Worn by Jared Butler, with 22 points and 7 assists, Baylor won 86-70 against a perfect team this season.
Maceio Tej and Devion Mitchell scored 19 and 15 points, respectively.
In the loss, Galen Suges scored 22 points. In 39 minutes of play, Canadian Andrew Nimbard limited to 9 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
Nimbard was trying to complete a rare Canadian college basketball double by mimicking his compatriot Alyssa Jerome, who defeated Cardinal of Stanford University in the women’s tournament final on Sunday evening.
According to Canadian Basketball Records, Canadians never won NCAA men’s and women’s titles in the same year. The National Collegiate Athletic Association began hosting a women’s championship in 1982.
Jerome became the first Canadian to win a national title since Kia Nurse, who spent two years in a row with University of Connecticut Huskies (2015, 2016).
Baylor won the women’s title two years ago. Their first male title was.
The Bears scored the first nine points in the game after just 2.5 minutes of play, and their opponents couldn’t catch them.
Their lead was 19 points midway through the first half. Gonzaga came within 10 points after the end of the first half, but the difference extended to 20 points after that.
Natalie Sinclair is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Her work highlights timely developments, relevant stories, and practical insights in a professional and reader-friendly manner.