Baylor guard Mark Vital (11) celebrates with teammate guard Adam Flagler (10) during a timeout in the second half of the championship game against Gonzaga in the men’s Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 5, 2021, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
By: Justin Boggs
Baylor won its first ever NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, easily cruising past Gonzaga 86-70 en route to the program’s first national title.
The Bears took a double-digit lead in the opening minutes of Monday’s game and never looked back.
The Zags’ quest for perfection came one game short, finishing the season 31-1. The 1976 Indiana Hoosiers remain the most recent unbeaten national champion in men’s basketball.
Gonzaga and Baylor were slated to meet early in the season, but coronavirus cases prevented the two teams from playing.
Baylor overwhelmed the competition in this year’s tournament, winning all six games by double figures.
Gonzaga, on the other hand, came in battle tested after narrowly defeating UCLA on Saturday, with a buzzer-beating shot from 35 feet to win in overtime to advance to the title game.
Original Link: https://www.wcpo.com/sports/baylor-claws-perfect-season-away-from-gonzaga-en-route-to-national-title
Reposted with permission from WCPO 9.
