Baylor athletics: Glorious year continues
Baylor beat Notre Dame 80-61 Tuesday night for the NCAA women’s basketball title, continuing an amazing school year on the Brazos River. Let’s review:
* A 10-3 football season, complete with a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback in Robert Griffin and victories over Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, TCU, Texas Tech and Washington, the latter 67-56 in an historic Alamo Bowl.
* A 40-0 season by Kim Mulkey’s women’s basketball team, giving the Big 12 its second straight NCAA women’s title. Texas A&M won a year ago.
* A 30-8 men’s basketball season, with a regional final appearance, Baylor’s second in three seasons. The Bears were waxed by Kentucky in the game to determine a Final Four appearance, but as we’ve seen, no crime in losing to Kentucky.
* And just so you won’t think the Baylor reign of terror is over with the Women’s Final Four, the Bear baseball team is 9-0 and leads the Big 12 by 21/2 games.
What a school year in Waco. OU and OSU traditionally have produced excellent athletic programs. But the Cowboys and Sooners are left in Baylor’s wake.
Neither can touch the Baylor basketball teams. Or the Baylor baseball team. And OU didn’t even trump the Baylor football team. The Sooners and Bears tied for third in the Big 12, at 6-3, but Baylor beat OU in that wild game in Waco. At least the Cowboys won the Big 12 football title.
But what a remarkable climb for Baylor athletics. Not so long ago, Baylor men’s basketball and football were the dregs of the Big 12. No longer. The Bears have gone from being part of the problem to part of the solution. A beleaguered Big 12 can count Baylor as one of its shining lights. Thanks, Baylor. The Big 12 owes you one.
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