No. 8 MBB faces top-10 showdown to open 2024-25 campaign

	8/8 BAYLOR BEARS (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) Location: Waco, Texas Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: Scott Drew (Butler, 1993) Roster | Statistics | Game notes (PDF)	8/8 BAYLOR (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. 6/7 GONZAGA (0-0, 0-0 WCC) November 4, 2024 • 10:30 p.m. CT Spokane, Washington. • Veterans Memorial Arena (12,000) LIVE STATISTICS: Statistics transfer REGARD: ESPN2 Talent: Roxy Bernstein (pxp), Jay Williams (analyst) HEAR: Baylor Sports Media Network via ESPN 1660 AM / 92.3 FM in Central Texas and worldwide on centexsportsfan.com Talent: John Morris (PBP), Pat Nunley (Analyst) SIRIUS XM: SiriusXM 199 or on the SXM app Baylor Social Media:
	6/7 GONZAGA BULLDOGS (0-0, 0-0 WCC) Location: Spokane, Washington. Conference/Affiliation: WCC Head Coach: Mark Few (Oregon, 1987) Roster | Statistics | Game notes (PDF)

Folder with media materials

By Jerry Hill

Baylor Bear Insiders



WACO, Texas – Only half-joking, Baylor coach Scott Drew asks, “What was Coach thinking planning this?”


The 22nd^nd-year Baylor head coach was referring to a season-opening schedule that calls for the eighth-ranked Bears to play No. 6 Gonzaga in Spokane, Washington on Monday at 10:30 p.m. CT, followed by a neutral-site matchup against 16^Thfive days later at the American Airlines Center in Dallas in first place in Arkansas.


“(Gonzaga coach Mark) Wenige and I both talked about it. It's great for the game to have matchups like this after Monday Night Football to get people talking about college basketball,” said Drew, who has just one returning starter in 24 years. 11 team that lost to Clemson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year.


“The good thing about the NCAA is that there are no losers when you play games like this because it doesn't hurt the NET rating if you lose. And it's just something that can help you have a positive victory if you…” We are the team that wins. This is a great opportunity for us to see where we are as a team.”


While Baylor had four players from last year's team and brought in nine new players on the NBA's opening day, Gonzaga returned six of its top seven scorers, 81% of its points and 71% of its rebounds from last year's 27-8 team, which had its ninth Sweet 16 -appearance in a row.


The Bulldogs added transfers Khalif Battle (Arkansas) and Michael Ajayi (Pepperdine) to a veteran cast led by point guard Ryan Nembhard (12.6 ppg, 6.9 rebounds) and 6-9 center Graham Ike (16.5 ppg , 7.4 rebounds).


“If you want to look at the challenges, it's easy to find them on a team that returns seven of its top eight,” Drew said. “Especially at the beginning of the year, that's a big disadvantage compared to teams with a lot of newer players where you're still trying to develop chemistry and figure out what each player does best, what offense, what defense to use and when. And that. “At the same time, this is a team that lost to Purdue last year and was playing its best basketball at the end of the year.”


Junior guard Jayden Nunnwho transferred from VCU a year ago, is the Bears' only returning starter and averaged 10.7 points on 45.0% shooting from 3-point range. Also returning are 6-10 junior forwards Josh Ojianwuna (5.0 ppg, 3.4 rebounds) and 6-5 redshirt junior guard Langston lovea Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year candidate who averaged 11.0 points per game before missing 11 of the last 13 games due to an ankle injury.


Baylor replaced 71% of its scoring and added transfers Jeremy Roach by Duke, Norchad Omier from Miami and Jalen Celestine from California, along with freshmen VJ EdgecombeRob Wright III and Jason Asemota.


“I think our identity is playing fast and defending. I think defending is the biggest part,” said Roach, the Big 12 Preseason Co-Newcomer of the Year after scoring a career-high 13.6 points per game last year at Duke. “I feel like everyone is capable of just guarding 1-5. I think the identity of a defensive team would be huge. When you’re in the Big 12, you have to get stops.”


With Roach and Omier both making it to the Final Fours and “our returning guys who have played in big games,” Drew said, “at least the new guys can listen to them, because if you're not ready in the first away game, it can be difficult.” be like we saw at Michigan State last year (88-64 loss).”


Monday's match is, of course, a rematch of the 2021 national championship game, which Baylor won handily 86-70.


“What a great start to the season. “What a great opportunity to see what your team needs to work on and give your team a chance to have a chance at a quality win and be part of the best game on opening night,” Drew said. “And it’s great national television, people will watch – more on the West Coast than the East Coast. But they’ll be watching after Monday Night Football, and it’s a great way to start the season.”


Monday's game will be broadcast by ESPN2, with Roxy Bernstein and Jay Williams directing the action.

Storylines

• No. 8 Baylor travels to Spokane to face No. 6 Gonzaga in the season opener at Veterans Memorial Arena at 10:30 p.m. CT tip on ESPN2.

• This top-10 battle features two of the four programs that have been ranked in the top 10 every year for the last six years.

• This dynamic duo joins Kansas and Duke as two of the four teams to have been ranked No. 1 in four of the last eight seasons.

• Last season, the Bears were one of four teams, along with the Zags, Houston and Kansas, to win at least one NCAA Tournament game in each of the last five tournaments.

• Gonzaga is just the second-ranked opponent Baylor has faced in a season opener and the first since opening at No. 15 BYU in the 1979-80 season.

• After losing to BYU earlier this evening, BU is looking for its first win over a ranked opponent in a season opener

• The 10:30 p.m. CT tip-off is Baylor's last scheduled tip-off since an 11:00 p.m. CT tip-off against Memphis on Nov. 27, 2014 in the Las Vegas Invitational.

• Baylor is 19-2 in its season openers Scott Drewwith the last loss occurring in a lid lifter in 2018.

• This is the fifth time in the Drew era that the Bears have opened the season on the road and have a 3-1 record in their last four games, including last year's opener, an 88-82 win over Auburn.

• The Bears are the only team in the country to have been seeded No. 3 or higher in each of the last four NCAA Tournaments.

• The Bears are the only team in the country to have a top-19 pick in each of the last four NBA drafts and one of only two programs with a top-20 pick in the fourth straight draft (Duke).

• Baylor welcomes nine new faces to the 2024-25 roster and looks to replace four of its five starters from last year's team, including two first-round draft picks Ja'Kobe Walter And Yves Missi

• Possible top-5 NBA draft pick VJ Edgecombeand his star-studded classmates Jason Asemota And Rob WrightHe should pick up the slack for some of those departures.

• The Bears also brought in experienced transfers Jalen Celestine (California), Norchad Omier (Arkansas State and Miami) and Jeremy Roach (Duke) is expected to help replace 71.4% of scoring, 68.3% of rebounding and 78.8% of assists.

• roach And Omier Bring Final Four experience, as Roach helped his Duke team to the 2022 Final Four, while Omier led Miami to its first-ever Final Four in 2023.

• Edgecombe is Baylor's fourth consecutive Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year. The Bears and Kansas Jayhawks are the only teams in league history to have fielded the preseason conference rookie of the year in four consecutive seasons.

• If Edgecombe BU earns the postseason Freshman of the Year award, becoming the first team in conference history to win the preseason and postseason Freshman of the Year in three consecutive seasons.

• roach was named Big 12 Conference Co-Newcomer of the Year and was also selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team Omier.

• The Bears were picked fourth in the Big 12 preseason poll and are the only team in the Big 12 with more than 11 conference wins in a Power 5 conference in five consecutive seasons.