Despite trailing for much of the first half, the Baylor Bears used a late scoring surge to overcome the Villanova Wildcats Saturday afternoon and propel themselves into the Elite Eight.

While other top-seeds have fallen prey to upsets, Baylor refuses to be denied.

Having entered the tournament as a No. 1 seed on the back of their 25-2 regular season, the Bears not only avoided the kind of pitfalls that have plagued other top-ranked teams during March Madness but had earned their way into the Sweet Sixteen with two emphatic victories over Hartford and Wisconsin.

The Bears entered their game against the Wildcats 6.5 point favorites but were seen as vulnerable given their recent slip in defensive efficiency, coupled with Villanova's outstanding outside shooting.

While Baylor's offense failed to produce the way it had in the first two rounds, the Bears saved themselves thanks to a similar defensive performance that the squad had relied on early in the season to start off 15-0.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, that meant a smothering effort along the perimeter that resulted in Villanova shooting a horrendous 3-17 from deep while only mustering 51 total points. Even for a team dealing with a myriad of injuries–most notably operating without senior guard Chris Gillespie–the offensive performance is a disappointment, given the high-scoring affairs the club usually partakes in.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Mikal Bridges in Nets and Villanova uniforms

Peter Sampson ·

Quinn Allen ·

Katie Francis ·

Baylor, meanwhile, will advance to the Southern Regional Final and await the winner of Oral Roberts and Arkansas. Regardless of who emerges from that contest, the Bears will almost certainly be listed as favorites to earn a trip to the Final Four next weekend, as one of the few top seeds still standing.

As the Madness continues, Baylor gets to keep dancing.

Â