Gets another opportunity.

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By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
There’s that feeling that Ashton Bethel-Roman has yet to show everything on a football field.

For the Fort Bend Ridge Point 2024 receiver, Baylor wanted to make sure that it would be along for the ride. The Bears recently offered the lanky outside pass catcher because of a package that may become explosive in coming seasons.

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“They are really starting to feel like a family always showing that they care. I really like that,’’ Bethel-Roman said. “Just from talking with [wide receivers coach Dallas] Baker, he really likes my speed and my deep threat capability.’’

Teammates with Baylor 2023 defensive tackle signee DK Kalu, Bethel-Roman has heard the whispers beyond the BU coaches about what the program brings.

“Funny you say that cause DK is in my class right now,’’ Bethel-Roman said. “But I’m constantly being told about the facilities, program and coaches.’’

Still, there’s a long way to go in his recruiting process.

Bethel-Roman carries 12 offers including Arizona State, Purdue, Texas Tech and Kansas State. When the May evaluation period arrives or even before it, more will be added.

There should be a lot to watch. Bethel-Roman enjoyed a fantastic 2022 season and lived up to the big-play threat because he was one. He caught 37 passes for 890 yards – that’s 24.1 yards per reception – and eight scores. That kind of average yards per catch will always cause anyone to take notice. That’s a big number.

“I would say that I’m a speed deep threat receiver, but good with getting off press and make the DBs think I’m going deep every play,’’ he said. “My strengths are my hands and my speed and something that I’m working on is getting bigger stronger and faster throughout this offseason.’’

There are plans for Bethel-Roman to visit Baylor during the Bears spring football season. A date hasn’t been worked out yet. However, he said it could be packaged traveling with teammate and fellow Baylor target and BU legacy Mason Dossett. It would be his second visit. Bethel-Roman visited Baylor the TCU game this past November.

But it will have to be worked out with the track schedule. Bethel-Roman runs the second leg for the Ridge Point in the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams, the 200 and competes in the long jump. His best time in the 200 is 21.6 and his high mark in the long jump is 23.3.

Recruiting is learning. That’s part of what it will take for Baylor continue to make strides in this process with this emerging talent.

“Just what they’re all about,’’ he said. “What’s at the core of Baylor football.”

Bethel-Roman is rated by Rivals as the No. 89 player his position.

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WACO, Texas -- With 13 home events on tap, Baylor Athletics will host the second annual Baylor Bold Weekend on March 2-5 in Waco.

Baylor fans are encouraged to support all the teams competing at home during the Baylor Bold Weekend by attending multiple events and earning rewards points by downloading the Baylor Bold Rewards app. In addition to fans earning points for attendance at each event, the app will include a punch card feature.

Fans that attend at least three events on Saturday and Sunday will complete the punch card on the app and be entered to win an autographed Scott Drew or Nicki Collen basketball, a Glenn Moore softball, a Mitch Thompson baseball a Michael Woodson tennis ball, and a Casie Maxwell equestrian item.

As part of the festivities, there will be a Block Party on the lawn outside Baylor Ballpark on Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m. and will feature inflatables, face painting, food trucks and more. Fans can also use a men’s or women’s basketball ticket to get free admission to baseball and softball on Saturday.

The event will include Thursday’s Senior Day against SMU, four baseball games, softball’s Ode to Joy Invitational, a men’s tennis doubleheader and the regular-season home finales for men’s and women’s basketball.

If fans aren't already using the app: download the Baylor Bold Rewards app from the Apple or Android Stores free of charge. Once fans arrive at an event, they need to open the app for a mobile check-in via GPS location inside the venue. Points will be uploaded to the user's account immediately after check-in.


Friday, March 3
Baseball vs. Youngstown State – 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 4
Men’s Basketball vs. Iowa State – 11 a.m.
Baseball vs. Youngstown State – 2 p.m.
Softball vs. Texas A&M – 2:30 p.m.
Softball vs. Sam Houston – 5 p.m.
Women’s Basketball vs. West Virginia – 5 p.m.
Baseball vs. Youngstown State – 6 p.m.

Sunday, March 5
Softball vs. Sam Houston – 12:30 p.m.
Men’s Tennis vs. Arizona State – 1 p.m.
Baseball vs. Youngstown State – 1 p.m.
Softball vs. Texas A&M – 3 p.m.
Men’s Tennis vs. Furman – 6 p.m.

Chris Beard has been mentioned in a list for the HC position at 'Ol MS......glasses furnished and with boxing gloves of course.........LOL
Then in his closing remarks, the, Prosecuting Attorney in the Murdaugh Trial stated that, 'when i was a youngster, my Mother gave me a book,
'The Velveteen' Rabbit to read....' And Baylor Fans know of the Velveteen Rabbit from our Great football Coach Aranda....yes, indeed.....
Sic 'em Bears, fans, coach Aranda and all Velveteen Rabbit book fans........always..

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Just beat really struggling Iowa State on Saturday at home get to 12-6 and then see where it takes you.

It's a four-game losing streak as the Bears pitching staff has really struggled all season.

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Baylor closes out the regular season this Saturday against Iowa State.
What happens in the tournament and where are they going to be seeded?
We also take a look at spring football.



Came in at 18:42

Listen to the podcast here

By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
From off the radar to squarely in the middle on it.

That’s how it must feel for Fort Bend Marshall 2024 safety Joshua Lair about his recruitment.

A bit of an unknown early and yet to receive a Rivals rating, Lair’s skill set has seen everything take a turn with now 14 offers. Baylor is one of them as the offer was extended earlier in February.

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The Bears are joined by Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Washington and Utah among others.

“I like how they communicate with me daily and check in from time to time,’’ Lair said. “I’ve started a good relationship with [defensive backs coach Kevin] Curtis. Can’t wait to visit.’’

What can never be discounted about a prized recruit in the secondary is length. At 6-2, Lair offers all of the possibilities. With Marshall he became one of the mainstays to the Buffaloes 2022 defense.

Lair collected 54 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, three sacks and turned one of his two interceptions into a Pick6. But the intangibles make the difference and add context to those numbers. Lair credited himself for being patient when it called for it, using his speed and playing physical.

“It’s very good vibe with coach Curtis and the staff,’’ Lair said. “He just talked about how he liked how physical I was and how I could contribute to the defense because of everything I bring.’’

Baylor is working on him to come up for what appears will be a big recruiting event during the spring football season. That date will be March 25 as several notable recruits have indicated they plan to attend. Baylor begins the spring season on March 21.

Baylor has been a player at Marshall. For the 2023 class, it signed defensive end for Trent Thomas.

The journey for Lair in this program has been a testament to his drive. Growth spurts help, of course. But it’s doing the little things that can being a good play into a P5 prospect.

However, his inspiration came through working with longtime head coach James Williams.

“Coming in as a freshman, I realized I had to get faster and stronger,’’ Lair said. “Coach Williams stayed on me about getting in the weight room and track. I took his word and developed tremendously as an athlete and a young man. Words can describe how thankful I am for Coach Williams.’’

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The win over Texas offset the loss at Kansas State.

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By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
At the very least, Baylor has given itself to remain in the picture for a share of the Big 12 championship.

Without one-and-done Keyonte George, back in Waco resting a sprained ankle, and then losing super sub Langston Love to a scratched eye in the first half, the shorthanded Bears found enough to hang on to a much needed victory in the road finale on Big Monday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, OK.

Baylor won its eighth straight in Oklahoma State's building but watched a 19-point lead inside the final minutes cut to four (69-65) with 37 seconds to play. However, they made enough free throws to hang on.

The Bears never trailed in this game and once again received a strong contribution from guard Dale Bonner who scored a Baylor career-high 15 and tied LJ Cryer for team-high honors.

But it was a balanced attack attack as Adam Flagler also added 13 and Jalen Bridges scored 14. The Bears were hot in the first half drilling 8-16 from the arc. However, they were only 3-15 in the second half.

The Bears led 41-30 at the intermission and kept the NCAA tournament desperate Cowboys at arm's length. That was until the Cowboys went on a 19-4 run over the next 4:30 to trim the gap to 69-65 with 37 seconds to play.

Bonner and Flagler, though, combined to go 5-6 in the final 25 seconds to finish their Big 12 road record at 5-4. Baylor finished 17-20 at the line.

The Bears also had to withstand the Cowboys winning the glass, 40-32 including 22 offensive rebounds. However, the Big 12's second-worst 3-point shooting team (31.8 percent) stayed true to that narrative and was just 9-32. (28.1).

As for the Big 12 race, the Bears' hopes now cling to what Kansas does Tuesday at home against Texas Tech. A Jayhawks' win eliminates the Bears.

However, the Bears are also playing to somehow snare the third seed as they are a half game ahead of Kansas State. The Wildcats, who own the tiebreaker because they swept the two meetings, are home to Oklahoma Wednesday.

Baylor completes the regular season with senior day at 11:00 a.m. Saturday against Iowa State.

Postgame Notes

• BU is 36-57 all time against the Pokes.
• The Bears are 33-25 since the two joined the Big 12.
• BU has won 14 of the last 17 overall against OSU
• The Bears have won eight-straight against the Cowboys in Stillwater.
• The Bears are 26-9 in Big 12 road games over the last four seasons.
• Baylor is 54-14 in Big 12 play over the last four years, best of any Power 5 team
• BU is 19-4 (9-3) this season when leading at the half.
• The Bears have won 77-straight games when shooting a higher percentage than the opponent.
• Baylor used the starting lineup of Adam Flagler, Langston Love, LJ Cryer, Jalen Bridges and Flo Thamba for the first time this season.
• Bonner scored a new Baylor career-high with 15 points.
• Bonner scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time in his BU career.
• With 15 points, Cryer eclipsed the 15-point mark for the 15th time this season.
• 40 minutes played is a new career-high for Cryer.
• Bridges scored 14 points, his 17th game in double figures this season. BU improved to 15-2 when he notches double-figure points.
• Bridges fouled out for the first time this season.
• Flagler scored 13 points, his 45th double-figure scoring game in his last 49 chances.
• Flagler led the team in assists (6) for a 20th time.
• Love left the game with an eye injury in the first half and did not return.

Interesting stat by the ESPN announcers. Of all the P5 centers, Bickle is the only one shooting 52% field goals, 40% from 3, and 82% from the free throw line. All the others listed were on the national center watch list.

WACO, Texas – Baylor men’s basketball head coach Scott Drew has been named the Coach Wooden “Keys to Life” Award winner for 2023, announced by Athletes in Action on Tuesday.

Established in 1998, the award is given annually at the Final Four to a current or former basketball figure who best exemplifies the character and leadership for which the legendary Coach John Wooden is known.

In his 20th year with the Bears, Drew has orchestrated one of the greatest rebuilds in college basketball history, culminating with BU’s first Big 12 and National Championship in 2021. He is also one of two active coaches to win an NCAA title and an NIT title while being the only one to win both at the same school.

While leading his players to on-court success over his 20 years in Waco, with 51 players going on to professional careers, Drew has also seen 39 of the 43 players who exhausted their playing careers in Waco graduate from Baylor.

A historical first, Drew joins his father, Homer Drew (winning in 2012), as the first time a father and son have both received this award. The Drew’s join a group of basketball greats who have received the honor, including David Robinson, Allan Houston, Hubert Davis, Rick Barnes, John Beilein, Jerry Colangelo, Del Harris, Mark Price, Billy and Mary Kennedy and Clark Kellogg, among others. For more information about the Coach John Wooden “Keys to Life” Breakfast and to inquire about attending,

By Jake Shaw
Special Contributor to SicEmSports
Dale Bonner hadn't scored in nearly a month. Perhaps he was saving up his contributions for when Baylor would need him most.

Bonner came off the bench — forced into extended action after an ankle injury sidelined star freshman guard Keyonte George — to score 13 points, including two clutch 3-pointers, and added three assists and two steals, giving Baylor an unexpected lift in a 81-72 win over the Longhorns.

Baylor moves to 10-6 in the Big 12 (21-8 overall) and should be locked into at least a 3-seed in the NCAA tournament. It keeps Baylor in the Big 12 title hunt while putting Texas (22-7, 11-5) a half-game back of Kansas (hosting WVU today) for the conference lead.

Trailing by as many as 14 in the first half, Baylor outscored UT by 23 in the final 30-plus minutes of the game, leading by 10 or more for 12-plus minutes in the second half. But it didn't look like it would be a one-sided win.

George got a steal at the 11:38 mark of the first half but appeared to twist his ankle on a fast break that led to a turnover. At that point, Baylor trailed 18-4 and looked helpless on both ends. Somehow, Baylor started to play its basketball after losing one-third of its vaunted backcourt.

Langston Love hit a 3. Baylor got a stop. Jonathan "EJ" Tchamwa Tchatchou hit a couple of free throws. Baylor got a stop. LJ Cryer scored on a running bank shot. Baylor got a stop.

That loop continued, Baylor scoring 25 of the game's next 30 points, turning an 18-4 deficit into a 29-23 lead. UT closed the first half with two straight buckets, cutting it to 29-27 at the break, but Baylor had clearly righted the ship, and Bonner's time would soon come.

Ironically, having not made a shot — from the field or the free throw line — since the Jan. 31 loss at Texas, Bonner started a second-half surge with a three-pointer with 14:16 left. It gave Baylor a 50-40 lead, its first double-digit advantage, and one that would hold for the next 12 minutes.

Bonner then hit an elbow jumper, created a wide-open layup after a Baylor stop, then added another layup and picked up an assist to Flo Thamba. He followed with a deep three late in the shot clock to put Baylor up 67-50 midway through the second half, marking Baylor's biggest lead.

Texas didn't get back to a single-digit deficit until 1:59 to play, and despite a couple of Baylor turnovers against a full-court press, Baylor iced the game with free throws.

If Baylor goes on to do something special this season, Bonner's performance will be more than just a simple footnote. It might be remembered as a season-restoring effort.

MORE THOUGHTS:

• ESPN originally reported George would return from his ankle injury, then declared him doubtful. Baylor coach Scott Drew said postgame that a 102-degree fever by George on Friday played a part in not returning, adding Baylor doesn't know the extent of George's injury yet.
• Bonner's 13 is one short of his season high, set in the season opener, a 117-53 stat-padding Baylor romp over Mississippi Valley State. It marks Bonner's first time scoring in double-digits in a Big 12 game.
• Bonner stole the headlines, just slightly overshadowing Jalen Bridges. The WVU transfer led Baylor with 17 points. More important than his scoring, Bridges led a resurgent defense with 8 rebounds and 4 blocks.
• Flo Thamba emerged from slumber with perhaps his most impactful game of the year. He recorded the game's only double-double, getting to 12 in both points and rebounds.
• The other two-thirds of Baylor's backcourt, LJ Cryer and Adam Flagler, were relatively quiet with a combined 23 points.
• Timmy Allen, who torched Baylor for 18 points in the first meeting, scored 12, but six came in the final minute with the game decided. Meanwhile, Dylan Disu (averaging 7ppg) exploded for Texas with 24 points, including 3-4 from 3. His teammates went just 7-23 from long range.

WACO, Texas – Baylor men's basketball freshman Keyonte George suffered a mild ankle sprain on Saturday in BU's 81-72 win over No. 8 Texas.

George will miss Monday's road game at Oklahoma State but is officially day-to-day, and will be reevaluated ahead of the Bears final game of the regular season against Iowa State.

George is averaging 16.3 points per game this season, which ranks fifth among freshmen in NCAA Division I. The Lewisville native has 12 games of 20 points or more this season, which is a new Baylor record.

Baylor is currently 21-8 (10-6) on the season and will resume its schedule tomorrow night against Oklahoma State on ESPN's Big Monday at 8 p.m. Bob Wischusen, Fran Fraschilla and Kris Budden will be on the call Monday night in Stillwater

SERIES HISTORY VS DUKE
• Baylor is 4-1 all-time against Duke, having won both of the first two matchups in 2010, then taking two of three in a weekend series last year.
• The Bears took a 4-2 series opener on Friday, then split a Sunday doubleheader with the Blue Devils, winning game on 12-3, then dropping the nightcap 4-2.
• This is BU's first time playing at Duke.

PROBABLE STARTERS
• Friday, Feb. 24 • 4:00 p.m. • RHP Blake Helton (0-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. LHP Jonathan Santucci (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
• Saturday, Feb. 25 • 3:00 p.m. • LHP Cam Caley (0-1, 9.64 ERA) vs. RHP Adam Boucher (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
• Sunday, Feb. 26 • 12:00 p.m. • RHP Mason Marriott (0-1, 6.75 ERA) vs. TBA

LAST TIME OUT
• Baylor defeated HCU on Tuesday night, 11-4, thanks in part to a combined 10 RBIs from freshman INF Kolby Branch and redshirt freshman OF Gavin Brzozowski. The duo combined for six hits, including two home runs, one of which a grand slam off the bat of Branch.

• BU's bullpen was dominant once again, throwing 7.1 innings of one-run baseball.

• The Bears struck out 11 Huskies, their fourth-consecutive game with double-digit punchouts. It's the first such stretch since a five-game span from March 5 to March 12, 2021 (vs. Memphis; vs. Xavier) that the Bears have punched out at least 10 in four straight games.

By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
There’s nothing like coming back to play a home game against a bitter rival to make a team forget about a frustrating road trip.

Well, that’s the mindset No. 9 Baylor should take into Saturday’s game against No. 8 Texas at the Ferrell Center. The game sold out two weeks ago.

The Bears understand their hopes for winning much less sharing a third consecutive Big 12 title are on life support. At 9-6, they trail co-leaders Kansas and Texas with three games to play.

While those odds are not great, it’s not impossible task given how brutal the Big 12 has been. However, the Bears recognize the best they can do is to win out and finish 12-6 and hope Texas and Kansas come back to them.

Here’s who these three teams have remaining:

>Baylor meets Texas, travels to Oklahoma State for Big Monday and is home to Iowa State March 4.

>Texas plays Baylor, travels to TCU Wednesday and is home to Kansas March 3.

>Kansas faces West Virginia Saturday, plays host to Texas Tech Tuesday and then travels to Texas.

Then there’s the wild card Kansas State, which it also 9-6 and owns the tiebreaker against the Bears because it swept the season series. If Baylor can’t catch the Jayhawks or Longhorns but finish the regular season tied with the Wildcats, that will impact their Big 12 tournament seed.

Obviously, the Bears can control what they can control by winning what’s in front of them. That starts with Texas.

Finally, there is the issue of the NCAA tournament. Current bracketology has Baylor as a No. 3 seed. But that can change between the end of the regular season and what the Bears do in the Big 12 tournament.

As for this team, the offense hasn’t been a real issue as Keyonte George (16.9), Adam Flagler (15.6) and LJ Cryer (14.9) continue to lead and combine for nearly 10 assists per game. When they get hot – especially from the arc – they can be a terrifying trio to guard. Baylor is the Big 12’s best 3-point shooting team (36.6).

But it’s been the low post defense that was the issue on the winless trip to Kansas. To be frank, Baylor’s defense just isn’t as good as it has been in previous season because there is no rim protector or enforcer.

Kansas State scored 42 of its 75 points in the paint Tuesday. Kansas was equally successful last Saturday. Baylor is last in the Big 12 in field goal defense (45 percent) and is ninth in scoring defense (69.9).

Overall, Texas is not a dangerous 3-point shooting team at below 35 percent. However, leading scorer Marcus Carr (17.0) is at 39 percent and second-leading scorer Sir’Jabari Rice is at 37.

Texas beat Baylor Jan. 31, 76-71, in Austin because it was better on the 2-point field goals. The Longhorns were 18-33 (.545).

However, the Bears did a great job against Carr holding him to a season-low five points. They need to repeat that performance.

And the Bears must do the usual solid work on the offensive glass. They have the Big 12’s best offensive rebounding percentage (35.6). They also need to take care of the ball. The Bears commit the second fewest turnovers per game in the conference (12.0).

It’s not March but it sure feels like it.

STORY LINES

• No. 9 Baylor puts its six-game home win streak on the line against No. 8 Texas in a Saturday matinee on ESPN.

• Fans who bring a pair of new or gently used shoes to donate on Saturday will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win custom pair of Nike ID shoes.

• Saturday is the 261st series meeting – the most-played rivalry in Baylor history dating back 107 years.

• BU is 12-2 in its last 14 games vs. Texas since Feb. 20, 2016 (5-0 in Waco, 6-2 in Austin, 1-0 in KC).

• The Bears have won six of the last seven meetings in Waco with the last loss coming Feb. 1, 2016.

• Baylor is 22-9 vs. Texas since snapping a 24-game series losing streak at the 2009 Big 12 Championship.

• This is the fourth-straight meeting where both programs are ranked, the longest such streak in series history.

• BU has won six of the last seven series meetings when Texas was ranked.

• Baylor is 80-22 against in-state opponents since the start of the 2011-12 season, and the Bears have Advanced deeper into postseason play than any of Texas' 23 Division I teams in five of the last nine seasons.

• The Bears are aiming to avoid a series sweep at the hands of the Longhorns for the first time since 2014.

Langston Love with a defensive rebound



These are Dale Bonner on three different baskets. Drew's watching close in that last photo.










Flo Thamba had a great game


I took my photography class on a field trip to the Zoo before the game. Here's an elephant.

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Scott Drew part 1

As far as today’s game, I want to thank the crowd. They gave us a lot of energy especially when we started off so poor. Keyonte, I don’t know how bad his ankle is or how long he’ll be out, but I do know one thing is coaches really appreciate and value toughness, and he had a 102-degree fever yesterday and I didn’t think he’d play. He gave it a go, wanted to give it a go, and there was no way he was missing it. I know sometimes people say today’s culture is a little softer than previous ones. Keyonte is not that guy. So credit him. As far as when he’ll be back, it will be soon because he’s a tough kid.

Second of all, it’s a great sports lesson for all young people out there. You’re going to be on the floor but you’re going to be on the bench. Dale Bonner played a lot early, was out of the rotation, but was an unbelievable teammate and supported his team, but kept working on his game and stayed ready. Today I couldn’t be any more happy and pleased for him. All parents out there, only five can play, so your job on the bench is to be the best teammate that you can and to keep working until you get that opportunity. Dale was unbelievable. Flo it’s his birthday. I asked him if he could have his birthday on Monday and next Saturdayand every other game. His double-double was nice.



(Team bonding after Keyonte injury) Our offense hurt our defense early on because we turned it over a lot. They got transition buckets. But our defense was good enough early on that we weren’t down 20 and we figured things out offensively. Once we made a couple of buckets and really clamped down, it’s the best defensive stretch we’ve had for a minute. We’ve had good stretches at Kansas, we had a good stretch against K-State but we didn’t play 40 minutes. Today we went 40 minutes and again the crowd gets a big assist for that.



(Jalen Bridges) Whatever he had for pregame we need that again. The last couple games, he had been struggling offensively. We tried to give him a little more rest today, he played 33 minutes instead of 35 or 36 or 37. I thought he was really good.



(Any chance Keyonte plays Monday) To be determined. The reason is I have no idea how bad it is, so Dave (Snyder) will let me know after tonight.



(Depth) It takes a team to win. On the ticker every night, it’s Baylor, it’s not names. Next man up mentality and that’s why you’ve got to have a team of guys that are bought in, so when it’s their time they’re ready. A lot of times, it’s guys that aren’t playing they’re checked out. When they get their opportunity, they’re not ready.



(One of Flo’s best games) A lot of energy. I tell you yesterday he had a tremendous practice. He dunked on somebody, and I haven’t seen that since maybe his freshman year. But I think he really had great juice, great passion. He really worked hard out there.


Flo Thamba


(On team defense)
I feel like we did a really good job, especially in the half court defense. I feel like we just need to get better in transition. We gave up a lot of easy’s, but whenever we stopped them and set up our defense, I feel like we were good.
(Special amount of energy)

I think it was all of it. We lost our last two games, we went down to Texas and didn’t take care of business, so we just wanted to protect home court.
(On Moussa Cisse)
It’s going to be a huge difference, especially on the defensive side and try to limit him is going to be key. Leave it to the coaching staff, they know what to do (?)
Jalen Bridges
(When Keyonte went down, you guys pulled together)
He’s young. He has loads of energy. So, when he went out, we just tried to bond together and pick up that energy that he would be out there providing and really just locking in on defense, get stops and it just changed the game around for us.
(One of your better defensive games?)
Absolutely. Even though we didn’t have any many kills as we usually have, there were points in time when we really locked down and guarded. People were going into our chests and we handled it.
(How big was that to get the second half started better?)
The last few (games), we came out very flat. We made it a point of emphasis to not let that happen three times in a row. We just came out, we had a little bit of an extra long warmup, got us going and we were ready to go.
(On the crowd)
It’s unlimited energy, man. It was electric in here tonight. I just want to thank the fans for showing up, being loud and being proud. It was a great atmosphere.
(On OSU)
They got a lot of length. They have really talented guards. We’re going to have to really lock in on our transition defense because they get up and down with the best of them.
Dale Bonner
(When you checked in, what was the mentality?)
Just come in and have energy, have a presence. That’s my job whenever I come into the game, I just want to continue to try to do that. Control what I can control.
(Keep working on your game even when not playing)
Yeah, just keep working on my game. Check on my teammates, be a good teammate and cheer them on when I’m not playing. Whether I’m in the game or not, I’m always going to have a good attitude and just be ready whenever my name is called.
(Seemed like you read the passes really, was there something you saw out there?)
Just trying to read their offense. Whenever they swung the ball I just tried to get in the passing lane

Hey all,
Mrs. Razorback and I are traveling to Tuscaloosa for my Crimson Tides's final sorority parents weekend Friday-Sunday. My youngest graduates in May. Getting to the finish line.

Anyway, as you can see I have you set to go with the game preview that's been posted. I may add some notes and possible pregame quotes a little later in the afternoon under the preview.

But I recruited the best of the best in LuxemBear (aka Jake Shaw) my former colleague to take you through the game thread and game story. I'm grateful to him to do it. Of course, Stephen will be on hand for pictures and probably post a gallery win or lose. I may add a thought or two after the game is over.

I'll keep track of the game, of course. But while that's going on I'll be in Coleman Coliseum to watch No. 2 Alabama play Arkansas. Given all that's been going on the Tide and Brandon Miller, that should be interesting as well. That's not to mention my connection with those schools with others in the household. A great Saturday.

I do like Baylor's chances to win this.

Enjoy your weekend.

WACO, Texas – Baylor University today announced a $3.7 million gift from Jay and Jenny Allison, of Frisco, Texas, to support the Give Light Capital Fund, as well as scholarships benefiting Baylor Law and the George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Baylor will recognize the couple’s philanthropic support through the naming of the Jay and Jenny Allison Development Center within the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion.



Baylor Athletics will recognize Jay and Jenny Allison’s generous support during Saturday's men’s basketball home game against Texas at 1 p.m. and at the women’s basketball home game against Texas Tech at 5 p.m.



“We are extremely grateful for Jay and Jenny’s incredible support of Baylor Athletics, both through their most recent gift and for their history of giving to the priorities and needs of this institution through capital projects and scholarship support. Our student-athletes, fans, and staff alike, benefit greatly from their love of Baylor,” said Mack B. Rhoades IV, Baylor Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “The Jay and Jenny Allison Development Center, another remarkable gift provided through their generosity, will play a central role in the preparation of our Baylor Basketball student-athletes. We are proud to see the Allison name once again connected to such vital support and programming for our student-athletes and coaches and their future suc

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A 3-game series at Duke starts Friday.

By Nick Harris
Rivals Analyst
Casey Poe has been a name that has circulated around recruiting circles in the state of Texas since his sophomore season, and now his worth around the country has risen to national status.

Coming off of a junior season where he starred for a strong Lindale offensive line, Poe enters his busy offseason with a plethora of recruiting attention from major programs across the country.

"My junior season went really good," Poe said. "We made it to the third round and we had a really good o-line. We had a lot of good people around me, it was one of my favorite seasons to date."

Despite battling a preseason injury that sidelined him to begin the year, Poe was able to finish the season strong for his Eagles.

"I feel like personally that I had a very good season," he said. "I had knee surgery before the season and it took me out of the summer and the first two games. Bouncing back from that was hard but I have great coaches and great guys around me. I felt like we got work done after that."

Poe is now up in the twenties on his offer list, and most of the major programs continue to reach out with interest.

"It's been a crazy offseason, I feel like my phone is always going off," he said. "There's a long list. Oklahoma, Alabama and Texas Tech hit me up a bunch. Then there's Auburn, TCU, Michigan State, Clemson, Baylor."

The East Texas standout will head out to Clemson next month where he is expecting an offer from the Tigers.

"I feel like there's something in the works there and once I get on campus that I'll get it," he said. "They recruit close to them at first and then once they spread out, they like getting guys on campus and then once you get to meet the staff, you get the offer."

Poe told SicEmSports he plans to attend Baylor's March 25 spring practice along with a many other highly valued targets. The Bears still like him at tackle.

While he did not make it down to Junior Day on Jan. 29, that didn't impact Baylor's chances. The BU coaching staff had already built up a strong relationship in prior months and saw him at school during the December and January contact periods.

"They're going good with Baylor!'', Poe said. "Got off a FaceTime with the staff yesterday and their super excited about and my recruitment process. Me and [offensive line] coach [Eric] Mateos talk on the phone weekly and text multiple times a week.''

Hugh Freeze and offensive line coach Jake Thornton have Auburn lined up for a visit next month as they have keyed in on Poe and have made him feel like a priority.

"Auburn has been an historically good program in the SEC," he said. "Coach Freeze is a really good guy, really good coach. Coach Thornton, I've been able to speak to him multiple times on the phone. He seems like a cool guy and country guy, somebody I'd like."

Nick Saban paid a visit to Poe during the January evaluation period, and it was something that had his whole town buzzing.

"It was awesome," he said. "Our whole coaching staff got to meet him and our principals got to meet him, it was really exciting. It was just really good seeing him down here. Just knowing that he's interested and that he took the time out of his day to come see me face-to-face, that was great."

Oklahoma has long been involved with Poe and is in a solid position going into the spring as Brent Venables connects with the family on a routine basis.

"Coach Venables, he's a really good guy," Poe said. "We talk pretty often. The main thing about them is that they're just so energetic and fired up. I went down for their junior day and every coach just seemed excited to be there and seemed to have a real passion for the game. You can tell how much they care on and off the field for their guys over there."

Poe's plan this spring will see him visit double-digit programs before whittling it down to a select few for summer official visits.

"I'm gonna have a pretty busy March seeing five or six different schools and then in April I'll do the same thing," he said. "In the summer I plan on taking my officials and hopefully before my senior season I'll be able to make a decision. It's gonna be hard."

At 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, Poe is ranked as the No. 150 recruit in the country for the class of 2024, according to Rivals. He is ranked as the No. 7 offensive tackle in the country and the No. 26 recruit from the state of Texas.

He said he plans to announce a list of finalists after his March visits.

SicEmSports Publisher Kevin Lonnquist contributed to this report.

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