 | | MEDIA INFORMATION | | Date | Friday, Nov. 28 | 9:30 p.m. CT | | Location | Las Vegas, Nev.; Orleans Arena (9,500)
| | Tickets | Purchase Tickets Online | | TV | FS1
| | TV Talent | Justin Kutcher (pxp), Bill Raftery (color)
| | Satellite Radio | TBA
| | BU Radio | ESPN Central Texas | | BU Talent | John Morris (pxp), Pat Nunley (color) | | Stats | | | Game Notes | Baylor | Illinois | | Twitter | @BaylorMBB | BAYLOR BEARS
| | Record | 5-0 | | Ranking | rv (AP), rv (Coaches)
| | Head Coach | Scott Drew
| | Career: 229-161 (13th season)
| | BU Record: 209-150 (12th season)
| ILLINI FIGHTING ILLINI
| | Record | 5-0
| | Ranking | rv (AP), rv (Coaches)
| | Head Coach | John Groce
| | Career: 133-84 (7th season)
| | Illinois Record: 48-28 (3rd season)
|
|
|
STORY LINES ? Friday will mark the 3rd series meeting between?Baylor and Illinois and first since Nov. 27, 1987.
? Baylor's last game vs. Illinois was 27 years ago in the first round of the Maui?Classic, a 73-50 Illinois win. BU is 0-2 all-time vs.?Illinois, as the Bears lost the only other meeting in Champaign to No. 6 Illinois, 92-68, on Dec. 12, 1986.
? Baylor is playing in a regular season tournament title game for the 3rd time in the last 4 seasons. The Bears won the 2011 Las Vegas Invite against West Virginia and lost the 2013 Maui Invitational vs. Syracuse.
? Baylor has now advanced to regular-season tournament title games four times under
Scott Drew (BU is 2-1).
? Baylor has posted a winning record in six of its last seven regular-season tournaments.
? Baylor has allowed only 247 points over its first 5 games, tying the fewest points it has allowed in any 5-game stretch since allowing 230 points from Feb. 4-25, 1950. BU also allowed 247 points over a 5-game span in 2010.
? Baylor held Memphis to 47 points on Thursday, marking the first time BU held an opponent under 50 points in its last 48 away games. The Bears' 15 points allowed in the 2nd half tied the lowest in any half of the Drew era.
? Baylor is 43-18 against non-Big 12 teams in games away from the Ferrell Center in the Drew era, including a 20-5 record in away games against non-Big 12 teams since 2011-12.
? Baylor is 51-9 in November games during the Drew era, including a 32-4 mark since 2009-10.
? Newcomers have scored 44%?of BU's points through 5 games (153 of 347), led by Johnathan?Motley's 48 points.
? Baylor is 175-81 (24 wins per season) over the last seven-plus seasons and has made six postseason appearances?(NCAA Tournament -- 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014; NIT -- 2009, 2013) with six 20-win seasons.
? Baylor is coming off a 2014 NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, which made Drew the youngest of 11 coaches nationally to take his current team to three Sweet 16s in the last five years.
? Baylor is 65-4 when leading at the half over the last four seasons -- 4-0 this season, 18-2 in 2013-14, 17-1 in 2012-13 and 26-1 in 2011-12. BU is 169-28 when leading at the half during the entire Drew era.
? BU?has won 39% of its games (19-30) when tied or trailing at half since 2011-12, including 1-0 this season.
? BU has six 20-win seasons in the last 7 years. BU had only three 20-win seasons prior to Drew's arrival.
? Baylor's 5 NBA?Draft picks in the last 3 years ranks 5th nationally behind Kentucky, Duke,?Kansas and Syracuse.
? Baylor has the nation's second-best postseason winning percentage over the last six years (17-4; .810).
? Baylor was picked tied for 6th in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches Poll, BU's lowest since 2009-10.
? Baylor is one of only 12 schools nationally to play in the Sweet 16 in three of the last five seasons.
? Baylor is receiving votes in both national preseason polls. BU finished 2013-14 ranked No. 18 by the coaches.
? All 31 of Baylor's regular-season games will be televised this season, including 22 games on the ESPN?family of networks. The Illinois game will be Baylor's 109th consecutive televised contest.
? Baylor is 14-3 in overtime games under Drew, including a 3-0 mark last season.
? Baylor is 25-4 against in-state opponents since 2011-12 and 39-8 against Lone Star State teams since 2009-10.
? Baylor is one of two Big 12 schools to be ranked in each of the last seven seasons (Kansas) entering 2014-15.
? Drew is coaching his 360th game at Baylor (209-150). His .582 winning percentage is best in BU history among coaches with four or more seasons, and his teams have a .684 winning percentage since 2007-08.
? Baylor is 27-10 in postseason tournaments (conference, national) over the last six seasons.
? Baylor has more Big 12 wins in the last 7 seasons (62-56) than its first 11 years in the league combined (45-131).
? Drew is tied with Kansas' Bill Self as the second-longest tenured head coach in the Big 12 Conference. Drew, who is in his 12th season at Baylor, is second only to Texas' Rick Barnes (17th season at UT).
? Baylor has the Big 12's 2nd-longest active streak with at least one 3-point FG made in 736 consecutive games.
? Baylor has 22 games on ESPN networks this season, giving BU 106 ESPN appearances in the last seven seasons.
SERIES HISTORY
? Friday is the 3rd all-time series meeting and the first in more than 27 years.
? Baylor has lost both previous meetings. Illinois won 92-68 when the teams met in the Illinois Classic in Champaign on Dec.12,1986, and the Illini won 73-50 in the first round of the Maui?Classic on Nov. 27, 1987.
? Baylor is 15-21 against current Big Ten?Conference members, including a win against Nebraska in the first round of the 2014 NCAA?Tournament and a loss to Wisconsin in last season's Sweet 16.
A WIN WOULD ...
? Give Baylor its 3rd regular season tournament title under Scott Drew, following the 2007 Paradise Jam in the U.S.?Virgin Islands and the 2011 Las Vegas Invitational.
? Improve Baylor's record outside of Waco against non-Big 12 teams to 21-5 since 2011-12.
? Make Baylor 1-2 all-time vs. Illinois and 16-21 all-time against current Big Ten?Conference members.
? Give Baylor a 6-0 start to the season for the 4th time in the last 6 years.
? Be Baylor's 4th consecutive victory in the Las Vegas Invitational after winning the 2011 event.
? Give Baylor an 18-3 record over its last 21 games dating back to Feb. 12, 2014.
? Make Baylor 52-9 in November games under Drew, including a 32-4 record since 2009-10.
? Give Baylor an 85-34 record since the start of the 2011-12 season.
? Make Baylor 176-81 since the start of the 2007-08 season, good for a .685 winning percentage.
WINNING AWAY FROM HOME VS. NON-BIG 12 TEAMS
? Baylor is 43-18 against non-Big 12 teams in games away from the Ferrell Center in the Scott Drew era, including a 20-5 record in away games against non-Big 12 teams since 2011-12.
? Baylor is 41-14 against non-Big 12 teams away from home since the 2007-08 season (2-0 in 2014-15; 6-2 in 2013-14; 5-2 in 2012-13; 8-1 in 2011-12; 1-3 in 2010-11; 8-2 in 2009-10; 6-2 in 2008-09; 5-2 in 2007-08).
BEST DEFENSIVE STRETCH IN 64 YEARS
? Baylor leads the Big 12 in scoring defense at 49.4 points allowed per game through the season's first five contests.
? The Bears' 247 points allowed ties the fewest Baylor has allowed in any 5-game stretch since allowing 230 points from Feb. 4-25, 1950. BU also allowed 247 points in a 5-game stretch from Nov. 18-Dec. 15, 2010.
? Baylor's 247 points allowed are its fewest through the first five games of a season since 1945-46 when BU allowed 161 points in its first five games.
? The 39 points Baylor allowed against McNeese State in the season opener tied the best defensive performance by the Bears against a Division I opponent since a 43-37 win vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State on Dec. 11, 1958.
? Baylor held Memphis to 15 points in the 2nd half, tying the fewest allowed in any half of the Scott Drew era.
? Baylor has held four opponents to 51 or fewer points this season after doing so just twice last year.
SEVEN NEWCOMERS COMBINE FOR 44% OF SCORING
? Baylor welcomed seven newcomers to its 2014-15 roster, headlined by two junior college transfers: G Lester Medford (Tucson,?Ariz./Indian Hills CC) and F Deng Deng (Melbourne, Australia/Lee College).
? BU also added two players from the high school ranks -- T.J.?Maston (DeSoto, Texas) and Dee Durham (Oakwood,?Texas) -- as well as junior walk-on transfer Austin Mills (Beverly Hills,?Calif./Pepperdine).
? Additionally, redshirt freshmen Johnathan Motley and Al?Freeman are playing their first collegiate seasons.
? The seven newcomers have combined for 153 of Baylor's 347 points (44%) through the season's first five games, but the veterans have shouldered more of the load lately.
PERCENTAGE?OF?SCORING?BY?NEWCOMERS
Nov. 14 vs. McNeese State -- 65% (52 of 80)
Nov. 18 at South?Carolina -- 51% (35 of 69)
Nov. 21 vs. Prairie View A&M -- 33% (20 of 60)
Nov. 24 vs. SFA -- 33% (22 of 67)
Nov. 27 vs. Memphis -- 34% (24 of 71)
SUCCESS IN REGULAR SEASON TOURNAMENTS
? Baylor is 17-9 in 10 regular season tournaments under Scott Drew, including a 7-2 record since 2011-12.
? The Bears have won multiple games in six of their last seven regular season tournaments entering this season, including tournament titles at the 2007 Paradise Jam (U.S.?Virgin Islands) and the 2011 Las Vegas Classic.
HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS PAYING OFF
? Baylor has won 94% of its games when leading at the half since 2011-12. The Bears are 65-4 when leading through the first 20 minutes in that stretch (4-0 this season, 18-2 in 2013-14, 17-1 in 2012-13 and 26-1 in 2011-12).
? BU has won 39% of games in which its been tied or trailing at the half since 2011-12, going 19-30 in those.
? BU has led at halftime in 69 of 118 games over the last three-plus seasons. With wins in 65 of those 69 games, and victories in 19 of 49 games it has trailed or been tied at the half, Baylor is 84-34 since 2011-12.
51-9 IN NOVEMBER GAMES UNDER DREW
? Baylor is 51-9 in November games during the Scott Drew era, including a 32-4 mark since 2009-10.
? The Bears are 47-14 in December games under Drew, including a 23-5 record since 2009-10.
? Baylor is a combined 98-23 in games before the New Year under Drew, including a 55-9 record since 2009-10.
BALANCED SCORING ATTACK
? Baylor has benefited from a balanced scoring attack that has seen seven different players combine to score in double figures 13 times through the first five games.
? BU?has had four different players lead the team in scoring this season -- Deng Deng vs. McNeese State, Kenny Chery at South?Carolina, Royce O'Neale vs. SFA and Taurean Prince vs. Prairie View A&M and Memphis.
? Prince leads the team with 13.8 points per game, including 50 points in his last three games, while Royce O'Neale has contributed 35 points in his last two games after scoring 16 points in his first three games.
DREW IS PROGRAM'S ALL-TIME WINS LEADER
? Scott Drew holds Baylor's school record with 209 career wins as head coach.
? Drew became the all-time wins leader by defeating Texas on March 14, 2014 for his 202nd Baylor victory, passing Bill Henderson (201 wins; 1941-43 and 1945-61) for the all-time wins mark.
? Drew's .582 winning percentage is the best ever by a Baylor coach with four or more years at the helm.
O'NEALE CHASING 1,000 POINTS
? Royce O'Neale needs 14 points to reach 1,000 career Division I points.
? O'Neale scored 665 points in two seasons at Denver -- 308 as a freshman in 2011-12 and 357 as a sophomore in 2012-13 -- before transferring to Baylor for the 2013-14 season.
? O'Neale scored 270 points as a junior at BU, and he's scored 51 points through five games as a senior.
? Last season, O'Neale became the first player in program history to post 200+ rebounds and 100+ assists in the same season. He ranked second on the team with 110 assists and fourth with 205 rebounds in 2013-14.
? The only other Big 12 Conference player to reach those numbers in 2013-14 was Iowa State's DeAndre Kane.
UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS
? Baylor has enjoyed unprecedented success over the last seven-plus seasons under 12th-year head coach Scott Drew. Since the start of the 2007-08 season, Baylor is 175-81 (24 wins per season) and has made six postseason appearances?(NCAA -- 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014; NIT?-- 2009, 2013) and posted six 20-win seasons.
? Prior to 2007-08, Baylor won only 135 games in the first 11 seasons of the Big 12 era (12.3 wins per season).
? Baylor has made 13 postseason appearances (six under Drew) and won 20+ games just nine times (six under Drew) in the program's first 108 seasons.
BU PICKED SIXTH IN BIG 12 PRESEASON POLL
? Baylor was picked to finish tied for sixth in the 2014-15 Big 12 Conference Preseason Poll in a vote by the league's head coaches in October. Sixth is the lowest the Bears have been picked since 2010, when BU?was projected 10th and ended up advancing to the NCAA?Tournament Elite Eight.
? In the last eight seasons, BU has been picked ninth in 2007-08 (NCAA Tournament), third in 2008-09 (NIT runner-up), 10th in 2009-10 (Elite Eight), fourth in 2010-11, third in 2011-12 (Elite Eight), second in 2012-13 (NIT?champions), third in 2013-14 (Sweet 16) and sixth in 2014-15.
DREW AMONG NATION'S ELITE
? Head coach Scott Drew is the youngest of 11 coaches nationally to take his current program to three Sweet 16 appearances in the last five seasons.
? Drew (44) is joined by Arizona's Sean Miller (46), Ohio State's Thad Matta (47), Florida's Billy Donovan (49), Kansas' Bill Self (51), Kentucky's John Calipari (55), Michigan State's Tom Izzo (59), Louisville's Rick Pitino (62), Wisconsin's Bo Ryan (66), Duke's Mike Krzyzewski (67) and Syracuse's Jim Boeheim (70).
BAYLOR BASKETBALL ON THE RADIO
? Baylor basketball is aired live via the Baylor-IMG College Radio Network on ESPN?Central Texas and flagship station 1660AM ESPN Radio (KRZI) in Waco and worldwide on Sirius XM Radio and the TuneIn Radio App. All games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Bears" John Morris and former Baylor basketball standout Pat Nunley. Morris is in his 27th year doing Baylor broadcasts, while Nunley is in his 32nd season as color analyst.
? The radio call from all of Baylor's games can be heard live on the Internet at www.BaylorBears.com.
UP NEXT
? Baylor returns to Waco to host Texas Southern at 8 p.m. CT?Monday. The game will be televised on?ESPNU.
? BU then heads to Nashville for a game at Vanderbilt on Thursday at 6 p.m. CT?as part of ESPN's SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Baylor defeated Kentucky in the inaugural event last season.
