Keys to a Baylor Basketball Victory over the No. 7 Houston Cougars
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The Baylor Bears will take the court on Wednesday night against the Houston Cougars looking for a chance at one shining moment.
In the past, that might have meant a chance at a national championship. This year, however, Houston is a national title contender. Baylor is not, as they’ll need a miracle run in the Big 12 Tournament next week to even make the 68-team field.
Still, as the great Yogi Berra once said, it ain’t over, til it’s over.
That means that Baylor has a chance, if nothing else, to score a signature win in an otherwise forgettable season.
They should be feeling good coming off a thrilling win over UCF on Saturday night.
If they’re going to get a win, here are the keys to pulling off the upset.
Star Studded
This seems like a copout answer, but it is true, the biggest games come down to the stars playing their best in the biggest moments.
Cameron Carr was a big reason that the Bears were able to build a double-digit lead over UCF on Saturday night with 20 points in the first half. Carr’s big half was part of the reason Baylor was able to overcome a quiet night from Tounde Yessoufou.
The dynamic duo for Baylor both has to be firing on all cylinders if the Bears are going to pull off the monumental upset against a national title team.
If you need a comparison, think about how much damage Kyrie Irving and LeBron James did in games 5-7 in the 2016 NBA Finals. Those guys had to play at their best for Cleveland to have a prayer against the Golden State Warriors. They did.
The Bears need Carr and Yessoufou to both be at their best on Wednesday night.
Lady Luck
Another answer that seems like a copout, because it cannot be controlled. In a game where a team is looking to pull off a big upset, like Baylor is attempting to do tomorrow night, you need the ball to bounce your team’s way.
One example was Obi Agbim getting fouled on what was a contested, desperation three-point shot at the end of regulation on Saturday night.
Baylor and UCF were knotted up at the time Agbim rose up in desperation mode to try and give Baylor the win.
Had he missed the shot, which was likely due to the degree of difficulty, the game would have gone to overtime. Baylor had already blown a double-digit lead in the second half, and was playing on the road. The likelihood they walk out of the building with a victory had Agbim not been fouled seems slim.
Whether it’s a favorable whistle, or some fortune on shots from unlikely contributors, Baylor is going to need some help from the basketball gods on Wednesday night.
Big Shot Obi
Speaking of Obi Agbim, despite the presence of Cameron Carr and Tounde Yessoufou on the roster, Agbim appears to be the one who is most willing to rise to the occasion late in the game.
It’s unlikely that Baylor is going to be able to comfortably beat Houston, which means this game is one that should come down to the wire.
Should that be the case, they’ll need someone to hit some big shots down the stretch. Agbim has been that man for them, most notably recently against Arizona State and UCF.
To walk out with a win, they may need some more late heroics from their embattled guard.
There are plenty of questions #Baylor is facing this year on the football field.
— Baylor Bears On SI (@BaylorBearsOnSI) March 3, 2026
Staff writer @TylerGillum_83, breaks down five burning questions facing the Bears this spring.https://t.co/dO5Z3lE5dy
Jacob Westendorf is a contributing writer for Baylor Bears on SI. He is also a writer covering the Green Bay Packers for Packers on SI. Westendorf graduated from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay where he earned a degree in communication with an emphasis in journalism and mass media. He worked in newspapers in Green Bay and Rockford, Illinois. He also interned at Packer Report for Bill Huber while earning his degree. In 2018, he became a staff writer for PackerReport.com, and a regular contributor on Packer Report's "Pack A Day Podcast." In 2020, he founded the media company Game On Wisconsin. In 2023, he rejoined Packer Central, which is part of Sports Illustrated Media Group.