2023 March Madness Predictions: Baylor Earns No. 1 Seed
The Baylor Bears had some of the nation's highest expectations entering the NCAA Tournament this past March.
So when the team entered March Madness as a No. 1 seed for the second-straight season, it came as a surprise when Baylor was sent home early in the second round after falling 93-86 in overtime to eventual runner-up and No. 8 seed, North Carolina.
But despite coach Scott Drew set to lose most of his core contributors from a season ago, ESPN still has Baylor slated to be a No. 1 seed in the Midwest region of the tournament next season after Tuesday's release of the updated 2023 March Madness projections.
Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY
Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY
Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY
Baylor is projected to play either Sacred Heart or Jackson State as a No. 16 seed. Other teams in the region include Auburn, Villanova, Texas Tech, Arizona, and Gonzaga.
The Bears have a handful of players giving the NBA Draft a shot this offseason. Freshman forward Jeremy Sochan is in the mix to be a lottery selection, while guard Kendall Brown could easily see himself off the board in the first round.
Rob Ferguson, USA TODAY
Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY
Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY
Forward Matthew Mayer and guard James Akinjo are both testing the draft waters as well, though the chances of them getting drafted are a bit slimmer. Mayer received an invite the NBA Combine, while Akinjo has already proved himself as one of the top players at the G League Elite Camp in Chicago.
The 21-year-old got the starting nod and tied a team-high in scoring for Team Two with 14 points on an efficient 6-7 shooting. He also tied a team-high with four assists while adding four rebounds and two steals.
Drew will now shift his focus to the current personnel on the roster, as guard Adam Flagler and L.J. Cryer will look to lead the Bears back to the mountaintop.
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