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Houston Cougars
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Baylor Bears
78
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Baylor qualify from Final Four 2021: result, score, summary

Update:
Follow all the action live online from Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium as the Baylor Bears play the Houston Cougars in the first Final Four semi-final.

Baylor vs Houston

Baylor dominate Houston

The Baylor Bears are going to the National Championship after defeating the Houston Cougars 59-78.

Baylor controlled the game from wire to wire. Led by Davion Mitchell and Jared Butler in the first half, they jumped out to a twenty point lead in the first half. Butler had 17 points in the opening 20 minutes and Mitchell had 7 assists in the first half.

The defense was the key for Baylor, who came into this game hearing about Houston's top ranked defense. They held the Cougars to a Final Four low 20 first half points, and kept Kelvin Sampson's at an arms length in the second half.

They can enjoy this win tonight as they watch and wait for their opponent in Monday's National Chamionship game.

Follow the National Championship match, as Gonzaga play Baylor.

59-78

Butler the leading scorer with 17 (all in the first half) and Davion Mitchell ends the game with 12 points and 11 assists

59-78

They now await the winner of the Gonzaga vs UCLA game later on tonight

59-78

It's all over! Baylor is going to the National Championship

59-78

Shead going to the line with 2.8 seconds, makes 1 of 2

58-78

Paterson with his first bucket of the game

58-68

Shead with a jumper

The emotion starting to show on the Houston bench as reality sets it. Some of the players are in tears under towels. 

56-76

Under a minute to go, mid range jumper from Houston

Teague has been Baylor's best performer in the second half

54-76

Teague for 3!!

54-73

Sasser fouled, and makes one of three from the line. First point since early in the second half

53-73

Mitchel in the corner, has his double double 12 pts and 11 assists

53-70

Jarreau with the follow off the missed shot out of the time out

51-70

Houston have been more competitive in the second half, but Baylor have looked in control from the very start

51-70

Flagler on the tear drop, goes down hard and we go to the last media timeout of the game

51-68

This is the closest Houston has been in the second half

51-68

White Jr. to the line, sinks both free throws

49-68

Grimes with a three. He's heating up

46-68

Teague with the scoop on the left side. 8 points for Teague all in the second half

46-66

Grimes with an and 1... makes the free throw

43-64

Mark with a follow up on the boards

41-64

Tachchoua to the line for two shots. The big man has 11 points and 5 rebounds

41-62

Tchatchoua again with an easy basket close to the iron

41-60

Sasser has been quiet for Houston in this second half

41-60

Under 8 to play from Indianapolis and Baylor in command

41-60

MItchell now with 10 assists

41-60

Tchatchoua answers with an easy bucket close to the basket

41-58

Grimes hits 3 of 3 from the line. Grimes with 7 points all in the second half

38-58

Grimes fouled on the three by Mayer. Will go to the line with just 4 points scored today.. averaging 18 ppg

38-58

Baylor have 17 assists on their 21 fgs

38-58

Thamba tied up underneath and Baylor take a time out up by 20

38-58

Mayer with his first points of the second half

36-55

Under 12 to go in the first semifinal, Baylor hit a free throw

36-54

Mitchell is one assist and one point away from a double double

36-54

Baylor's Vital to the bench with 4 fouls. Can Houston take advantage of one of Baylor's stars on the bench.

36-54

Baylor with 19 bench points, Houston just 2

36-52

Houston are looking much better D out of the timeout. Cougars are on a 12-3 run

36-52

Grimes with two straight buckets and the lead is 16

Houston continuing to give up offesive rebounds

34-52

Houston are within 20 since halfway through the opening 20 minutes

Ready indeed...

32-52

Houston are looking better scoring the ball, but need to come up with stops if they want to cut into this lead

32-52

Kelvin Sampson has never lost to Baylor in 22 previous matches. He's got his work cut out if he wants to keep that streak alive

32-52

Chaney finding his groove on offense. He's got 6 second half points

30-50

Sasser with the floater of the glass, he's got 19 tonight

28-50

Baylor's Vital going to the bench with 3 fouls. Chaney hits both free throws

26-50

Teague to the line for the first time tonight. Averaging 16 ppg splits the two free throws

26-49

9 Turnovers for Houston tonight

26-49

Jarreau answers back and Houston getting to the basket much easier in this second half

22-49

Thamba with 4 straight points

22-47

Thamba with the the first bucket of the 2nd for Baylor

22-45

Chaney miss down low, but it's a differnet look to this Cougar team in the 2nd

22-45

Houston on the board with the first possesion of the 2nd half with a Chaney jump hook

20-45

Baylor's offense may get the headlines, but their defense has been outstanding

20-45

The Cougars are just 2-12 from inside the arc

20-45

Houston shot just 26.9% from the field in the first half

20-45

Who is going to step up for Houston in this second half other than Marcus Sasser

20-45

The biggest win in Final Four history No. 2 Villanova 95, No. 2 Oklahoma 51 in 2016

20-45

Houston has just set the record for fewest points scored in the first half of a Final Four game.

20-45

Sasser was the only scoring threat for Houston in that first half

Our top scorers through 20 minutes in Indianapolis

Jared Butler has 17 points for Baylor, and Marcus Sasser has 17 for Houston

20-45

Baylor put up 45 points on the nations second best defensive team this year

20-45

Baylor Coach Scott Drew likes what he has seen in that first half, but knows that there are still 20 minutes of basketball

20-42

Sasser with a bucket.. first fg in 6 minutes for the Cougars

18-42

Mitchell with the three and the lead is 24

18-40

Fewest points in the first half in Final Four history.. 21 Houston have 18

18-40

Houston are 6-25 from the field

18-40

Mayer driving into the paint and making it look easy again on the offensive end

18-38

Baylor on an 11-1 run

18-38

Houston had gone more than 4 minutes without a basket before Gorham's free throw

17-38

Vital goes to the bench with 2 fouls

Important part of the game for Houston. They need to find themselves on the offensive end before the half

17-38

10 points in the paint for Baylor, 0 for Houston 17 minutes in

There's the footage of that... still ridiculous...

This happened right at the start of the match. Simply ridiculous.

Baylor are rolling in this first half and Houston have no answer

17-38

7 assists for Mitchell, and Butler has 17 first half points already

17-38

Beautiful dish by Mitchell, and the finish under the rim for Butler

17-36

Baylor can't miss! 9-0 run for the Bears

The Cougars need some one to step other than Marcus Sasser who has 15 of the teams 17

Houston are in danger of letting this game get away from them in the first half

17-33

Butler left wide open again and knocks it down for two three pointers in a row

17-30

Jared Butler with a three off another offensive rebound

17-27

Sasser with ANOTHER bucket! He's got 14

15-27

Another offensive rebound for Baylor. Put back by Mayer

TV timeout in Indianapolis, Baylor in command in this first half. Houston needs to find a way to get clean looks close to the basket

14-25

Baylor's defense has been air tight in the first 12 minutes. Just 1 fg inside the three point line for Houston

14-25

And 1 for Jared Butler!!! Baylor running in transition, and Butler converts the three points play

14-22

Sasser again!! That's four for him tonight, he's got 12 of Houston's 14 points

11-22

Houston are down by the most they have been down all tournament

11-19

Kelvin Sampson needs a time out, Baylor finding easy buckets on the their end and locking the Cougars down on the defensive end

Houston are having trouble finding good looks close to the basket

11-17

Sasser with 9 of the 11 Houston points 8 minutes in

11-17

Timeout on the floor. Baylor still in command early in the first half

Houston

Houston Cougars guard Marcus Sasser (0)

11-16

Sasser with another three! That's three for him

8-16

Tchatchoua back to the line sinks both free throws

8-14

Baylor going to the line after two offensive rebounds, Tchatchoua to the line makes one of two

8-13

Baylor are up at the first TV timeout in a high scoring start to the game

8-13

Baylor are on a 7-0 run in the last two minutes

8-11

Matthew Mayer with 5 quick points off the bench

8-8

All even after Mayer knocks down the mid range jumper

8-6

Sasser with his second triple of the game

This is just the second Top 25 team Houston has played all year

3-6

Michell hits the second 3 for Baylor

3-3

Both teams exchanging threes for the opening points of the game

0-0

Incredible defensive start to the game! Big block by Gorham, but Jarreau stealing the spotlight by juming over Macio Teague

We are underway here from Indianapolis!!

Baylors Starting 5

0 Flo Thamba

11 Mark Vital

12 Jared Butler

31 MaCio Teague

45 Davion Mitchell

 

We've got the two teams out and ready... tip-off is next!

11 for Baylor is Mark Vital, will he be?

Houston Starting 5

0 Marcus Sasser

3 Dejan Jarreau

4 Justin Gorham

24 Quinten Grimes

32 Reggie Chaney

That's Houston out, here are the Bears!

national anthem

National anthem time!

Odds for tonights first semifinal Houston vs Baylor

The Baylor Bears are 5 point favorites in Vegas, and few points are expected

Baylor -5

Over/Under 135 points

How's Sampson looking vs Baylor...

That is some stat...

NCAA getting excited

All-caps on this account... must mean there really is not long to go now. Houston v Baylor tips off in less than half an hour!!

Houston Cougars Roster

And now a look are the Houston Cougars Roster for the Final Four

0 Marcus Sasser

1 Jamal Shead

3 Dejon Jarreau

4 Justin Gorham

5 Cameron Tyson

12 Tramon Mark

13 J'Wan Roberts

20 Ryan Elvin

24 Quinten Grimes

30 Caleb Broodo

32 Reggie Chaney

35 Fabian White Jr.

52 Kiyron Powell

55 Brison Gresham

Head Coach Kelvin Sampson

Baylor Bears Final Four Roster

Here's a run down of the 2020-21 Men's Basketball Roster

0 Flo Thamba

4  LJ Cryer

5 Jordan Turner

10 Adam Flagler

11 Mark Vital

12 Jared Butler

13J ackson Moffatt

23 Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua

24 Matthew Mayer

31 MaCio Teague

32 Zach Loveday

35 Mark Paterson

42 Dain Dainja

45 Davion Mitchell

Head Coach Scott Drew

NCAA Basketball Final Four: how and where to watch - times, TV, online

NCAA

NCAA Basketball Final Four: how and where to watch - times, TV, online

How to watch the Final Four

Obviously we're hoping you'll be sticking us for in-depth analysis, but if you want to keep one eye on the games at the same time,here's how to watch. 

Father vs son match-up...

Baylor getting ready

The Bears pre-game prep...

Houston Cougars record

Houston Cougars record

The Cougars, like the Bears, have also never won the tournament, but they have every reason to fancy their chances this year, coming into this game 28-3 and on an 11-game win streak and having been crowned American Athletic Conference tournament champion. They’ve got the nation’s top field goal percentage defence and have allowed the second fewest points per game. Again, just like the Bears, they are stingy in defence.

Up front, keep an eye on junior guard Quentin Grimes, who leads the Cougars offence with 18 points a game. Also keep an eye on how good the entire team is at grabbing offensive rebounds - they read the ball coming off the rim so well.

This is coach Kelvin Sampson’s second Final Four, having got to this stage with Oklahoma in 2002.

Baylor record

Baylor Bears record

1-seed Baylor are 26-2 and this is their first final four since 1950, and if they can go on to lift the trophy on Monday night it’ll be their first ever win.

The Bears got off to a flying 17-0 start but missed six games in February due to covid-19. When they got back to the court things didn’t quite click and they lost to Kansas on the road and then got knocked out of the Big 12 by Oklahoma State.

Check out their turnover stats during the NCAA tournament: forced 67 turnovers but given up just 27. They have one stingy defence. But it’s not just defence, a reporter on Monday, after Baylor’s win over Arkansas, asked senior guard MaCio Teague about some of their rivals trying to slow them down, while others tried to rush the play, but neither tactic worked.

“I feel that shows we have real hoopers on our team," Teague said. "We can play any style of basketball, and...we can overcome it all."

The question now is whether they can overcome the Cougars and go into the Championship Game on Monday?

NCAA Final Four semi-final one: Baylor Bears vs Houston Cougars

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the first semi-final of March Madness Final Four, coming straight from Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, pitting the Baylor Bears against the Houston Cougars.

Tip-off is at 5:14 pm EDT (2:14 pm PDT and 23:14 CEST) and we’ll have coverage of all the build-up and then play-by-play commentary.

After that we’ll have another live feed for you to jump to covering the second semi-final featuring out-and-out favourites Gonzaga against 11-seed UCLA Bruins, while this feed will capture reactions to the match.