March Madness 2025: Baylor Bears take on Mississippi State Bulldogs in a fascinating first-round game of the NCAA Tournament

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Mar 24, 2025, 00:54 IST

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The 9th-seed Baylor Bears narrowly defeated the 8th-seed Mississippi State Bulldogs 75-72 in the NCAA tournament's first round. Despite the Bulldogs' strong comeback and Josh Hubbard's 26 points, Baylor's first-half lead and standout performance by Robert Wright III helped secure the win.

March Madness 2025: Baylor Bears take on Mississippi State Bulldogs in a fascinating first-round game of the NCAA Tournament

(Image via X)

The Baylor Bears are the 9th seed in the NCAA, facing the #8 place's Mississippi State Bulldogs. With a 19-14 run this season, the Bears entered March Madness with a thirst to get the trophy once again after 2021. But the Bulldogs weren't easy to beat, who have had a 21-12 run this season. It would have been a first for MSU in the NCAA tournament since 2008 if they could have taken the win against the Baylor Bears.

The Baylor Bears maintained their lead in the first half

It was a game of uncertainties as Baylor Bears and Mississippi State Bulldogs fought for domination in this March Madness. At halftime, Baylor maintained its lead against their opponent, 37-32, under the leadership of freshman guard VJ Edgecombe. On the other hand, Josh Hubbard is the leading scorer for MSU, who has maintained an average of 18.8 points per game.

While MSU Bulldogs were the favorite to win, the Bears did not keep anything to chance. The Bulldogs were also missing guard Kanye Clary, who is out for the season with a lower leg injury. While MSU has a better PPG average this season, Baylor has a better blocking average. Hence, this game wasn't easy to win for either, as they continued to prove who should move into the second round.

Baylor Bears clinches it away from the Bulldogs to get to the second round

Under the leadership of longtime coach Scott Drew, the Baylor Bears won the national championship in 2021. They have also continually been a part of the NCAA Tournament for quite a while, unlike the Bulldogs, who have gotten a chance to enter March Madness for the first time since 2008. But Baylor Bears have made their mark once again this season, as they won the first round against the Bulldogs, 75-72.

While the Bulldogs' Hubbard was the highest scorer of the game with 26 points, Robert Wright III was the shining star in Baylor with 21 points, leading them to the win. Edgecombe and Omier also scored 16 and 12 points each. Even though MSU scored 2 points more than the Bears in the second half, the latter's first-half points made up for the difference, leading them to the win. And now Baylor are in the second round.
Also Read: 2025 March Madness: Coach Rick Barnes' Tennessee Volunteers beat Wofford Terriers to get to the Second

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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