Everything Baylor HC Scott Drew said ahead of Texas Tech, TCU games this week

Baylor, 11-6 (1-4), has a chance to get back on track this week with two home games. The Bears will take on one of the best teams in the country on Tuesday when Texas Tech comes to town, and then later in the week, TCU will come to Waco.

On Monday, head coach Scott Drew broke down the loss to Kansas, and with opportunities to get back on track with games against Texas Tech and TCU. Here is everything Drew said on Monday during his press conference.

With two games this week, how important is it to beat Texas Tech

Well, in the Big 12, there's no secret. You have to win your home games if you're going to be successful, and with us right now, strength of schedule, we have the number one strength of schedule in the Big 12 for conference play. So we started out with a tough slate. It continues tomorrow, but it's a home game, and hopefully after two home games, we play a little better in this third one. We got the students back. We haven't lost with students in the house, so let's go.

Going up against Grant McCasland, who used to coach under him at Baylor

I mean, Grant's done a lot for Baylor basketball as has Coach Tang, so it's always good seeing him. But once the game starts, it's business as usual, and they're trying to win, we're trying to win. With that being said, I think when you're playing a former coach, they're a little more apt to know what you're thinking and what you might be doing coming out of timeouts and whatnot, and then you try to think, okay, if this is what I normally do, do I do this? So that's part of all the chess match.

On players not hitting shots against Kansas when having good looks

Well, with us, we're really good when, like most teams, when you get stops, you get out in transition. If you get in a slugfest in a half court, we've got to do a better job finding a way to get more assisted buckets. Obviously, you can't win games with single-digit assists. With that, I don't think we have a player that's not really their strength to get eight to ten assists and get in the paint really great for everyone.

So it really becomes everybody, many hands make light work, and everybody hopefully picking up where -- how can I help a teammate get a shot. Again, scores are going to be scores, but to win, you've got to be able to make some sacrifices. Part of that's developing your total game to where how can we have a good shot become a better shot.

With another game against TCU on the docket, how has he seen his team mature since the first loss

Well, I think the TCU game, there were things that stood out that I think we've done a better job competing since then. No knock on TCU. They played really well. Our offense, we play with more purpose, more pace than we did at that opening game. I think we know what the physicality is. It doesn't always guarantee the success part of it, but at least we know what Big 12 play is about, and now it's up to us.

You get stops, get in transition, our offense looks better in the half court. Can we all help create a shot for each other a little bit more? And then can we get back to we came in the conference season, fourth best offensive rebounding team in the country, and nights when you're not making shots, you've got to get those second shot opportunities. Kansas is a good illustration where we didn't have enough of those opportunities.

What he sees from Texas Tech

Well, I think the one common trait is the teams right now at the top of the league all return their best players. So they're familiar with their coaches, coaches are familiar with them. They've added pieces around it, obviously, but it starts with the foundation. You always built a house with the foundation. I mean, [Christian] Anderson and [JT] Toppin. Toppin's reigning Big 12 player of the year, so you know he's really good. And then Anderson's development, Coach McCasland and staff have done a great job in helping him develop into one of the best point guards in the nation. And Mikey knows him because the German national teams. And, I mean, Anderson will be a starting point guard for their national team for years to come.

On Baylor's ball-screen defense

Well, I think part of that was we messed up some coverage leading into the ball screen coverage, so you're already behind. So it's like a cornerback falling and then trying to get up and stopping the streak or whatever, the fly route. So with us, we've got to execute ahead of the play so that we're not behind the actual ball screen to begin with. And then I think our ball screen coverage, every game you earn, and I think that was a learning experience for all of us to adjust a little more, be more attached. So we'll adjust James' coverage a little bit too as we get more and more used to what he's doing. But, again, if we wouldn't have screwed up leading into the ball screen, we wouldn't have had as big an issue.

Getting a third scorer to step up like Michael Rataj or Obi Agbim

Yeah, well, I think it's a learning curve for everybody when you come to the Big 12. And with that, I think it's harder for us right now because we don't have that guy that can get you six to eight assists a game, and when the offense breaks down, somebody that can put two on the ball and command that.

So, again, I think it's got to be done by many hands make light work. And if we can get Obi open shots, he's going to make them. Mikey, we put him in position to score. And last game he had some great looks, missed, but we're great with that. He struggled shooting, but he's a good shooter, and he's going to make those if, like, I pray teams keep giving him those looks because he'll make them pay. So that's number one. Number two, when you're an elite shooter, you're still going to miss at least half your shots, so we've got to do a better job getting rebounds when we miss shots.