Why Baylor Will Be NCAA Tournament Bound in 2026-27 — Although It's Way Too Early

It's way too early to be talking about the NCAA Tournament, but the Bears have put together a roster that fits the billing.

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This past season marked the first time since 2018 that Baylor had missed the NCAA Tournament. The Bears went down a road that Scott Drew hopes to never cross again. He was forced to completely rehaul his roster following the 2025 NCAA Tournament and things didn't end well for the new-look roster.

However, Baylor was able to retain seven players from last year's roster, along with adding two big-time recruits, and key players from the transfer portal. The Bears are looking to be one of the most improved teams from a season ago.

CBS Sports recently ranked each Big 12 team into tiers, and Baylor fell into 'Tier 3' as a Tournament Team. The Bears were ranked as the No. 7 team in this article, right behind BYU at No. 6.

Here are a few reasons why Baylor will be NCAA Tournament bound this season.

Baylor finally has a point guard

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Shockingly, Baylor misjudged what it had a point guard a year ago. Obviously, Rob Wright leaving and JJ White suffering an early-season injury didn't help. Baylor relied on Obi Agbim to be its point guard, but Agbim's skillset was more geared to an off-ball guard.

That won't be the case this season. Baylor has a point guard and that's Penn State transfer Kayden Mingo. Depth is initially concerning, but both Dylan Mingo and Isaac Williams can fill the gap if the elder Mingo needs a breather.

Mingo is a great ballhandler and ranked in the top-15 in the Big Ten, dishing out 4.3 assists per game last year. He's savvy with the ball in his hand and Mingo gives Baylor a legit threat. He will need to develop a three-point shot, shooting just 24% from three last season. But that's something the Bears will be willing to work with.

Depth appears strong

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Depth was a big issue for Scott Drew's program last season. Injuries really set the Bears back, and the signings of Michael Rataj and James Nnaji did Baylor little help.

This season, Baylor returns Juslin Bodo Bodo, who could be one of the top defensive centers in the Big 12 this season. The Bears have 8-10 players they can comfortably play. That's a huge difference from the end of last season, when Drew played just seven players.

Obviously, injuries could rear their ugly head again, but it feels like Drew and Co. did a better job of evaluating what they had and what they needed.

Reliable, consistent scorers

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Baylor was very streaky last season, and usually by the second half, the Bears were worn down by playing so little players. But between depth and the additions that were made, that shouldn't be an issue this upcoming season.

Baylor has a nice mixture on its roster. It's fair to question if the Bears have a 'star' on their team. Baylor hopes five-star Dylan Mingo is that player, and that the Mingo brothers can soar as the featured duo. Neither of them shoots well from three, but that's ok.

Baylor went out and landed the top sniper in the portal. Brett Decker Jr. shot 47% from three last season, and is an instant bucket getter. Yale transfer Isaac Celiscar is reliable and is a 3-and-D player. Freshman Elijah Williams also shot over 40% from three.

The Bears have enough scorers to play with the best teams, and between Juslin Bodo Bodo and Evan Chatman, Baylor will have rebounding and defense covered.