Baylor Bears: A History of NCAA Tournament Appearances and Achievements
The Baylor Bears men's basketball team, representing Baylor University in Waco, Texas, competes in NCAA Division I men's basketball as part of the Big 12 Conference. From 1988 until 2023, the team played its home games in the Ferrell Center, before moving to the Foster Pavilion.
Early Years and the "Immortal Ten" Tragedy
Luther Burleson coached the first basketball team at Baylor in 1907, also serving as the football coach. In Baylor's second season, their cross-town rival TCU began their program, which the Bears defeated twice during the 1908-09 season. Ralph Glaze's (1911-1914) .788 winning percentage is the best in school history.
A dark chapter in Baylor's history occurred on January 22, 1927. Coach Ralph Wolf's team was traveling by bus to play the University of Texas when, near Round Rock, Texas, the bus collided with a train at a railroad crossing. The occupants failed to hear the sound of the train whistle and ringing bell. Ten Baylor students and basketball players were killed. One player, James Clyde "Abe" Kelly, pushed his friend, Weir Washam, out the window of the bus just moments before the impact, saving Washam's life but costing Kelly his own. The bodies of Kelly and Robert Hailey were found horrifically stretched across the cowcatcher on the front of the train with arms locked around each other and Kelly missing a leg. Ivy Foster Sr. The deceased were Jack Castellaw, Sam Dillow, Merle Dudley, L. R. The remainder of the 1927 season was canceled.
This tragedy, known as the "Immortal Ten," resonated across the state and nation, leading to the construction of the first railway overpass in Texas at the site of the accident in Round Rock. Buses were later required to come to a full stop and open the door at all rail crossings to listen for trains. The Immortal Ten story has been commemorated each year since 1927, first in Chapel services and later at the Freshman Mass meeting during Homecoming Week. On the 90th anniversary of the tragedy, January 22, 2017, the City of Round Rock held a memorial event to remember those who were killed in the train-bus collision.
Southwest Conference Success and Early NCAA Tournament Appearances
Baylor's men's teams secured five conference championships in the former Southwest Conference (1932, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1950; * denotes shared title). The Bears first reached the NCAA Tournament in 1946, followed by Final Four appearances in 1948 and 1950.
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Bill Henderson's 1948 team reached the NCAA championship game, facing the Kentucky Wildcats but losing 58-42 to Adolph Rupp's first national championship team. In 1950, the team again advanced to the NCAA Final Four under Henderson, losing to the Bradley Braves 68-66. Henderson would have only two more winning seasons in the decade after making the Final Four. The subpar records of Henderson's latter tenure would become the norm for Baylor in the second half of the 20th century.
Struggles and Scandal
Bill Menefee (1961-1973) was the only coach over the next 50 years to have a career record of over .500. He would lead the Bears to a national ranking in 1969 but failed to make the postseason that year. Menefee would later serve as Baylor's athletic director in the 1980s. The men's basketball program was plagued by a scandal in 2003. Patrick Dennehy, a player for the team, was murdered by former teammate Carlton Dotson; then-coach Dave Bliss was forced to resign amidst allegations that he had violated NCAA rules by making financial payments to four players and that he made improper statements to the media characterizing Dennehy as a drug dealer. The school placed itself on probation, limited itself to 7 scholarships for two years and imposed a post-season ban for one year.
The 2005 Bears, hindered by only seven scholarship players due to the scandal, managed only one conference win. From 2003 to 2007, the team won a total of 36 games.
The Scott Drew Era: Resurgence and National Championship
Despite these challenges, head coach Scott Drew engineered a very quick return to respectability. In 2008, the Bears reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years with a 9-7 conference record and the team's first national ranking in 39 years. The January 23, 2008 116-110 5OT win over Texas A&M at College Station officially became the longest game in Big 12 history.
The 2008-09 team was again ranked early in the season but stumbled to a 5-11 conference finish before heating up in the Big 12 Tournament defeating both Kansas and Texas en route to the championship game versus Missouri, and lost by a score of 73-60. The 2008-09 team went on to advance to the NIT Final where they fell to Penn State. The 2009-10 squad was again ranked in both polls and pulled off the biggest road win in school history over the then #6 Texas Longhorns in Austin 80-77 on Jan. 30th. The 2009-10 team was picked to finish 10th in the Big 12 in the Big 12 Coaches poll due to the graduation of several key players from the previous year. However, the team finished the regular season 23-6 and tied for 2nd in the Big 12 standings. Following a 2-1 record at the Big 12 tournament, the Bears were rewarded with a #3 seed in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament.
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The Bears defeated #14 seed Sam Houston State 68-59 in First round action and then defeated #11 seed Old Dominion 76-68 in Second round play to advance to the Sweet 16 hosted at Reliant Stadium in Houston. The Bears' Sweet 16 match-up was #10 seed Saint Mary's, which had defeated #2 seed Villanova the previous week to advance to the Sweet 16. The Bears won handily over the Gaels, 72-49, after leading 47-19 at the half. The Elite Eight was also held at Reliant Stadium and the Bears' opponent was the #1 seed Duke Blue Devils, the last #1 seed standing in the NCAA Tournament after the other three #1 seeds (Kansas, Syracuse, and Kentucky) were all defeated by lower seeded teams. In front of a very pro-Baylor crowd of over 47,000, the Bears were defeated by the Duke Blue Devils, 78-71, to end the magical run to the Elite Eight. It was the best season in the Scott Drew era as defined by conference standing, overall ranking, wins, and NCAA Tournament wins.
The 2010-11 team started the season ranked 14th (according to the AP Preseason poll). The Bears began 7-0, and rose to 9th in the polls before falling to Gonzaga at a neutral court in Dallas. The team finished 18-13 overall and 7-9 in league play. The highlight of the season was LaceDarius Dunn becoming the Big 12's all-time leading scorer, and a sweep of the series versus ranked Texas A&M. The 2012 season saw another historic campaign for the Bears as they followed up the 2011 season with another successful conference run which saw the Bears win 30 games and make it to the Big 12 tournament title game, but eventually losing to the Missouri Tigers. The 2013 season witnesses another winning campaign for the Bears as they followed up the 2012 Elite Eight season with another successful conference run which saw the Bears sweep both TCU and Texas Tech while only dropping one game to UT. The Bears started out with a pre-season ranking of #19 in the country. The Bears finish conference play at .500 and were selected for the NIT tournament.
The 2016-17 season saw one of the best starts in Baylor history, going 15-0 with wins over #4 Oregon, #24 Michigan State, #10 Louisville, and #7 Xavier. On January 9, Baylor would reach AP #1 for the first time in program history, although they would fall to #10 West Virginia that same day. Baylor remained within the top 12 for the remainder of the season and would finish 25-6, 12-6 in conference. They would fall to Iowa State in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament and receive a #3 seed in the 2017 NCAA tournament.
The 2019-20 season is considered one of the greatest in program history. They came into the season ranked #16 in the nation, but would fall to #24 after losing to Washington in the Armed Forces Classic. The Bears followed this loss with a 23-game win streak, including 6 ranked victories and a rise to #1 in the country. On January 11, Baylor defeated #3 Kansas on the road, winning in Lawrence for the first time in school history. Baylor's impressive start to the season ended on a sour note, losing 3 of their last 5 games before the Big 12 tournament. Baylor would finish the regular season 26-4 with a 15-3 conference mark, the most wins they had recorded in conference play, and remained ranked within the top 5 for the back half of the season. The NCAA Tournament would be canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic, however numerous bracketologist considered the Bears as a 1-seed and had the potential to reach the Final Four.
The Championship Run of 2021
In 2021, March Madness returned after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancelation of the 2020 tournament. Baylor won the first national title in program history, making the Final Four for the first time since 1950 and beating Houston and then Gonzaga to clinch the crown. The Bears earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament.
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Baylor entered the national championship game in the 2021 NCAA tournament, Gonzaga had the chance to etch its name in men's college basketball lore, as it pursued an undefeated, 32-0 season that culminated in a national championship. Baylor, however, had other plans. While they didn't go undefeated, they have the resume and the record to stack up very favorably with some of the very best national champions of the past.
Entering the NCAA tournament: March 19, 2021 - No. 1 seed Baylor 79, No. Playing Hartford in its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance, Baylor took a 16-point lead into halftime, then coasted in the second half to a 24-point win. NCAA tournament: March 21, 2021 - No. 1 seed Baylor 76, No.
Wisconsin played Baylor to a draw in the second half, but in an opening stanza, the Bears outscored the Badgers by 13 points. "We really pride ourselves on just making things hard for other teams, giving ball pressure, not making them feel comfortable, making them keep dribbling the ball and not being able to look," Davion Mitchell said, according to the AP. NCAA tournament: March 27, 2021 - No. 1 seed Baylor 62, No. Despite being down two players, including co-Big East Player of the Year Collin Gillespie, Villanova took a seven-point lead into halftime, but Baylor locked down defensively in the second half, led by Davion Mitchell. "When we are 2-for-12 at half, we figured we've got to get inside," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. "We got good looks but not great looks. NCAA tournament: March 29, 2021 - No. 1 seed Baylor 81, No. NCAA tournament: April 3, 2021 - No. 1 seed Baylor 78, No. Baylor locked down defensively in the first half, holding Houston to just 20 points as the Bears took a 25-point lead into halftime at the Final Four. "Every day you're grinding, and you don't really look back. NCAA tournament: April 5, 2021 - No. 1 seed Baylor 86, No. Baylor won its first-ever national championship as it jumped out to an 11-1 start, took a 10-point lead into halftime and maintained the pressure in the second half, as the Bears shot 43.5 percent from deep, forced 14 Gonzaga turnovers and posted a plus-16 rebounding advantage, including 16 offensive boards.
Facilities
In its early days, Marrs McLean Gym was Baylor’s basketball home, and doubled as the site of many physical education classes. The Heart O' Texas Fair Complex, now known as the Extraco Events Center, is located in Waco, Texas. It was once the prime basketball facility for Baylor University and was used from 1953 to 1988. Starting in 1988, the Bears played their home games at the Ferrell Center, adjacent to the Brazos River. It is named for Charles R. Ferrell, a Baylor student and legacy who died in 1967, and whose family's estate was a major benefactor of the arena. The main arena, Paul J. In June 2022, Baylor began construction on the Foster Pavilion to replace the Ferrell Center as the new permanent home for both the men's and women's basketball teams.
NCAA Tournament and NIT Record
The Bears have appeared in the NCAA tournament 16 times. Their combined record is 23-16. The Bears have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) six times. Their combined record is 10-5.
Recent Games Leading Up to the 2021 Championship
Nov. Baylor broke the 50-point mark in both halves, scoring 53 in the opening stanza, then 59 in the second. Three starters scored in double figures, led by MaCio Teague's 21 points, while L.J. Cryer and Adam Flagler each scored double figures off the bench. Nov. Despite turning the ball over 16 times and shooting just 5-for-11 from the free throw line, Baylor won by 34 as 13 different players checked into the game for the Bears. "I'm a happy camper with the effort on the defensive end today," assistant coach Jerome Tang told the AP. Dec. 2, 2020 - Baylor 82, No. In a top-five matchup, Baylor shot roughly identical percentages to Illinois but still won by 13 points thanks to five more offensive rebounds and five fewer turnovers. "The last two games I thought our offense was further along than our defense," coach Scott Drew told the AP. Dec. 9, 2020 - Baylor 83, Stephen F. Baylor forced 17 turnovers in the first half and 18 more in the second half, as each of Stephen F. Austin's starters had multiple turnovers. "Coming off finals, I was obviously worried about the players' energy and rhythm with not practicing as much," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. "But I thought they did a great job. Dec. In its Big 12 opener, Baylor reached the century mark as Jared Butler had the first double-double of his career with 14 points and 13 assists. "Butler is full of brilliance and very efficient," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. Dec. Baylor fell one point shy of reaching the 100-point mark for the second game in a row as the Bears shot nearly twice the percentage of their opponents, from the field (52 to 28 percent) and 3-point range (47 to 27 percent). Five players reached double figures, led by L.J. Dec. Baylor scored 53 points in the first half, then nearly doubled up Central Arkansas in the second half (40 points to 21). "We've got great passers and playmakers, and a lot of good shot makers," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. Dec. Davion Mitchell posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists, while Jared Butler scored a team-high 17 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting. Jan. Four of Baylor's five starters reached double figures in scoring with Jared Butler leading the way with 21 points. Jan. Baylor took a 17-point lead into halftime, then coasted to a 15-point victory over conference foe Oklahoma. MaCio Teague led the way offensively with 17 points, while Matthew Mayer scored 16 points and Adam Flagler chipped in 15. "Basketball is such a game of momentum and spurts. Sometimes you just need to get in a timeout … and come back a little more focused," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. Jan. Jared Butler exploded for 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting, to go along with an impressive stat line that included eight rebounds, five steals and four assists. Jan. 16, 2021 - Baylor 68, No. Baylor held Texas Tech to just 18 points in the first half before the two sides played to a draw after halftime, scoring 42 points each in the second half. "It just shows that we're more than capable playing these types of games and finishing out strong," Adam Flagler said, according to the AP. Jan. 18, 2021 - Baylor 77, No. Jan. After facing a four-point deficit at halftime, Baylor outscored Oklahoma State by 19 points in the second half to win by 15, as Jared Butler had another big game with 22 points on 6-of-7 shooting from deep. Jan. After beating Kansas State 100-69 in their first meeting, Baylor broke the 100-point yet again to win by 48 points. "Davion's worked so hard since he got here … on being a more consistent shooter," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. "Last year he put in work, but if he missed one or two, it would affect him. Now he's gotten to the point mentally he has enough confidence in himself. Jan. "This was a tough game because it was emotional," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. Feb. 2, 2021 - Baylor 83, No. Feb. "It really showed a lot of heart from our guys. I've talked to a lot of coaches that have had long pauses," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. "For those that have had it for reasons like us, normally they say three games until you're normal, minimum. Feb. 27, 2021 - No. In its second game back from a COVID pause, Baylor's undefeated start to the season came to an end as the Bears fell on the road to the Kansas Jayhawks. "We had three weeks where they got worse and they had three weeks where they got better," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. March 2, 2021 - Baylor 94, No. March 4, 2021 - Baylor 81, No. March 7, 2021 - Baylor 88, No. "Senior nights are always nervous times for coaches, because you know it's the last time your seniors are going to be the court and it's their last memories, and you want to make it a great one," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. "I thought we were a little tentative," coach Scott Drew said, according to the AP. "In the first game you have a little jitters. A lot of our guys hadn't played in the Big 12 Tournament. They were really excited and sometimes that makes you play hesitant. But give Kansas State a lot of credit. March 12, 2021 - No. Fueled by future No.
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