Bears/Hokies Clash in NIT 2nd Round
3/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 20, 2009
GAME CENTER: GAME 36 (NIT SECOND ROUND)
BAYLOR BEARS (21-14) AT VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (19-14)
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009
Tip-Off: 10 a.m. CT Location: Blacksburg, Va.
Arena: Cassell Coliseum (9,847)
Television: ESPN
Talent: Sean McDonough (pxp), Bob Valvano (color)
Radio: Baylor ISP Sports Network | ESPN/KRZI 1660 AM (Waco)/Sirius Satellite (Ch. 161) | BaylorBears.com
Talent: John Morris (pxp), Pat Nunley (color)
Live Stats: BaylorBears.com
Web Stream: ESPN360.com and BaylorBears.com (live audio)
Series: Tied 1-1
NATIONAL INVITATION TOURNAMENT STORY LINES
• Baylor won its first postseason game in 59 years Wednesday and now looks to advance to the NIT quarterfinals when the Bears face the Virginia Tech Hokies Saturday in Blacksburg, Va.
• It is Baylor's first trip to Blacksburg, Va., in the brief series - both previous meetings were at a neutral site.
• Saturday's game will be Baylor's 15th on the ESPN family of networks - Baylor played 14 total ESPN games in the previous 11 seasons.
• Baylor set four new single-season team records Wednesday vs. Georgetown - points (2,668), 3-point field goals made (282), 3-point field goals attempted (785) and free throws made (550).
• Baylor has won two postseason games in the same season only once - in 1948 when the Bears lost to Kentucky 58-42 in the NCAA Championship game (BU finished the NCAA Tournament 2-1).
• Baylor tied last season's win total with its 21st win of the season thanks to a win over Georgetown Wednesday night. Baylor's 21 wins are tied for fourth-win in school history. The Bears won a school-record 25 games in 1945-46, 24 in 1947-48, 23 in 1987-88 and 21 last season.
• Curtis Jerrells - one of only two in Baylor history with 1,000 points, 400 assists and 100 steals - needs 25 rebounds to become just the fourth player in school history with 1,500 points and 500 rebounds.
• Fifteen (15) of Baylor's 24 regular season opponents earned postseason bids to either the NCAA or National Invitation Tournaments.
• Baylor has made at least one 3-point field goal in 547 straight games.
• LaceDarius Dunn's 96 3-point field goals are the third-highest single-season total in school history. He is four shy of becoming just the third player in school history with 100 or more 3-point field goals in a single season.
SERIES HISTORY
• Saturday will be the third meeting in the brief series and the first in more than 40 years.
• The series is tied 1-1 after Baylor defeated Virginia Tech, 66-63, at the East Carolina Classic in Greenville, N.C., on Dec. 27, 1968.
• In the first series meeting, Virginia Tech upended the Bears 81-54 at the Birmingham (Ala.) Classic on Dec. 17, 1960.
BAYLOR VS. THE ACC
• Baylor is 5-9 vs. current members of the Atlantic Coast Coast and Virginia Tech will be the Bears' second ACC opponent this season. In November, Wake Forest defeated the Bears, 87-74, to win the 76 Classic in Anaheim, Calif.
• Baylor has not defeated a current member of the ACC since Dec. 27, 1974, when the Bears won 108-80 over Georgia Tech at the Old Dominion Classic in Norfolk, Va.
VIRGINIA TECH SCOUTING REPORT
• After missing an upset of No. 1 North Carolina in the ACC Tournament last week, the Virginia Tech Hokies rebounded with 116-108 double-overtime win over Duquesne Wednesday in the opening round of the NIT.
• A pair of Hokies recorded double-doubles as A.D. Vassallo poured in 33 points and 12 rebounds, while Jeff Allen chipped in 23 points and 10 boards. VT shot 59.4 percent from the floor (38-of-64) and 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from 3-point range.
• Vassallo leads a trio of Hokies averaging double figures this season with 19.3 points through 33 games. He is shooting 45.7 percent from the floor (228-of-499) in 36.8 minutes per game.
• Malcoln Delaney is second on the team with 18.2 points on 39.1 percent (156-of-399) shooting. Vassallo and Delaney are the Hokies greated 3-point threats as the combo has combined to make 149 of Virginia Tech's 200 3-point field goals.
THE ROAD TO NEW YORK CITY
• The Virginia Tech/Baylor winner will face the Auburn/Tulsa winner Tuesday, March 24 at a site to be determined.
• If No. 1 Auburn wins, the NIT quarterfinal game will be held at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum in Auburn, Ala. If No. 4 Tulsa wins, the NIT quarterfinal game will most likely be played at the home site of the Virginia Tech/Baylor winner.
LOOKING AHEAD TO AUBURN/TULSA...
• Series History vs. Auburn: Baylor leads the all-time series with Auburn 3-2, but the teams have not met since 1997 when the Bears won in Auburn.
• Series History vs. SEC: Baylor is 58-125 all-time vs. current members of the SEC, including a heartbreaking 85-84 home loss to South Carolina on Jan. 2.
• Series History vs. Tulsa: Baylor trails the all-time series with Tulsa 7-5, but has won the last three meetings. Baylor and Tulsa have not met since the Bears were in the old Southwest Conference and the Golden Hurricane participated in the Missouri Valley Conference.
• Series History vs. Conference USA: Baylor is 193-255 all-time vs. current members of Conference USA, including Rice (85-90) and SMU (75-100). Baylor has lost its last four games vs. current C-USA schools - three to SMU and one to Rice. The Bears' haven't defeated a current C-USA school since a 92-90 win over SMU on Nov. 27, 2001.
BEARS HAVE AN EYE FOR TV TALENT
• Baylor's second round NIT matchup at Virginia Tech Saturday on ESPN will be the Bears' 15th nationally televised game on the ESPN family of networks this season.
• Baylor had played on the ESPN family of networks 14 times in the previous 11 seasons before the 2008-09 campaign.
• Baylor is 6-8 this season on the ESPN family of networks (7-7 in previous 14 appearances).
BEARS BASKETBALL ON THE AIR
• Bear basketball is aired live via the Baylor-ISP SportsNetwork on flagship station 1660AM ESPN Radio (KRZI) in Waco and worldwide on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 161. All games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Bears" John Morris, a veteran broadcaster in his 14th season, and former BU basketball standout Pat Nunley, in his 27th season as analyst.
INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW
• Inside Baylor Sports, the award winning weekly TV show that covers all aspects of Baylor athletics, returns for its 10th season in 2008-09.
• Senior Producer Robert Shiekh and Producer Lawrence Gilligan provide viewers an inside look at Baylor athletics with thorough highlights, in-depth interviews and imaginative features on all 18 sports presented in a fast-paced, entertaining style. Co-hosts John Morris and Lori Fogleman guide viewers through the best coverage of Baylor athletics on television.
• Inside Baylor Sports airs Sundays, Aug. 24, 2008 through June 7, 2009, at 10:30 p.m. CT on KCEN-TV in Central Texas. The program also airs weekly throughout the region on FS Southwest at 1 p.m. each Wednesday and is archived on the web at BaylorTV.com. Inside Baylor Sports also may been seen nationally on CBS College Sports Television.
