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 Men's Hoops Preview: Baylor vs. Texas Tech March 8 |
7:15am Friday
03/07/2003
Mens Basketball |
BAYLOR (13-13, 4-11) vs. TEXAS TECH (16-10, 6-9)
March 8, 2003 - Ferrell Center (Waco, Texas) - 3:00 p.m. CST
RADIO: Baylor Radio Network (KRZI 1660/1580 AM Waco)
TELEVISION: ESPN+Plus (KCEN-TV Waco/Temple/Bryan)
THE GAME
Baylor's Dave Bliss reunites with his former boss, Bobby Knight, for the second time this season as Texas Tech visits the Ferrell Center Saturday, March, 8, in the regular season finale for both teams. The contest is slated to tipoff at 3 p.m. CST. The Bears are 13-13 (4-11 Big 12) and have lost three straight games after falling 79-60 at Texas A&M Wednesday. The Red Raiders enter the contest with a record of 16-10 (6-9 Big 12) and have lost their last two games, including a 65-56 defeat at home against No. 6 Kansas Monday. Both head coaches are among the winingest active NCAA coaches. Knight is second on the career wins list with 803 while Bliss is 12th with 525 career victories. The game will be broadcast live regionally by ESPN+Plus and can be viewed in Central Texas on KCEN-TV. Fred White will call the play-by-play with Paul Splittorff providing the color analysis.
BAYLOR TIP-INS
- Baylor's 9.0 3-pointers per game ranks 10th nationally.
- Baylor's 72.6% team free throw shooting is 2nd in the Big 12.
- Freshmen and sophomores account for 65% of Baylor's scoring (1,168-of-1,793).
- Over the past three seasons Baylor is 36-1 when totaling an equal or higher shooting percentage than its opponent (8-0 in 2002-2003).
- The Bears are averaging 9.0 3-pointers and attempting 26.6 per game; both figures lead the Big 12.
- 46% of Baylor's field goal attempts (692-1,520) are 3-pointers.
- Baylor is 29-3 under Dave Bliss when recording 40 or more rebounds (7-0 this year).
- Lawrence Roberts leads the Big 12 with 9 double-doubles in conference games.
- Lawrence Roberts is averaging a double-double (15.2 ppg/10.3 rpg) this season.
- Kenny Taylor is the Big 12's most improved scorer, averaging 8.0 points more (11.9 ppg) than last season.
- R.T. Guinn and Kenny Taylor are among Baylor's top 3-point shooters of all time (by percentage), Guinn is No. 3 on the career list (41.5%), Taylor is No. 4 (38.7%).
- Kenny Taylor leads the Big 12 in made 3-pointers, averaging 3.1 per game.
- Lawrence Roberts is 2nd in the Big 12 and 16th nationally in rebounds, 10.3 per game.
- John Lucas is Baylor's career leader with a 82.8% career free throw percentage.
- Kenny Taylor, John Lucas and Lawrence Roberts have shot a combined 4-for-30 (13%) 3-pointers over the last 2 games.
- 82% (210-257) of Kenny Taylor's field goal attempts are 3-pointers.
- Lawrence Roberts has compiled 13 double-doubles this season; and 21 in 54 career games played.
- R.T. Guinn has scored in double-digits in 7 of the last 8 games.
- John Lucas is shooting 2-for-17 (12%) 3-pointers the last 3 games.
- R.T. Guinn leads the team with 76 personal fouls and 4 foul-outs.
- John Lucas has made 9 straight free throws (last 7 games).
- Five times this season John Lucas has played every minute of a game.
- Over the last 6 games Lawrence Roberts has averaged 16.8 pts and 13.0 reb.
- Kenny Taylor is shooting 2-for-14 (14%) 3-pointers the last 2 games.
HEAD COACH DAVE BLISS
Dave Bliss, in his fourth season at Baylor, is a 27-year coaching veteran and ranks 12th among active Division I coaches in victories with 525. The former head coach at New Mexico, SMU and Oklahoma owns a career record of 525-327 (.616). 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 two dozen Division I coaches ever to have taken three different schools to the NCAA Tournament (UNM, SMU, OU). Bliss took over the reigns of Baylor basketball on March 23, 1999, and was 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, a 19-12 mark and into the NIT in 2000-2001 and in his third year led Baylor to a 14-16 record.
THE TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS
Texas Tech (16-10, 6-9) is led by second-year head coach Bobby Knight, in his 37th year as a collegiate head coach. Knight owns a career record of 803-308. He is the second winningest active coach in Division I men's basketball.
TECH NOTES: Guard Andre Emmett leads the Red Raider attack averaging 21.7 points and 5.9rebounds per contest. He also paces the squad with 49 steals and is tied for the team lead with 14 blocks... Forward Kasib Powell also averages double-figures in scoring with 15.0 points per game and is scond on the team with a 5.6 rebound per game average... Tech senior Will Chavis played on the Big 12 All-Star team last summer along with Baylor's Lawrence Roberts. The squad was coached by Bear head coach Dave Bliss.
THE TEXAS TECH SERIES
This Bears and Red Raiders will meet for the 105th time Saturday, and Texas Tech holds a 67-38 series advantage. Tech has won three straight in the series, including an 80-64 victory in Lubbock earlier this season. Baylor leads 24-23 in games played in Waco. The first meeting between the two teams was during the 1936-37 season.
BLISS vs. TEXAS TECH
Baylor head coach Dave Bliss owns a 15-17 record in 32 previous meetings against Texas Tech. That record includes a 2-5 mark while guiding the Bears.
BLISS AND KNIGHT REUNITE
Saturday marks the fourth meeting between Dave Bliss and his former employer Bob Knight. Bliss was an assistant coach under Knight at Army in 1967 and again at Indiana from 1972-75 (the Hoosiers were 93-20). Baylor assistant Doug Ash also was on Knight's staff at Indiana in the early '70s.
SENIOR DAY
Saturday is the final home game for Baylor's two seniors, center Steven Othoro and guard Andre White. The pair will be honored prior to tipoff against Texas Tech.
BEARS No. 10 SEED IN BIG 12 TOURNAMENT
With one game remaining in Big 12 regular season action, Baylor is locked into the 10th seed for the 2003 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament. The 10th-seeded Bears will face the yet-to-be determined No. 7 seed in Thursday's Game 3, at 6 p.m. CST at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The seventh seed will be Texas A&M or Texas Tech. The Game 3 winner will play Friday at 6 p.m., against the No. 2 seed (TBD). Baylor was seeded 10th at last season's Big 12 Tournament.
ROBERTS LEADING BAYLOR'S YOUNG CUBS
After sitting out two of the season's first three games with a stress fracture in his left leg (fibula), All-Big 12 forward Lawrence Roberts has returned to lead Baylor with 15.2 points (13th in Big 12) and 10.3 rebounds (2nd in Big 12, 16th nationally) per game while recording 29 blocks (11th in Big 12). He has tallied 13 double-doubles this season, was named NABC All-District 9 and was selected Big 12 Player of the Week Feb. 17.
3-POINT PROPENSITY
The Bears are averaging 9.0 made 3-pointers and 26.6 attempts per game this season. Both of those figures top the Big 12 Conference. In three previous seasons under Dave Bliss, Baylor has finished no lower than fourth in 3-point field goals or attempts in the conference rankings. Last season's squad established a new school record with 273 made 3-pointers (9.1 per game). Kenny Taylor leads the Big 12 with 81 made 3-pointers (3.1 per game). Baylor has made at least one 3-pointer in 347 consecutive games (dating back to Feb. 21, 1990).
BEARS' STELLAR SHOOTING FROM LINE
Baylor as a team is shooting 72.6 percent, the second-best mark in the Big 12 Conference. Three Bear players are shooting 80 percent or higher from the line including: Carlton Dotson (16-18, 89 percent), Terrance Thomas (16-18, 89 percent) and John Lucas (51-59, 86 percent).
MILESTONES & RECORDS WATCH
- John Lucas is currently Baylor's career free throw percentage leader, at 82.8% (101-122), [topping David Wesley -- 82.8% 1989-1992].
- Lawrence Roberts' 68 career blocks are 3 shy of moving into 5th place on Baylor's career list (passing Frank Williams -- 70 from 1985-88).
- John Lucas' 238 career assists are 7th on Baylor's career list (passing Roddrick Miller -- 234 from 1994-98).
- Kenny Taylor's 81 3-pointers are 19 shy of 2nd place (Melvin Hunt 100, 1999-00) on the school's Top 10 single-season list.
- Baylor is 30 made 3-pointers shy of tying for 2nd on the team single-season list (265 -- 1994-95).
- Baylor is 7 steals shy of tying for the 8th-most team thefts in a single-season (232 -- 1990-91).
- John Lucas has made 105 career 3-pointers, and is 19 treys shy of moving into 5th place on Baylor's career list (passing David Wesley -- 123 from 1989-92).
- Lawrence Roberts has 92 career steals, and is 7 thefts shy of moving into 9th place on Baylor's career list (passing Vinnie Johnson -- 98 from 1977-79).
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Baylor's prized freshman class of 2001, John Lucas, Lawrence Roberts and Kenny Taylor, has improved significantly in 2002-03 on its impressive performance last season. Through 26 games the sophomore trio from Houston has accounted for 58 percent of the team's points, 41 percent of rebounds, 54 percent of steals and 52 percent of assists. Production in every category is up from the trio's fabulous freshman season.
TAYLOR BIG 12's MOST IMPROVED SCORER
Sophomore Kenny Taylor owns the highest increased scoring average in the Big 12 Conference from last season to this. During 2001-02, Taylor averaged 3.9 points per game. This season he has raised his scoring average to 11.9, an increase of 8.0 points per game.
GUINN STEPPING UP HIS PLAY
Over the last six games, junior center R.T. Guinn has put together six double-digit scoring games, averaged 12.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, recorded two double-doubles and has shot 45% from the 3-point arc.
TAYLOR AND BEARS QUICK TRIGGER WITH 3-POINTERS
Sophomore Kenny Taylor currently leads the Big 12 Conference in 3-point field goals made, averaging 3.1 per game. He is shooting 39 percent from 3-point distance. Taylor has attempted 210 3-pointers this season. Treys account for an incredible 82 percent of the 257 field goals he has attempted. As a team, the Bears have taken 692 of their 1,520 shot attempts (46%) from behind the arc.
LAST TIME OUT: TEXAS 79 - BAYLOR 60
Early foul trouble and a 10-point halftime deficit were too much to overcome for Baylor as the Bears fell 79-60 at Texas A&M at Reed Arena. Baylor forwards picked up nine first half fouls, including four by Carlton Dotson and three by Lawrence Roberts, as Baylor fell behind by 10 points. Down 36-26 at the half, Baylor scored just three field goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half. The Aggies went on a 12-1 run as they held the Bears without a field goal for six minutes of play midway through the half. Baylor could get no closer than nine points in the second half and A&M led by as many as 31 points. Baylor's starting backcourt, John Lucas and Kenny Taylor, shot a combined 0-for-13 on 3-pointers. After Baylor took an early 11-4 lead, the Aggies went on an 18-4 run to take a 22-15 lead with six minutes left in the first half. R.T. Guinn picked up the slack, hitting his first three 3-pointers for the Bears and scoring 13 in the half. Guinn would not score in the second half, fouling out with five minutes remaining.
THE LAST MEETING: #25 TEXAS TECH 80 - BAYLOR 64 [Jan. 18, 2003] Despite a 20-point, 10-rebound effort by Lawrence Roberts, Baylor fell 80-64 to Texas Tech at the United Spirit Arena. Kenny Taylor scored 17 points and made 5-of-9 3-point shots. Baylor pulled within five points at 50-45 with about 14 minutes remaining, but could get no closer. During a six-minute stretch that followed, the Bears failed to score a field goal. The Red Raiders held their biggest lead at 70-51 after Will Chavis sank a 3-pointer with 5:32 left in the game. The Bears built an early 16-8 lead behind some hot 3-point shooting, but Texas Tech went on a 12-2 run to lead 20-18 with 10 minutes remaining until halftime. After Baylor tied the game at 22 on an 18-footer by Terrance Thomas, the Red Raiders put together a 15-3 spurt to take the lead for good at 37-25. Tech led 41-31 at halftime.
FERRELL CENTER'S 15th YEAR
The Bears are enjoying their 15th season in the beautiful Ferrell Center. Baylor is 9-6 at home in 2002-2003 and owns a 136-90 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.
BEARS' WINNING WAYS AT HOME
The Bears are 9-6 at home this season. In four years under Dave Bliss, the Bears have compiled a 46-20 record (.697) at home in the Ferrell Center.
BAYLOR IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
As of March 3, Baylor's average of 9.1 3-pointers per game ranked 10th amongst NCAA Division I teams. The Bears are led in that department by Kenny Taylor, who ranked 20th nationally with an average of 3.2 treys per contest. Lawrence Roberts ranked No. 16 in the nation in rebounding, averaging 10.2 per contest.
ROBERTS NAMED BIG 12 PLAYER OF WEEK
Sophomore forward Lawrence Roberts was selected Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week Feb. 17 following his performance in Baylor's win at No. 13 Oklahoma State. Roberts recorded a career-high 20 rebounds in the Bears' upset of OSU and added 11 points and three assists. For the week, Roberts averaged 11.5 points and 14.0 rebounds in two games vs. nationally ranked teams.
ROBERTS NAMED TO ALL-DISTRICT 9 FIRST TEAM
Lawrence Roberts has been honored as a 2003 first-team NABC All-District 9 selection. Roberts was named to the NABC All-District 9 second team as a freshman last season. The NABC selected 150 student-athletes from 15 districts, all of whom are eligible for the NABC All-American Team, announced at the end of the season.
MONUMENTAL COACHING MATCHUPS
Saturday marks Baylor's sixth game this season that features a matchup of current college coaching legends. Baylor's Dave Bliss, who ranks 12th among the nation's winningest active coaches with 525 career wins, has faced four other coaches who rank among the list's top 11. Baylor has faced Mount St. Mary's Jim Phelan (No. 1 - 829), Texas Tech's Bob Knight (No. 2 - 803), Oklahoma State's Eddie Sutton (No. 4 - 722) and Alcorn State's Davey L. Whitney (No. 11 - 562). Bliss is 3-2 vs. these top coaches in five games.
LOTS OF NEW BRUINS
The 2002-03 Baylor roster includes nine new players: four high school players (Will Allen, Corey Herring, Steve Raquet and Tommy Swanson), four junior college transfers (Carlton Dotson, Robert Hart, Ellis Kidd and Terrance Thomas) and a four-year transfer (Patrick Dennehy). Dennehy, a transfer from New Mexico, is a redshirt this season.
TRANSFERS FIND HOME AT BAYLOR
The 2002-2003 Bear roster boasts two players who transferred to Baylor from Division I schools, and a third who previously played at a DI institution. A fourth transferred from a DIII school.
BEARS INK NELSON IN EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Baylor signed big-man Tyrone Nelson of Hempstead (Texas) High School to a national letter of intent in the early signing period. A 6-9 forward/center, Nelson averaged 29 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks as a junior at Hempstead in 2001-2002. He was named to the TABC Class 3A All-State first team and MVP of District 25-AAA following his junior year. A highly sought recruit nationwide, Nelson is included on several national top-100 recruiting lists. He was rated the 60th-best recruit by TheInsidersHoops.com, No. 64 by Basketball News, No. 70 by The Sporting News, No. 79 by PrepStars, No. 90 by RivalsHoops and No. 125 by Hoop Scoop. Street & Smith's named Nelson an honorable mention prep All-America.
NATION'S LONGEST 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 28 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.
BIG-12 PRESEASON PROJECTIONS
Baylor's 2002-2003 edition has been projected in preseason polls to finish anywhere from sixth to 12th in the Big 12 Conference. The league's coaches picked the Bears to finish eighth in preseason balloting, and the conference media projected Baylor ninth. The highest projected finish for Baylor was sixth, by Basketball News.
UP NEXT...
The 2003 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament tips off Thursday, March 13, at noon CST at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Baylor is the No. 10 seed and set to play the yet-to-be-determined seventh seed in Game 3 Thursday at 6 p.m. The tournament culminates with the championship game being played at 2 p.m. CST on Sunday, March 16. The No. 7 seed (either Texas A&M or Texas Tech) will be determined following Saturday's games. |
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