Scott Drew started laughing when asked if his role in the midst of Baylor’s four-game losing streak has become more psychiatrist than coach.
Even as he downplayed any assertion that mind games are necessary, Drew clearly is trying to keep things in perspective for a veteran team that came into the season expecting, not hoping, to get back into the NCAA tournament.
“Compared to where we were last year, basically we’re one game back from where we were last year,” Drew said Thursday, relaying a message he had already shared with his team. “It’s not a situation where we need to panic. But it’s a situation where, obviously, we need to win games.”
Actually, for the Bears (15-7, 3-5 Big 12) to match Drew’s math, they have to win Saturday at Texas Tech, which Baylor beat 73-61 in its Big 12 opener last month.
“Last week was a must-win, and we didn’t,” freshman Quincy Acy said, evoking a chuckle from those in the room when he finished his statement. “This is obviously a must-must win.”
nt is that Baylor went through a similar ugly stretch in conference play last year, losing four in a row and five of six, before a strong finish.
“We have the ability to get on a roll and win multiple games in a row,” Drew said. “Everybody loses some swagger when you lose four in a row. … When we get on a roll, people aren’t going to want to play with us.”
Still, the losing skid isn’t what the Bears wanted to repeat from last season, when they made a triumphant return to the NCAA tournament five years after Drew took over a program devastated by tragedy and scandal.
M in their second Big 12 game.
Three of the recent losses have been against ranked teams, including two in a row at home. The Bears lost 75-65 Monday night against No. 21 Kansas, after a loss to 16th-ranked Texas last week.
After Texas Tech, the Bears return to the Ferrell Center to face No. 2 Oklahoma.
“It’s kind of frustrating, but we’ve been here before,” Curtis Jerrells said. “We’re not panicking. We just need to go out and play and have fun. … We know what we can do. From here on out, you will see a better team than you’ve seen the last four games.”
leading scorer until having his two worst games in a three-day stretch. An All-Big 12 selection last season, Jerrells shot 0-for-7 with four free throws against Kansas only two days after going 2-for-10 for five points at Missouri.
“With our situation, we need him to play well to win. He knows that, he welcomes that,” Drew said.
“I could really care less about making shots. It’s winning,” said Jerrells, who spent extra time in the gym this week working on his shots. “If I’m not making shots and we’re losing, it’s frustrating. If it’s the same way and we’re winning, that (crosses) out everything.”
The Bears got into their first NCAA tournament in 20 years by winning 21 games last season. To reach that mark before this year’s Big 12 tournament, Baylor has to win six of the next eight games.
“We’ve got to win at least 75 percent of the rest of our games in conference to get a postseason bid and make a run in the tournament,” Henry Dugat said minutes after the Kansas loss. “I think we can do it but we’ve got to step up our level of play.”
Kevin Rogers described the Bears as disappointed in their recent play, but not lacking confidence.
“Our whole team is veteran enough and understands what’s at stake,” Drew said. “Our margin of error just isn’t as great now that we have less games to play.”
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