THE GOOD NEWS
The NCAA Tournament appearance was the first for Baylor in 20 years and, despite a first-round loss against Purdue, gives the Bears confidence with all but one primary contributor (G Aaron Bruce) returning next season. The fact Baylor made strides when the Big 12 was rated as the second-best conference by RPI in the country is also noteworthy. Backcourt depth established an array of shooters and made the Bears tough to defend.

THE BAD NEWS
Additional help must be found underneath alongside F Kevin Rogers, who shouldered too much of the scoring and rebounding burden on the low block. He had to be careful not to get in foul trouble, which affected his defense. The work of the Baylor guards on the defensive end must also improve. The Bears cannot settle for trading baskets and expect any ascent up the Big 12 standings to continue.

KEY RETURNEES
Practically everyone who figured in Baylor's NCAA Tournament run is back, including G Curtis Jerrells, an All-Big 12 pick who led the Bears with a 15-point average. The development of two young guards, Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn, will be interesting. Both were big scorers in high school and showed off their explosiveness at times, though Jerrells was most consistent.

ROSTER REPORT

--On the NCAA stage, the Bears' first appearance there since 1988, G Curtis Jerrells stood out. He led Baylor with 27 points in its first-round loss to Purdue and also added a game-high eight assists.

--Although he was limited to nine points and seven rebounds in the loss to Purdue, F Kevin Rogers was always a threat for a double-double, posting 12 on the season.

--C Josh Lomers, a 7-foot sophomore who started much of the season, saw his role diminish late in the season and logged only two minutes against Purdue. The Bears have another 7-footer, Mamadou Diene, with more upside.

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