FLO THAMBA

Matthew Mayer scored a career-high 22 points and defending national champion Baylor opened the NCAA Tournament with an 85-49 victory over Norfolk State.

Third-ranked Baylor is going into the postseason with the share of another Big 12 title.

Flo Thamba had 18 points, Jeremy Sochan had 17 and 10th-ranked Baylor overcame a big early deficit to beat No. 5 Kansas 80-70.

Jeremy Sochan matched his season high with 17 points as five players scored in double figures for seventh-ranked Baylor.

Adam Flagler had 20 points and 10th-ranked Baylor beat No. 20 Texas 80-63 after losing big man Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua to a gruesome left knee injury.

Jaden Shackelford scored 19 points and had nine rebounds as Alabama toppled No. 4 Baylor 87-78 in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

LJ Cryer and Matthew Mayer set career highs for scoring and No. 5 Baylor snapped a two-game losing streak with a 77-68 victory over West Virginia.

James Akinjo matched his career high with 27 points, Adam Flagler scored 22 and top-ranked Baylor stretched its national-best winning streak to 20 games with an 84-74 win over Oklahoma.

James Akinjo scored 16 points, LJ Cryer had 10 of his 13 in the second half, and top-ranked Baylor beat No. 8 Iowa State 77-72 for the Cyclones’ first loss.

Kendall Brown, Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua and Flo Thamba scored 16 points apiece to lead five players in double figures, and No. 1 Baylor beat Alcorn State 94-57.

Baylor took advantage of Purdue’s last-second loss to Rutgers to become the fourth different team at No. 1 in the past four weeks in the AP 25.

James Akinjo had 16 points with seven rebounds and second-ranked Baylor defensively dominated No. 6 Villanova 57-36.

Baylor's roster has changed drastically since the team won the national championship in April.

Scott Drew uttered the far-fetched idea of Baylor being national champion when he was introduced as coach nearly 18 years ago.

The fresh-as-can-be Baylor Bears obliterated wobbly-legged Gonzaga’s march to perfection in an 86-70 runaway in the national title game.

Baylor is the national champion in college basketball.

Baylor guard Adam Flagler (10) drives the ball against Iowa State guard Tre Jackson (3) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, in Waco, Texas. They finally overcame some of the rust and Iowa State for a 77-72 victory Tuesday night that made them 18-0 for the first time in school history. Iowa State (2-17, 0-14) jumped out to a 15-4 lead in less than 6 1/2 minutes on a jumper by Tre Jackson. Teague and Butler combined for the last nine Baylor points. They have been close and led in some of them, including in the second half at home against Baylor in a 76-65 home loss on Jan. 2.

Baylor forward Flo Thamba (0) celebrates a score against Texas during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)AUSTIN, Texas – Texas played Baylor tougher than most teams have this season. 2 Baylor used a big run to pull away for an 83-69 victory over sixth-ranked Texas on Tuesday night. Texas (11-4, 5-3) was within six points late before Baylor pulled away behind open 3-pointers from Adam Flagler and Mitchell. Instead of rallying the Longhorns, Jared Butler made his free throws and another quick basket put Baylor up by 10.

(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)WACO, Texas – This Baylor win was for Davion Mitchell, and the junior guard did his part against his former team. Mitchell swished a 3-pointer after losing a shoe and finished with 13 points and seven assists, helping the Bears stay undefeated with an 84-72 win over Auburn in the Big 12/SEC Challenge on Saturday. “And that’s OK, because Butler, and Teague and Davion Mitchell and Flagler are all really good,” Pearl said. "That conversation down the court, that was pretty cool.”AHEAD TO STAYButler made two free throws with 4:50 left in the first half for a 23-22 Baylor lead. Baylor: Baylor is 7-1 in Big 12/SEC Challenge games, the best record by any team in either league in the annual showdown.