Back in early June, Baylor appeared to be at least a candidate for one of the surprise teams in the Big 12 this season. But following a summer of startling discoveries, ghastly accusations and appalling revelations, it's difficult to predict how the Bears will stand up to opponents after being shaken to their knees by gruesome realities.

Power forward Patrick Dennehy -- expected to be a key contributor this season -- was murdered in June. A former teammate, Carlton Dotson, was charged with his murder in July. And investigations regarding possible NCAA violations began in the midst of the search for Dennehy's body. The unseemly mess ended with the firing of disgraced coach Dave Bliss.

New coach Scott Drew will attempt to put together a team that has an ounce of respectability. At his hiring news conference, Drew said he expects strong student support this season because "we're going to have people who are normally in the stands out here playing."

FRONTCOURT

Baylor appeared to have a potential Big 12 Player of the Year candidate in power forward Lawrence Roberts, but he transferred to Mississippi State following the summer of unrest. The 6-foot-9 Roberts averaged a double-double last season and scored 20 points or more in eight games and grabbed at least 14 rebounds in six contests.

The departure of Roberts leaves the door open for junior college swingman Harvey Thomas. At 6-8, Thomas is big enough to be a presence in the paint and versatile enough to play on the perimeter. Thomas, who played 28 games in 2001-02 at Georgetown, had been compared to NBA star Scottie Pippen in terms of his versatility and athleticism by Bliss.

Senior R.T. Guinn will man the middle. Guinn isn't the prototypical, shot-blocking rebounder in the low post, but he has added some muscle. Plus Guinn has outstanding range, forcing opposing centers to respect him on the perimeter.

The Bears can also go with a smaller frontcourt due to the continued development of Terrance Thomas. He was a bit on the chubby side last season, but he lost 25 pounds in the offseason.

BACKCOURT

The Bears lost point guard John Lucas III, son of former NBA player and coach John Lucas. Lucas transferred to Oklahoma State. There will be six guards on the roster, none of which have significant experience outside of Matt Sayman and Ellis Kidd. Carl Marshall, a gifted shooter from Chicago, should see immediate playing time.

Kenny Taylor, the team's third-leading scorer last season and a great 3-point shooter, transferred to Texas.

FINAL ANALYSIS

The job of Scott Drew is to change the face of Baylor basketball, and that will not be an easy task to accomplish. Drew will have his work cut out for him, but fortunately the administration is not expecting a lot of W's in Year One.

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