IOWA STATE CYCLONES (25-7, 13-5 Big 12) Location: Ames, Iowa Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: T.J. Otzelberger (Wisc.-Whitewater) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF)	IOWA STATE (25-7, 13-5 Big 12) vs. 14/13 BAYLOR (23-9, 11-7 Big 12) March 15, 2024 • 8:30 p.m. CT Kansas City, Mo. • T-Mobile Center (17,763)  LIVE STATS: Stat Broadcast WATCH: ESPN Talent: Jon Sciambi (pxp), Fran Fraschilla (analyst), Kris Budden (reporter) LISTEN: Baylor Sports Media Network via ESPN 1660 AM / 92.3 FM in Central Texas and worldwide at centexsportsfan.com Talent: John Morris (PBP), Pat Nunley (Analyst) SIRIUS XM: SiriusXM 81 or on the SXM App Baylor Social Media:
	15/14 BAYLOR BEARS (23-9, 11-7 Big 12) Location: Waco, Texas  Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: Scott Drew (Butler, 1993) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF)

Story lines

• No. 3 seed Baylor takes on No. 2 seed Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship semifinals in an 8:30 p.m. tilt on ESPN.

• The Bears are 14-19 at the Big 12 Championship under Scott Drew with three appearances in the Championship finals (0-3). 

• BU is making its eighth appearance in the Big 12 Championship semifinals, and its first since 2021. Seven of the eight appearances have come under Drew. 

• Baylor is 3-5 all time in the semifinal round, with its last win coming in an 86-69 win over third-seeded Texas in 2014.

• Friday marks Baylor's sixth meeting with Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship, which is tied for the most games played against any opponent in the event (Texas).

• The Bears have won seven of the last 10 overall in the series, BU is aiming to snap a four-game skid against the Cyclones in Kansas City.

• BU is 7-12 in the Big 12 Championship under Drew when playing as the lower seed.

• The Bears are eighth in the nation in 3-point FG% (39.4), rank fifth in nation in offensive efficiency (123.1) and second in the Big 12 in points per game (81.1).

• Baylor is the only Big 12 team to win 11+ conference games in each of the last five seasons.

• BU is 12-5 in its last 17 games against AP top-10 teams.

• BU is 1 of 4 programs ranked No. 1 nationally in four of the last eight seasons (Gonzaga, Duke and Kansas).

• BU is 127-33 over the last five seasons, the nation's best winning percentage among Power-6 teams in that span (.794%).

• The Bears are the only team in the nation with six active players averaging double-digit points.

• Baylor has now been ranked in the top-10 for a fifth-straight year, one of just five programs (Duke, Kentucky, Kansas and Gonzaga) to accomplish that feat.

• One of three teams to be a 3-seed or higher in each of the last three NCAA Tournaments. (Kansas & Gonzaga)

• One of just four teams to win a game in four-straight NCAA Tournaments (Gonzaga, Kansas, Houston).

• Baylor had five players garner All-Big 12 honors this past week (tied for second-most in the league), headlined by Big 12 Freshman of the Year Ja'Kobe Walter.

• Walter gave BU The preseason and postseason Freshman of the Year for the second-straight season (Keyonte George), joining Oklahoma State as the only Big 12 school to accomplish that in back-to-back seasons.

• RayJ Dennis continued his strong season for the Bears with a All-Big 12 Second Team selection by the coaches and media, while also being a unanimous All-Newcomer team selection.

• Dennis is etching his name in the Baylor history books climbing to fifth on Baylor's single-season assist chart. His 208 assists are 14 shy of the fourth-best season in program history (Lester Medford 222, 2015-16.)

• Thirteen of Baylor's 14 starting point guards under Drew have earned All-Big recognition (17 of last 18 seasons).

• Dennis' 6.6 assists per game would rank as the fifth-best single-season average in program history.

• Jalen Bridges was voted to the All-Big 12 Third Team, his second All-Big 12 selection after he made the 2020-21 Big 12 All-Freshman Team while at West Virginia.

• Yves Missi was voted to the Big 12 All-Freshman and All-Defensive Teams, in addition to being an All-Big 12 Honorable mention, alongside with Langston Love.

• In the absence of guard Langston Love, Bridges and Jayden Nunn have helped shoulder the scoring load averaging 13.8 and 12.9 points respectively.