INDIANAPOLIS – Baylor knew it would need to play to near-perfection to end Gonzaga's flawless season. The Bears just about did.
Jared Butler and their dynamic backcourt hit their first five 3-pointers and never cooled off. Undersized big man Mark Vital delivered as many headaches as bruises.
Their bench was superb, their rebounding exceptional, their game plan impeccable and the coaching of Scott Drew spot-on in the crowning moment of his long building job in Waco, Texas.
Th result was a stunning 86-70 rout of the overall No. 1 seed for the first men's basketball title in school history. Butler, the do-everything All-American, led the way with 22 points, outdueling Gonzaga freshman sensation Jalen Suggs in a matchup of premier point guards.