by Adam Burns
Daily Cougar StaffIf the Baylor Bears plan to sabotage Houston's postseason plans, they will have to do something they have not done in conference play this year -- win on the road.
Houston (14-9, 8-3 in the Southwest Conference) has clinched at least the third conference seed, but is fighting for the No. 2 seed. Baylor (8-15, 3-8) could finish as high as fourth or as low as dead last.
Baylor's hopes lay on a dominating presence in the paint named Brian Skinner and Doug Brandt.
Skinner is a 6-10 sophomore center averaging 17.6 points, nine rebounds and 3.3 blocks a game.
"Skinner's not only the best center in the conference, he's one of the best young post players in the nation," Houston coach Alvin Brooks said..
Bears forward Doug Brandt (12.8 points, seven rebounds a game) is a good complement to Skinner.
"Skinner and Brandt are the best post tandem in the league," Brooks said.
But Houston is also a force to be reckoned with in the paint.
This week's SWC Player of the Week, senior forward Tim Moore, has had nine double-double games in his last 10.
Sophomore center Galen Robinson has also been impressive lately.
During Houston's 91-84 overtime victory over the Bears Jan. 27, Skinner's 24-point, 15-rebound, four-block performance was rendered meaningless when Robinson blocked his potential game-winning shot to force overtime.
Robinson's play has been vastly improving over the last several games after being hampered most of the season by ineligibility and injury.
After averaging 6.3 points per game during his first eight games of the season, Robinson has been averaging 13 points in the last three ballgames.
"We're not going to worry about containing him," Baylor coach Harry Miller said. "He just gives the Cougars another weapon.
"He has a nice shooting touch, and he's a big, wide body out there for them," he said.
Rebounding was listed as an important key to the game by both coaches.
"We are just going to pound the glass and do what we've been doing," Brooks said. "I always knew we would be a good rebounding team once everybody got back."
Miller said, "We can't get murdered on the boards. We have to keep (Houston) from getting so many fast breaks. They are a very good team in transition.
"We need to D-up on Moore, (Kirk) Ford and (Kenya) Capers. (Houston) has so many weapons. We have a serious matchup problem because our guys are not as physically mature as Houston's."