In the first game of the 2021 Final Four, it was a Texas showdown between the Baylor Bears and the Houston Cougars. Baylor, coming off beating Arkansas and Houston fending off Cinderella Oregon State, both came in as top defensive teams with some serious offensive firepower, it was not as entertaining as many hoped. Here is a recap of the first game of the 2021 Final Four.
First Half
Early on both teams were hitting from outside, with Houston having the edge, grabbing offensive rebounds, and getting second and even third chances. Marcus Sasser started off hot, scoring 6 of Houston’s first eight points. Houston had a lead at 8-6 at 16:48. This would be their last lead of the entire game. Matthew Mayer came in and within 45 seconds scored 5 points. This sparked a 14-5 run over the next 6 minutes before Kelvin Sampson called timeout to stem the tide. Houston was unable to get offensive rebounds, unable to hit many shots, with Marcus Sasser at one point having scored all but 2 of Houston’s total points. Baylor continued to hit shots in the paint and from outside, while also playing excellent defense, frustrating Houston. Things got worse as Davion Mitchell hit a 3 to end the first half. The score at the half was 45-20.
? “BOOOOOOOM”
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) April 3, 2021
Davion Mitchell put the exclamation point on @BaylorMBB‘s first half. ? #FinalFour pic.twitter.com/XoQfYbRkW2
Second Half
The second half was much better for Houston but was still not enough. Houston outscored Baylor 39-33 in the second half. They were able to do much better on the offensive end, hitting from outside and being able to score in the paint. Sasser continued to be the bright spot for the Cougars, ending the game with 20 points, but even with Quentin Grimes starting to score more, it still was not enough. Baylor had five plays in double figures, with Jared Butler leading the team with 17 points, with Mitchell, Teague, Tchawama Tchatchoua, and Flagler also in double figures. The Bears hit 11 of 24 from 3 while Houston was a poor 6 of 19. The Baylor Bears won 78-59 and will face either Gonzaga or UCLA in the National Championship game on Monday.
BEARS TO THE ‘SHIP ?
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) April 3, 2021
(1) Baylor dominates (2) Houston 78-59 to book its spot in the #NationalChampionship! #FinalFour pic.twitter.com/aq3XsS0rT9
Final: 78-59 Baylor
Houston, although a good team, simply did not have the depth or talent to face off against this Baylor team. Baylor had more assists, more rebounds, hit more 3 pointers and was simply a stronger team. They were able to clean up on the glass, took advantage of Houston turnovers, and shot over 52% from the field. Baylor was able to pick apart Houston’s generally strong defense, while Houston was unable to find a way to consistently score against Baylor. For both teams, this trip to the Final Four was historic. For Houston, it was the first time since 1984. As for Baylor, it will be their first time in the Championship game since 1948.
