Final Four Preview: Houston Cougars vs. Baylor Bears

The 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has seen some historic upsets this season, but the Final Four field will have three of four expected teams. In the first game of the night, it will be the Houston Cougars taking on the Baylor Bears.

Houston was the number two seed in the Midwest Region, and they looked the part in getting to the Final Four. The Cougars did get to the Final Four without having to play a single-digit seed, the first time in NCAA Tournament history.

Baylor is the number 1 seed in the South Region and the number two overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Bears have shown the ability to take over a game at a moment’s notice, and this team has plenty of momentum. 

The Baylor Bears are five-point favorites over the Houston Cougars in the first Final Four game on Saturday night. 

Houston Hounding Opponents

The Houston Cougars were one of the best defensive teams in the country all season long, and that trend has continued in the NCAA Tournament. Houston has not allowed more than 61 points in a game during this run, and that will need to be a key on Saturday night as well.

DeJon Jarreau is the best defensive player on the roster, but he can only take away one of the weapons that Baylor possesses. Jarreau has also been great on the offensive end of the floor, leading the team with 4.4 assists per game.

Quentin Grimes leads the Cougars with 18 points per game, and he will need to shoot it really well if Houston is going to advance to the National Championship Game. 

Baylor Led By Guard Play

The Baylor Bears have a trio of guards that lead the way for this team, and any one of them can take over at any time. Baylor is averaging 83 points per game this season, and they were also the best three-point shooting team in the country.

Jared Butler, MaCio Teague, and Davion Mitchell have combined for more than 46 points per game this season, and they are a nightmare for opposing defenses. Baylor doesn’t have a ton of size inside, but matching up with the guards is nearly an impossible task. 

The defense of Baylor gets overlooked most of the time, but this team is holding opponents to just 66 points per game. 

Hard to Contain Bears

The Houston Cougars have had a remarkable run through the NCAA Tournament, and they certainly have the talent to cut down the nets. Houston also has shown the ability to go cold on the offensive end of the floor, and that could be a huge problem in this game.

Baylor has been a title contender all season long, and they are playing with a ton of confidence at this time. The Bears are a veteran group, and they have a number of different players that can take over a game.

Houston is going to stay in this game until the very end, but it’s just hard to see the Cougars finding a way to control Baylor for the entire game. This should be an instant classic and the best game of the night.