Baylor outlasts Arkansas, heads to first Final Four since 1950

Yahoo Sports College reporter Pete Thamel takes you through Baylor’s Elite 8 win over Arkansas, a win that takes the Bears to their first Final Four in 71 years.

Video Transcript

PETE THAMEL: In the heart of Indiana on Monday night we reached deep in the heart of Texas to pick a pair of Final Four teams.

Number 1 Baylor dispatched Arkansas, 81 to 72, to join Houston in the Final Four. There'll be one team from Texas playing for the national title. The only team from the state of Texas to win a national title in 1966 Don Haskins fabled Texas Western team. It was the first in college basketball history to start an all Black starting five.

Baylor made its own slice of history tonight, reaching the Final Four for the first time since 1950. That's an over seven decade gap for the Baylor Bears. It marks the pinnacle of Scott Drew's rebuild as he took over one of the biggest messes in the history of college basketball 18 years ago. It's been a slow build for Drew, but he showed tonight that he has a team that's fully capable of winning the national title and maybe, perhaps, ultimately competing with Gonzaga.

The story of the night for Baylor was Davion Mitchell. The spark plug guard, plus-17 on the night. You can almost feel his aura on the court, how he controlled the game. He took just 11 shots, scored 12 points, dished six assists, and helped harass Arkansas star freshman Moses Moody into one of the worst nights of the season. Moody shot just two of 10 on the night. His frustration was palpable at times with Mitchell up in his [INAUDIBLE].

Throughout much of this season, number 1 seed Baylor was the best potential foil for Gonzaga. The Zags are going for an undefeated season for the first time in college basketball history since 1976. Can Baylor be there Monday night the stop them? We can't wait to find out. This is Pete Thamel, in Indianapolis, at Lucas Oil Stadium, as the Elite Eight heads to the Final Four.