Baylor basketball falls in ESPN's early bracketology despite valiant effort in FISU Games

Despite losing every player from last year's roster, the Baylor men's basketball team had great chemistry together playing in the FISU World University Games. Representing Team USA, Baylor went 3-0 in pool play and would go on to win its first two games of the bracket stage. But in the finals, against Brazil, the US would blow a 26-point lead and fall to Brazil in overtime.

Even with a good showing in the FISU games, analysts aren't high on the Bears entering the 2025-26 basketball season. Even though Scott Drew has a great track record with Baylor, ESPN's Joe Lunardi has dropped Baylor in his latest way-too-early bracketology. Lunardi has the Bears seeded at No. 9 in the South and would play No. 8 Missouri.

If Baylor would win that, it would likely take on No. 1 seed Purdue in the Round of 32.

ESPN's way-too-early NCAA Tournament bracketology, July 29 — ESP

Baylor has talent

Losing VJ Edgecombe and Rob Wright (transfer) hurts, but Drew did a nice job of bringing in fresh talent. Baylor fans saw Obi Agbim, who won MVP of the FISU Games, Dan Skillings, and Cameron Carr in action -- but the Bears didn't have all of their talent on hand overseas.

Oregon State transfer Michael Rataj played for Germany, and star freshman Tounde Yessoufou wasn't able to play. Then there is also big center Juslin Bodo Bodo, who also didn't play with Team USA in the FISU Games.

Adding those three to the mix of Agbim, Skillings, and Carr would give the Bears a very good six core nucleus. Role players of Caden Powell, Isaac Williams, and JJ White give Baylor plenty of depth and bench options for next season.

While some analysts aren't so high on Baylor, you have to give Drew the benefit of the doubt to get things squared away in Waco -- expect the Bears to be competitive once again.

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