National Championship Preview
The 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament will wrap up on Monday night, and it was the game that everyone wanted to see. The Gonzaga Bulldogs will take on the Baylor Bears in a battle of the top two teams in the country.
Gonzaga brings a perfect record into this game on Monday night, and the Bulldogs are looking to cap off a historic run. This team has been blowing teams out all season long but needed overtime to beat UCLA in the Final Four win.
Baylor has just two losses on the season, and they have looked sharp throughout March Madness. The Bears blew out Houston on Saturday night in what was a near-perfect performance to set up this showdown on Monday.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are five-point favorites over the Baylor Bears in the title game.
Guards Guiding Baylor
The Baylor Bears have an All-American in Jared Butler, but he is just one of four outstanding guards. Davion Mitchell was the star in the semifinal win, posting a double-double with points and assists.
If Baylor is making shots, then they are nearly impossible to stop. The guards also have the ability to get to the basket, and they will put pressure on Gonzaga with every possession.
This team can also really defend, and they completely overwhelmed Houston on Saturday night. Baylor will have a tough time defending Gonzaga at the time, but they will put a ton of pressure on the guards.
Bulldogs Pushed to the Brink
College basketball experts all wondered how Gonzaga would react and respond when they were faced with a late-game challenge. UCLA gave Gonzaga all it could handle on Saturday night, and the Bulldogs just continued to respond with winning plays.
Point guard Jalen Suggs hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer in the win over UCLA, and he actually put on a shot the entire night. Suggs might be the best player in college basketball, but he will face a tough test on Monday night.
Drew Timme and Corey Kispert are both averaging more than 19 points per game this season, and each player can take over. Timme has been great in the paint during this run and could have another big game.
Gonzaga did struggle to defend in the win over UCLA, and they will have to play much better to win the title.
Expect an Instant Classic
These two teams were supposed to meet up during the regular season, but that game was scrapped due to COVID-19. Fans have been dying to see this matchup, and they will get their wish on the biggest stage.
Gonzaga is slightly better on the offensive end of the floor, but Gonzaga can really defend. Both teams possess future NBA talent, and you won't find a more anticipated matchup.
No team has proven that they have what it takes to knock off the Bulldogs, but Baylor appears to have what it takes to get it done. Either way, expect a game that will be talked about for years to come.
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