Game Preview: Men's Hoops vs. Rice, Dec. 28

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BAYLOR (8-0) vs. RICE (6-2)
Ferrell Center (10,284) - Waco, Texas
Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000 - 7:00 p.m. CST

THE GAME
Baylor puts its perfect 8-0 record on the line Thursday, Dec. 28, when it hosts Rice in Waco. Tipoff at the Ferrell Center is set for 7 p.m. CST. Baylor most recently defeated North Texas 88-63 last Saturday, completing a perfect four-game, eight-day stint. The Bears are off to their best start in 55 years, since the 1945-46 squad started the season 9-0. Rice is 6-2 on the season, and hasn't played since a 74-62 win over Portland State Dec. 20, in Houston. The Bears are in the second year of the Dave Bliss era and their 95th year of men's basketball in 2000-2001. Baylor owns an all-time record of 952-1,077 in 94 seasons of basketball.

HEAD COACH DAVE BLISS
Dave Bliss was handed the reigns of Baylor basketball on March 23, 1999, and given the task of rebuilding a program that had finished the 1998-99 season without a Big 12 Conference win. Bliss proceeded to guide the Bears to a 14-15 record in 1999-2000, which was an eight-game turnaround from the previous season - the 10th-best turnaround in Division I basketball last year.

Bliss, in his second season at Baylor, is a 26-year coaching veteran and ranks 19th among active Division I coaches in victories with 487. The former head coach at New Mexico, Southern Methodist and Oklahoma owns a career record of 487-286 (.630). He has led teams to 15 postseason tournament appearances, including 11 trips to the NCAA Tournament. Five times Bliss has been honored as his conference's coach of the year, and he is one of only 23 Division I coaches ever to have taken three different schools to the NCAA Tournament (UNM, SMU, OU).

BLISS CLIMBING BAYLOR'S COACHING LISTS
In less than two season's at the helm of the Bear basketball program, Dave Bliss has compiled a 22-15 won-loss record. His 59.5 winning percentage ranks as the third-highest career mark at Baylor. A listing of the winningest head coaches at Baylor follows:

    BAYLOR ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACHES - BY PERCENTAGE        Head Coach  Years   Tenure          Record  Pct.    1.  Ralph Glaze 3   1910-14         25-8    .757    2.  Enoch Mills 2   1908-10         19-10   .655    3.  DAVE BLISS  2   1999-2000   22-15   .595    4.  Darrel Johnson  2   1992-94         32-22   .593    5.  Ralph Wolf  15  1926-41         150-127 .541    6.  Luther Burleson 2   1906-08         10-9    .526    7.  Bill Menefee    12  1961-73         149-144 .509

BLISS vs. RICE
Dave Bliss-coached teams are 16-4 vs. the Owls of Rice. This is Bliss' first game vs. Rice at Baylor, but he compiled a 4-0 record against Rice at New Mexico and was 12-4 vs. the Owls while coaching SMU.

THE RICE SERIES
Baylor trails in its all-time series with Rice, by an 88-85 margin. The two schools have met 173 times, making this the third most-played series in Baylor history. The two schools met as league opponents in the Southwest Conference between 1914 and 1996. Baylor has the edge in games played in Waco, leading 58-36. The Bears won the last meeting between the schools, a 101-88 victory in Waco in February 1996 (the last season of the SWC). Rice has won nine of the last 11 meetings against Baylor.

THE RICE OWLS
Rice (6-2) is led by Willis Wilson, in his ninth year as a head coach, all at Rice. Willis owns a career record of 109-122.

Rice Notes: The Owls are led by senior guard Mike Wilks, who is averaging 19.3 points per game... Wilks has scored 850 career points... Rice's defense is ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense, giving up 56.4 points per game (BU is fifth with 55.8).

BAYLOR vs. WAC
The Bears own an all-time record of 256-265 vs. teams currently in the Western Athletic Conference. The Bears' last meeting with a WAC school was a 99-75 loss at TCU in 1997. Prior to that, Baylor's last contest vs. a team that was a member of the WAC at the time was 1990, when then-WAC member San Diego State downed the Bears 84-70 (the majority of BU's games vs. current WAC schools came when the schools were members of the defunct SWC).

THE LAST TIME OUT - NORTH TEXAS
Baylor drilled a season-high 13 3-point shots and buried North Texas, 88-63, Saturday night in Denton. Terry Black and Chad Elsey each scored 18 points, and DeMarcus Minor added 16 to lead the Bears to their eighth straight victory. Baylor's 8-0 record equals its second-best start in school history, behind the 1945-46 edition's 9-0 start. Elsey came off the bench to score 15 of his points in the first half and Baylor jumped out to a 53-35 lead. He shot 5-of-10 3-pointers on the night. Black, who scored 12 of his points in the second half, added eight rebounds in the win. North Texas got as close as 60-51 with 15:34 left in the game, but Baylor went on a 15-4 run to make it 75-55 with 9:41 remaining. Elsey, Minor and Logan Kosmalski all made 3-pointers during the run. Baylor hit 13-of-25 3-pointers, and shot a season-high 54 percent from the field. Minor was a perfect 8-for-8 from the line, and extended his free throw streak to 36.

BEST START IN 55 YEARS
Baylor's perfect 8-0 record marks its best season start in a five decades, since coach Bill Henderson's 1945-46 Bears opened the season 9-0. Baylor has never won 10 straight games to open a season.

BAYLOR vs. NON-CONFERENCE FOES
Including wins in its first eight games, Baylor has compiled a 17-2 record vs. non-conference opponents under head coach Dave Bliss (The Bears recorded a 9-2 non-conference record last season). Additionally, Baylor has won 10 straight non-conference home games, dating back to last season.

BEARS 1 OF 7 PERFECT TEAMS
Baylor is one of seven Division I schools to boast an undefeated record (through games of 12/26/00).

BAYLOR ONLY SCHOOL WITH PERFECT HOOP TEAMS
Baylor is the only Division I school in the nation to boast undefeated teams in both men's and women's basketball. In addition to the 8-0 record Baylor's men own, the Lady Bears are a perfect 10-0 this season.

BEARS LEAD NATION IN FG% DEFENSE
In the latest national rankings released by the NCAA (through games of Dec. 18), Baylor ranked first nationally in field goal percentage defense. The Bears' had held opponents to 32.8 percent shooting through the season's first five games.

BAYLOR IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Bears are ranked No. 2 in the nation in scoring margin, boasting a 27.0 edge through eight games. Baylor has tallied six wins of 25-plus points this season. Baylor ranks fifth nationally in scoring defense, holding opponents to just 55.8 points per game. Only twice has Baylor given up more than 57 points this season.

BEARS TOP BIG 12 DEFENSIVE RANKINGS
Baylor currently leads the Big 12 Conference in three key defensive categories (in the latest rankings released Dec. 23). The Bears top the league in scoring defense (54.7, 2nd nationally), field goal percentage defense (35.3%) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (27.8%). Baylor ranks No. 2 in the Big 12 in steals (10.86) and No. 3 in defensive rebounds (29.0).

ATHLETIC BLACK LEADING THE BEARS
Senior forward Terry Black has successfully met Bear fans' high expectations through the season's first eight games, by posting three double-doubles and leading the Bears to eight straight wins. Black leads the team with a 17.3 scoring average and leads the Big 12 with a rebounding average of 10.5. In just his second season at Baylor, Black is a co-captain and one of two seniors on the team. Black has started every game of his Baylor career and is a preseason All-Big 12 selection. Black has also been tabbed in preseason publications as the Big 12's "Top Defensive Player" (Preview Sports magazine), "Best Leaper" (The Sporting News), and most "Underrated" (Athlon Sports).

BLACK ATOP THE BIG 12 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Terry Black ranks among the Big 12 Conference leaders in six major categories and is ranked in the top five of three lists (in the latest rankings released Dec. 23). Black was ranked in rebounding (1st, 10.9 rpg), field goal percentage (3rd, 67.1%), steals (3rd, 2.57 spg), scoring (9th, 17.1 ppg), blocks (13th, 1.14 bpg) and assists-to-turnovers (14th, 1.38). Black's 67.1 field goal percentage ranks 11th nationally, and his 10.9 average rebounds ranks 12th.

GREENLEAF PROVIDING MUCHO OFFENSE
Sophomore Wendell Greenleaf posted a career-high 25 points in leading the Bears over Liberty last week. In seven games played, Greenleaf is second on the team in scoring with 16.1 points per game. He is ranked eighth in the Big 12 in scoring in the latest listings. His 3.43 3-pointers per-game (24-for-69) leads the Big 12. Greenleaf averaged 4.1 points as a true freshman last season.

ELSEY PROVIDING INSTANT OFFENSE
Since becoming eligible in game No. 5 at Cal State Fullerton, junior Chad Elsey has posted big numbers and provided veteran leadership to the squad. In four games played, Elsey is averaging 16.0 points and 3.5 rebounds. His 42.4 3-point field goal percentage (14-for-33) is second on the team, and he is shooting 85.7 percent from the line (12-for-14). His assists-to-turnovers ratio is 3.7-to-1. Elsey, a transfer from Southern Methodist, sat out last season and the first semester this year establishing his eligibility.

MINOR'S EXCELLENCE FROM THE LINE
DeMarcus Minor has made 36 straight free throws. He last missed from the line during the first half of Baylor's win over Hardin-Simmons, on Nov. 25 in the season's second game. Minor is ranked second in the Big 12 with a 95.6 percent (43-for-45) free throw percentage.

MINOR THE WORKHORSE
Senior DeMarcus Minor, the Bears' quarterback, is averaging 14.0 points and 5.3 assists through eight games. Minor ranks second in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (95.6%, 43-of-45) and sixth in assists (5.3 per game) (in the latest rankings released Dec. 23). Minor, a co-captain, is the only Bear to have scored in double-digits in each of the first eight games. The second-year player has started every game during his Baylor career, and last season led the squad with an amazing 38.4 minutes-per-game average en route to being named honorable mention all-Big 12. This season the former transfer, who played at Marquette and Barton County Community College, has been projected a third-team all-Big 12 pick by Athlon's preseason publication.

ROOKIES IMPRESS
True freshmen Logan Kosmalski (6-8 forward) and Matt Sayman (6-3 guard) have made an immediate impact this season. Through eight games, all wins, Kosmalski has earned seven starts and is averaging 9.0 points in 25.4 minutes per game. Sayman has three starts, and is averaging 5.6 points in 20.4 minutes. Additionally, Kosmalski (Euless [Texas] HS) is averaging 5.3 rebounds and is shooting 76 percent (16-for-21) from the free throw line. Sayman (The Colony [Texas] HS) leads the team in 3-point percentage (50%) and has tallied 16 assists and 10 steals.

OTHORO RETURNS AND PLAYS LIMITED MINUTES
Sophomore Steven Othoro, after being sidelined for a month with a broken toe, returned to action by playing eight minutes vs. Liberty and seven minutes at North Texas. Othoro has scored four points and totaled five rebounds in the two games. Othoro was injured in the season-opening win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Nov. 22, after posting career highs in points (14), rebounds (8) and blocks (2).

STRESS FRACTURE SIDELINES FLIPPEN
Sophomore John Flippen is sidelined with an injury to his ankle. The 7-foot-2 center was diagnosed with a stress fracture, and is not expected back until January. Flippen played in only two games (12 minutes) this season.

A GRUELING 18-DAY STRETCH FOR BEARS
The Bears are in the midst of an 18-day period in which they play seven games (Dec. 16 at Cal State Fullerton to Jan. 2 vs. Texas Southern). Baylor's record is 4-0 during that stretch.

ELSEY SELECTED BIG 12 NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Baylor junior guard Chad Elsey was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week Dec. 18, following his stellar performance in an 80-50 win at Cal State Fullerton Dec. 16. Elsey scored a game-high 20 points, hit 4-of-5 3-pointers, shot 4-for-4 from the line, and totaled five rebounds, four assists and two steals without a turnover in the CSUF win. Elsey is the third Bear player to be selected as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, and the first since teammate Terry Black last season (Nov. 30, 2000).

LOTS OF NEW BRUINS
The 2000-2001 Baylor roster includes six new players: three true freshman (Michael DeGrate, Logan Kosmalski and Matt Sayman), two Division I transfers (R.T. Guinn and Kevin Henry), and one junior college transfer (Shon Robinson). Guinn and Henry will sit out the 2000-2001 season to comply with the NCAA transfer policy. Also seeing their first game action in Green and Gold this season are former transfers Greg Davis, Chad Elsey and Andre White. All three sat out last season at Baylor to gain eligibility.

TRANSFERS
The 2000-2001 Bear squad boasts four players who transferred to Baylor from Division I schools, and a fifth who previously played at a DI institution. A sixth transferred from a DIII school. The players are:

    Player      Prev. School    Status    Greg Davis  New Mexico  Junior forward    Chad Elsey  SMU     Junior guard    R.T. Guinn  New Mexico  redshirt    Kevin Henry    New Mexico  redshirt    DeMarcus Minor  Marquette*  Senior guard    Andre White    Hardin-Simmons  Sophomore guard

* Minor played as a freshman (1997-98) at Marquette before transferring to Barton County Community College.

RECRUITING CLASS EARNS NATIONAL PRAISE
Baylor's 2001 recruiting class has garnered some early accolades from various publications. The class is made up of three high school players inked in the early signing period, Dandrick Jones, Lawrence Roberts and Kenny Taylor. The Baylor class was rated 25th nationally by Rivals100Hoops.com, and No. 32 in the nation by HoopScoop. Rivals noted, "Roberts, Taylor headline outstanding group for Bliss." The Sporting News, which included transfers R.T. Guinn and Kevin Henry (who will be eligible for the 2001-2002 season) when judging the recruits, rated Baylor's class as the third-best in the Big 12. (detailed information on November's early signees included later in notes)

FERRELL CENTER'S 13th YEAR
The Bears are in their 13th season in the beautiful Ferrell Center. The Bears own a 108-77 all-time record in the arena, which opened in November 1988. The Ferrell Center is a golden-domed structure that seats 10,284 for basketball games. In the 2000 offseason, the Ferrell Center underwent various renovations, including: an expanded locker room, completely new offices for the basketball staff, upgraded audio-visual center, refinished playing court, and renovated weight room.

GOBAYLORBEARS.COM
Baylor's official athletic web site can be found at www.GoBaylorBears.com. The comprehensive site, which includes releases, photos, biographical sketches and audio broadcasts, is part of the FANSonly Network. FANSonly currently hosts sites for more than 80 schools, including six institutions of the Big 12 Conference.

OVER THE AIR
Bear basketball games can be heard live on the Baylor Radio Network. The flagship station is KRZI-AM (1660/1580) in Waco. Selected BU games will be broadcast on Dallas-Fort Worth affiliate WBAP News/Talk 820, which covers 80 percent of the nation during night games. All Baylor games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Bears" John Morris. Morris is a veteran broadcaster in his sixth season behind the mic at Baylor. Former Baylor basketball standout Pat Nunley is in his 19th season as color analyst for Bear broadcasts.

BAYLOR GAMES ON THE NET
The radio broadcast from all Baylor basketball games can be heard live on the internet on Baylor's official online website, www.GoBaylorBears.com, or at www.yahoo.broadcast.com.

NATION'S LONGEST-STANDING COACHING DUO
Baylor boasts Division I basketball's longest-tenured current coaching tandem. Bear assistant coach Doug Ash has been Dave Bliss' top aide for all 26 years Bliss has been a collegiate head coach. The Bliss and Ash duo began at Indiana University in the early 1970s when both were assistants under Bobby Knight. When Bliss became head coach at Oklahoma in 1975, he took Ash with him. The pair has been together ever since, at SMU, New Mexico, and Baylor.

PRESEASON HONORS
The Bears have been honored by preseason prognosticators, led by senior forward Terry Black. Black was projected a third-team All-Big 12 selection, and the conference's "Most Versatile" player by Lindy's preseason publication. He was also named the Big 12's "Top Defensive Player" by Preview Sports magazine. The Sporting News tabbed Black the "Best Leaper" in the Big 12, and Athlon Sports selected him the most "Underrated" player in the conference. Senior point guard DeMarcus Minor was selected a preseason third-team All-Big 12 player by Athlon Sports.

BIG-12 PRESEASON PROJECTIONS
Baylor's 2000-2001 edition has been projected in preseason polls to finish anywhere from eighth to 11th in the Big 12 Conference. The league's coaches picked the Bears to finish 11th in preseason balloting, as did the conference media. The highest projected finish for Baylor was eighth, by both Preview Sports magazine, and ESPN.com.

INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW
Inside Baylor Sports, a half-hour look at the world of Baylor athletics, airs weekly throughout Central Texas and other regional outlets. The program, co-hosted by John Morris and Lori Scott-Fogleman, airs on KCEN-TV Channel 6, Fox Sports Southwest and the College Channel (Waco cable channel 18). KCEN carries the show at 10:30 p.m. Sundays, and it airs at 1 p.m. Wednesdays on Fox.

THE LOBO TRANSFERS
As has been well documented, the Baylor roster includes three former players from the University of New Mexico, where Dave Bliss and his staff previously coached. The players, junior Greg Davis, sophomore R.T. Guinn and senior Kevin Henry, were all recruited by Bliss' UNM staff. Davis, the Bears' current starter at center, is the only former Lobo playing this season after sitting out 1999-2000 at Baylor. Guinn (who was recruited by-but never played for-Bliss at UNM) and Henry are sitting out this season to comply with the NCAA transfer policy. All three players were starters at New Mexico.

BEARS ADD 3 EARLY SIGNEES
Baylor has signed three early signees, all from the state of Texas, to national letters of intent during the early signing period: Dandrick Jones, a guard from Kimball High School in Dallas, Lawrence Roberts, a forward from Lamar High School in Houston, and Kenny Taylor, a guard from Willowridge High School in Sugar Land, Texas.

Jones, a 6-3, 185-pound guard, was an All-District 11-5A selection last year as a junior on a 22-12 Kimball squad that reached the playoffs. He averaged 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists in 2000. Listed as the 12th best prospect in Texas by TexasHoops, Jones also received High Honorable Mention All-America status in Street & Smith's College Basketball magazine. He was listed among the top seniors nationally by Athlon Sports preseason publication.

Roberts, a 6-8, 220-pound forward, averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks as a junior at Lamar in 2000. One of the most sought-after forwards in the nation, Roberts is rated the No. 5 prospect in the state of Texas by TexasHoops entering his senior season. Athlon Sports included Roberts on its list of the nation's Top 20 Power Forwards in its preseason publication. He was rated the No. 14 power forward nationally by FastBreak Recruiting.com. Roberts was listed No. 86 on Lindy's magazine's Top 100 Seniors nationally.

The 6-3, 175-pound Taylor averaged 14 points and three assists as a junior for state champion Willowridge last season. Taylor led WHS to a 36-1 record and the Class 5A state title in 2000. TexasHoops rated Taylor the No. 13 prospect in Texas entering his senior season. Taylor was also listed among the High Honorable Mention All-America status in Street & Smith's College Basketball preview and among the nation's top seniors by Athlon Sports magazine.

BAYLOR EARLY SIGNEESName            Pos.    Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (High School)Dandrick Jones          G   6-3 185 Fr. Dallas, Texas (Kimball HS)Lawrence Roberts    F   6-8 220 Fr. Houston, Texas (Lamar HS)Kenny Taylor            G   6-3 175 Fr. Sugar Land, Texas (Willowridge HS)

UP NEXT...
Baylor hosts the Montana Grizzlies Saturday, Dec. 30, as part of a doubleheader at the Ferrell Center. Baylor's men tipoff vs. Montana at 1 p.m. CST, following which the Lady Bears play Oral Roberts at 7 p.m.

Game Preview: Men's Hoops vs. Rice, Dec. 28

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