 6, 2021
It was a sad end to Gonzaga’s undefeated season, but the triumph achieved by Baylor deserves all the attention it gets. They made a statement. The media just had to process it.
A wild March Madness is now over. That’s the biggest bummer.
Next. 25 best buzzer-beaters in March Madness history. dark
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