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No. 25/rv BAYLOR (15-2, 3-0) at No. 18/16 TEXAS A&M (15-3, 1-2)
Jan. 23, 2008 • Reed Arena (College Station, Texas) • 7:00 p.m. CST

PDF of complete Game Notes & Stats

RADIO: Baylor-ISP Sports Radio Network (ESPN/KRZI 1660AM Waco / KVCE 1160AM Dallas / Sirius Satellite ch. 161)
INTERNET AUDIO: live broadcast at BaylorBears.com
TELEVISION: none
INTERNET VIDEO: live video stream at AggieAthletics.com
LIVE STATS: live GameTracker stats at BaylorBears.com

THE GAME
Baylor, sporting its first national ranking (25th in Associated Press Poll) in 39 years, travels Highway 6 to face No. 18/16 Texas A&M Wednesday, Jan. 23, in College Station. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. at Reed Arena and will not be televised. The game marks the 196th renewal of the hardwood version of the "Battle of the Brazos" between the longtime rivals. The Bears are 15-2, 3-0 in the Big 12, and have won four straight games, most recently a 72-70 win at Nebraska last Saturday that snapped a 25-game road losing streak in Big 12 games. Baylor is tied with No. 2 Kansas atop the Big 12 standings. Texas A&M is 15-3, 1-2 and coming off a 75-54 loss at Kansas State last Friday. The Aggies are a perfect 13-0 at home this season. The Bears are 3-0 in true road games this season and 6-1 away from Waco. Texas A&M is Baylor's second-most-played rival and leads the all-time series 124-71. Baylor has dropped six straight games to the Aggies.

BAYLOR TIP-INS
• Baylor is ranked 25th in the AP Poll this week (first national ranking since 1969).
• Texas A&M is Baylor's 2nd most-played rival - 196th meeting (A&M leads 124-71).
• Baylor has dropped 6 straight games to Texas A&M.
• 3-0 is Baylor's best start in Big 12 play since opening 5-0 in 1997-98.
• Baylor's 15-2 start is its best since the Bears began 24-2 in 1945-46 (SWC champs).
• The Bears are 2-42 in the last 7 seasons vs. ranked teams & have lost 29 straight since 2003 (won 74-72 at No. 13/14 Oklahoma St., 2-15-03).
• Aaron Bruce has averaged 17.3 points & shot 46% on 3s in 6 career games vs. Texas A&M.
• BU's 15 wins matches last season's win total & marks the most wins in Drew Era; also most wins since winning 19 in 2000-01 (last postseason berth; NIT).
• BU has won 3 straight true road games but lost 35 of 37 prior (dating to 2002-03).
• Baylor is 1-0 in Big 12 road games this season (lost 25 straight before this season).
• BU is 6-1 in away games this season (3-0 true road, 3-1 neutral).
• 5 Baylor players average double-figures in scoring.
• Baylor leads the Big 12 (20th nationally) with 9.1 3-pointers per game.
• Baylor's 72.1 free throw % leads the Big 12.
• BU's 41.0 3FG% ranks first in Big 12, 17th nationally & is on pace to break the school record (38.5% '86-87).
• Baylor is 1 of 7 schools with both its men's & women's teams ranked nationally (31-3 combined record).
• BU is 14-0 this season when totaling a higher FG% than its opponents and 1-2 when not. In the Drew Era, BU is 46-7 when outshooting its opponents and 5-64 when not.
• Baylor has used the same starting lineup in all 17 games this season.
• 10 current BU players average 11 minutes or more & none average more than 30.
• Baylor's 12 pre-conference wins mark the most in school history.
• Henry Dugat ranks 5th in scoring (19.0 ppg), 2nd in steals (2.3 spg) & 2nd in 3-point shooting percentage (64.3%) in Big 12 games.
• LaceDarius Dunn is shooting 48.2% on 3-pointers (2nd in Big 12, 9th nationally).
• Henry Dugat is averaging 17.3 ppg, 2.0 spg & hitting 50% on 3s the last 7 games.
• Mamadou Diene leads the Big 12 with a 3.0 blocks average in conference games.
• Aaron Bruce ranks 8th on BU's all-time scoring list (1,243 career points).
• Mamadou Diene is the Big 12's active leader in career blocks in league games (56).
• Baylor won the 2007 Paradise Jam, its first non-hosted tourney title since 1971.

BAYLOR RANKED FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1969
For the first time in 39 years Baylor is ranked in the Associated Press Poll, earning a No. 25 ranking in the Top 25 poll released Monday. This marks Baylor's first national ranking since Feb. 11, 1969, when the Bears were ranked 19th in the then-Top 20 poll. Baylor is also receiving votes in this week's ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll (11 votes; 32nd). The Bears have received votes in the polls in eight of 12 weeks this season.

HEAD COACH Scott Drew
Scott Drew, in his fifth season at Baylor in what many have called the most daunting rebuilding project in college basketball history, owns a four-year mark of 50-71 at the school and a career record of 70-82 (six seasons). Drew's 51 wins rank eighth on Baylor's all-time coaching victories list (in seventh place on the list is Harry Miller with 56 career victories). Prior to Baylor, Drew spent 10 seasons at Valparaiso, the last as head coach after nine seasons as an assistant to his father Homer. During his decade at Valpo, the Crusaders earned six NCAA Tournament berths, including five straight from 1996-2000. An outstanding recruiter, Drew is responsible for five national Top-20 recruiting classes over the last eight years (No. 17 in 2006, No. 11 in 2005 and No. 10 in 2004 at Baylor; No. 6 in 2001 and No. 13 in 1999 at Valpo). He was named the 1998-99 National Recruiter of the Year by Court Vision.

THE TEXAS A&M AGGIES
Head Coach: Mark Turgeon (Kansas, 1987); 168-121, 10 seasons
Series vs. Baylor: A&M leads 124-71
Last meeting: A&M 97-87, Feb. 24, 2007 at College Station
Streak: A&M won 6 straight
Series at College Station: A&M leads 72-27
Drew vs. A&M: 2-6
A&M NOTES: Texas A&M is ranked No. 18 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 16 in ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll... The Aggies are led by first-year head coach Mark Turgeon... The Aggies have won six straight vs. BU... A&M is 13-0 at home this season... A&M is led by junior G/F Josh Carter who averages 13.4 points and 2.0 assists... Senior G Dominique Kirk leads the Big 12 with a 2.73 assist-to-turnover ratio... Texas A&M's +10.7 rebounding margin tops the Big 12.. The Aggies rank second in the Big 12 in both field goal percentage (50.3%) and opponent field goal percentage (37.8%).

BEST STARTS SINCE...
OVERALL: Baylor's 15-2 record is its best start under head coach Scott Drew and is the school's best start since Bill Henderson's 1945-46 squad started 24-2 and won the Southwest Conference championship (finished 25-5).
BIG 12: Baylor's 3-0 start in Big 12 play is its best start in league play since opening the 1997-98 season with a 5-0 record in the conference's second season ('97-98 squad finished 8-8 in conference, BU's top record in Big 12 play).

BEARS CONTINUE MASSIVE REBUILDING PROCESS
The 2007-08 season is head coach Scott Drew's fifth in the unprecedented overhaul that began at Baylor in 2003. After taking over a program decimated by tragedy, player departures, depleted rosters and NCAA restrictions, Drew has slowly and methodically turned the program around by recruiting a solid foundation of talented high school players that after earning valuable playing experience are posting impressive results. After fighting their way to a 15-16 record last season (the first in the Drew Era without restrictions), the Bears have burst to a 15-2 record this season, including a 3-0 mark and first place tie in the Big 12 Conference.

LAST SEASON'S WIN TOTAL MATCHED BY MID-SEASON
The Bears' 15 wins in 2007-08 matches last season's victory mark and marks the most wins at Baylor since the 2000-01 squad finished 19-12 (last BU team to participate in postseason; first round of NIT).

REVERSING ROAD FORTUNES
TRUE ROAD GAMES (3-0 in '07-08):
The Bears have won three straight games on opponents' home courts, reversing a 2-37 record in their previous 39 true road games from 2002-03 to 2006-07.
BIG 12 ROAD GAMES (1-0 in '07-08):
Baylor snapped a 25-game losing streak in Big 12 road games (dating to 2004) last Saturday with a 72-70 win at Nebraska.
ALL AWAY GAMES (6-1 in '07-08):
Baylor is 6-1 this season away from Waco (3-0 in true road games, 3-1 at neutral sites). The Bears were 4-41 in their previous 45 games outside of Waco from 2003 to 2007.

BAYLOR'S BACKCOURT: "IN GUARDS WE TRUST"
Baylor's strength in 2007-08 once again lies in its talented backcourt which until recently didn't get a lot of media attention outside of the region. The Bears utilize a rotation of five guards that each average 20-plus minutes per game. The quintet is made up of four veterans; senior Aaron Bruce (10.8 ppg, 23.7 mpg), juniors Curtis Jerrells (13.0 ppg, 29.2 mpg) and Henry Dugat (12.1 ppg, 25.4 mpg) and sophomore Tweety Carter (9.2 ppg, 22.6 mpg); and true freshman standout LaceDarius Dunn (12.3 ppg, 20.4 mpg). The fivesome accounts for 71 percent of the team's scoring (average 56.6 points) and shoots 41.0 percent on 3-pointers.

BEARS vs. NATIONALLY RANKED FOES
Wednesday's matchup vs. No. 18/16 Texas A&M is Baylor's second game against a ranked opponent this season (0-1; L 67-64 to No. 6 Washingt). The Bears are 2-42 over the last seven seasons vs. ranked teams and have lost 29 straight since knocking off No. 13/14 Oklahoma State 74-72 in Stillwater on Feb. 15, 2003.

OUTSIDE ACCURACY
Baylor is shooting 41.0 percent (155-378) as a team from 3-point distance [percentage increases to 45.8 in Big 12 games]. That figure ranks first in the Big 12 (17th nationally) and is on pace to top the school record of 38.5 percent (90-234) recorded in 1986-87. Individually, true freshman LaceDarius Dunn leads the team and ranks ninth nationally with a 48.2 (40-83) 3-point percentage.

BALANCED SCORING
Baylor has shown a very balanced scoring attack this season, evidenced by five players averaging double-digits in scoring (Curtis Jerrells 13.0, LaceDarius Dunn 12.3, Henry Dugat 12.1, Kevin Rogers 11.9 and Aaron Bruce 10.8). The last time a Baylor team finished the season with five double-figure scorers was 1995-96.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SHOOTING PERCENTAGE
One significant statistical indicator to Baylor's success in winning games is field goal percentage, offensively and defensively. This season, Baylor is a perfect 14-0 when totaling a higher shooting percentage than it opponents, and conversely is 1-2 when its opponents shoot a higher percentage. Further, in five seasons under Scott Drew Baylor has accumulated a 46-7 record when outshooting opponents and a 5-64 record when being outshot by opponents.

SUCCESSFULL MEN'S & WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAMS
Baylor is one of seven schools with both its men's and women's basketball teams ranked in the Associated Press Poll this week. Baylor joins Duke, North Carolina, Pitt, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M in that group. BU's men's and women's teams boast a combined 31-3 record.

COMEBACK WINS OVER QUALITY OPPONENTS
Baylor is a perfect 5-0 this season when trailing at halftime. Included in those five come-from-behind victories is a 20-point comeback win at South Carolina and rallies of 14 points vs. Notre Dame and seven points vs. Iowa State.

"FLASH" DUGAT USING ENERGY & QUICKNESS TO SPARK BEARS
Junior guard Henry Dugat has used his high energy and athleticism to put up impressive numbers over the last seven games. During that span Dugat has averaged 17.3 points, 2.3 assists, 2.0 steals and shot 50 percent (17-34) on 3-pointers [8.4 ppg, 1.5 apg, 1.1 spg & 26.5% through first 10 games]. Through three conference games, he ranks fifth in the Big 12 in scoring in conference games (19.0 ppg), 15th in rebounding (6.3 rpg), second in 3-point percentage (64.3%) and second in steals (2.3 spg). He has started all 17 games after finishing his sophomore season in the sixth man role. Dugat earned the nickname "Flash" from former teammate Tim Bush due to his quickness and style of play similarities to Dwyane Wade.

JERRELLS POWERS BEARS
Curtis Jerrells is leading the Bears in scoring (13.0 ppg, 17th in Big 12), assists (3.4 apg, 11th in Big 12) and minutes (29.2 mpg) for the third straight season. The junior guard has started all 65 career games since arriving at Baylor, was named Big 12 Player of the Week Nov. 19 and took home tournament MVP honors after leading Baylor to the championship of the 2007 Paradise Jam in November. Jerrells is a preseason Cousy Award candidate and projected a preseason All-Big 12 selection by the league coaches, Athlon and Lindy's. He ranks eighth in school history in assists per game (3.55). Jerrells recently became the first alum of Del Valle High School in Austin to have his No. 0 basketball jersey retired.

VETERAN LEADER BRUCE CONTINUES CLIMB UP RECORD LISTS
Senior Aaron Bruce is averaging 10.8 points per game and shooting 42.1 percent on 3-pointers and continuing his climb up the school's all-time records lists, most notably the career scoring chart. Bruce, Baylor's veteran-most player with 91 career games played, currently stands eighth all-time with 1,243 career points (complete list of his ranking on seven different Baylor career charts below). The guard was selected a preseason All-Rolls Royce (All-American) fourth team selection by ESPN.com's Dick Vitale and was named the Big 12's "Best Leader" by the Sporting News preseason publication prior to his final season in Waco.

BRUCE ON BAYLOR'S CAREER RECORD LISTS
• 3-point FGs: No. 3 - 206
• 3-point FG %: No. 3 - 40.2%
• Minutes Played: No. 7 - 2,767
• Games Started: No. 7 - 91
• Points scored: No. 8 - 1,243
• Assists: No. 8 - 295
• Free Throw %: No. 8 - 81.2%

DEPENDABLE MR. ROGERS POSTING STEADY NUMBERS
Junior forward Kevin Rogers is averaging 11.9 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds (ninth in Big 12) this season. He has recorded five double-doubles and is shooting 53.2 percent from the field. He ranks fourth in Big 12 games with an 8.0 rebounding average. Rogers was named the Big 12 Player of the Week Dec. 24 after averaging 16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds while leading Baylor to road wins at South Carolina and Southern. He was named to the 2007 Big 12 All-Improved team following a sophomore season in which he doubled his scoring average (12.8 from 6.1 ppg) and nearly doubled his rebounding average from his freshman season (7.6 from 4.0 rpg).

TRUE FRESHMAN DUNN PUTTING TOGETHER BREAKOUT SEASON OFF BENCH
True freshman LaceDarius Dunn has made an immediate impact on a Baylor squad stocked with talented guards. The highly recruited rookie from Monroe, La., is second on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg) and rebounds (4.1 rpg), despite playing just 20.4 minutes per game off the bench and playing through a knee injury. His 48.2 3-point percentage ranks second in the Big 12 and ninth nationally. Dunn has been named the Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Nov. 26 after leading Baylor to wins over Winthrop in the Paradise Jam championship and over Centenary) and has posted two 20-plus scoring outings (27 points in win over Brown and 24 points in upset win at South Carolina). Dunn is the highest-rated Baylor signee in recent memory (rated the nation's No. 24 recruit by Scout.com). He was named the "Best Perimeter Scorer" among incoming Big 12 newcomers by Rivals.com. Dunn was rated the nation's No. 6 shooting guard prospect by Scout.com and the nation's No. 8 wing guard by Hoopmasters.com.

"THE MAYOR" BACK IN STRIDE AFTER ANKLE REHAB
Mamadou Diene, a seven-foot junior from Senegal, has averaged 16.0 minutes off the bench in 10 games played since returning from an Oct. 25 procedure to repair a chronic stress fracture in his ankle (had started all 43 games played in his freshman and sophomore seasons). Diene's 56 career blocks in Big 12 play is the most by an active player and he leads the Big 12 in blocks in conference games this season with a 3.0 average. Diene has recorded 96 career blocks and his 1.81 career blocks per game total is second all-time at Baylor behind only current Phoenix Suns Brian Skinner's 3.36 average (1994-98). Named the Big 12's "Best Shot Blocker" by the Sporting News preseason publication, he led the Big 12 in blocks as a freshman (2.3 bpg) and was third (1.6 bpg) in an injury-plagued sophomore season. Diene is referred to as "The Mayor" due to his huge popularity across campus.

BEARS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Baylor is ranked among the top 35 nationally in seven team categories and one individual category, listed below...
• Won-Loss %: No. 16 - 87.5%
• 3-Pt Field Goal %: No. 17 - 41.0%
• 3-Pt Field Goals: No. 20 - 9.12
• Fewest Turnovers: No. 24 - 13.1
• Scoring: No. 28 - 79.7
• Scoring Margin: No. 28 - +13.2
• Field Goal %: No. 35 - 47.5%
• 3-Pt Field Goal %: LaceDarius Dunn, No. 9 - 48.2%

CUTTING DOWN ON TURNOVERS
Baylor has cut down on its team turnovers recently, totaling more than 11 turnovers just twice over the last eight games (8-1 record). For the season the Bears are averaging 13.1 turnovers per game (12.3 since 26 in season opener), which ranks 24th nationally in fewest turnovers and is down from a 14.5 turnover average last season.

MOST PRE-CONFERENCE WINS EVER
Baylor finished its non-conference schedule with a 12-2 record. The 12 wins mark the most during the regular-season non-conference schedule in school history. The previous high of 11 pre-conference schedule wins was recorded three times, in 1945-46 (11-1), 1996-97 (11-1) and 2000-01 (11-0).

PARADISE JAM CHAMPS
Baylor earned the 2007 Paradise Jam championship with an impressive three-game run Nov. 16-19 in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Bears defeated Wichita State (64-55), Notre Dame (68-64) and Winthrop (62-54) to earn the title at the eighth annual tournament. Baylor overcame second-half deficits in both the semis (down 10 to N.D) and the final (down six to Winthrop) to earn the title. Curtis Jerrells was named the tournament MVP after leading the Bears with 17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game and Aaron Bruce also earned a spot on the all-tournament team. The title marked Baylor's first in-season tournament championship (excluding the Baylor-hosted Dr Pepper Invitational) since winning the 1971 Holiday Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. (last eight-team tournament title was the 1968 East Carolina Classic in Greenville, N.C.).

THE LAST MEETING: No. 8 TEXAS A&M 97 - BAYLOR 87 [Feb. 24, 2007]
No. 8 Texas A&M outlasted Baylor in a hard-fought battle and won a 97-87 shootout at Reed Arena. Baylor, down by 10 points 90 seconds into the second half, cut A&M's lead to 44-42 when Kevin Rogers converted a three-point play with just more than 16 minutes remaining. A&M reeled off a 17-6 run to push the lead to 61-48 at the 12:39 mark. The Bears pulled within 69-65 with 8:18 remaining following an 8-0 run fueled by six points from Henry Dugat. But they wouldn't get any closer and a 3-pointer by Acie Law with just under six minutes left put A&M ahead 77-68. Dugat and Curtis Jerrells' continuous drives and acrobatic baskets kept the Bears close throughout the second half. The two teamed with Aaron Bruce to score a combined 64 points. Baylor trailed 37-31 at halftime, but missed 5-of-8 free throws. It finished 21-of-32. A&M made 35-of-44 in a rough, physical game that had 54 total fouls and a technical called on A&M head coach Billy Gillispie. Baylor shot 48 percent from the field to hang tight against a team that entered the game allowing a nation's-best 36 percent shooting. The Aggies, who entered the game allowing just 56.5 points, gave up their most points of the Gillispie Era to Baylor. Jerrells finished with a season-high 27 points and Dugat 22 as Baylor outscored A&M 36-30 in the paint. But the Bears were hampered by poor shooting from the arc (8-of-25) as well as the line.

LAST TIME OUT: BAYLOR 72 - NEBRASKA 70
Baylor came back from a halftime deficit to gut out a 72-70 win over Nebraska at the Devaney Center, snapping a 25-game road losing streak in Big 12 games. The win moved the Bears to 3-0 and a first place tie in conference play. Nebraska took its last lead at 64-63 on two free throws by Aleks Maric with 2:15 to go. Curtis Jerrells hit a go-ahead 3-pointer from the top of the key nine seconds later to put Baylor up for good 66-64. After a missed jumper by Nebraska, Henry Dugat's runner in the lane pushed the lead to 68-64 with 1:12 remaining. Jerrells missed two free throws with 40 seconds left and Nebraska's Steve Harley hit one-of-two free throws to pull the Huskers within 68-65. Dugat hit a pair of free throws to push the Bears lead to five with 17 seconds remaining. After two NU free throws by Cookie Miller with 12.4 seconds left narrowed the margin to 70-67, Baylor's Tweety Carter was called for stepping out of bounds on the inbounds pass, giving the ball back to Nebraska. Following a timeout, Nebraska's Jay-R Strowbridge was called for traveling when Kevin Rogers caused him to pump-fake a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 5.6 on the clock. Carter hit two free throws to seal Baylor's win before a Nebraska 3 at the buzzer. Dugat led the Bears with 19 points, while Rogers posted his fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Baylor held Nebraska to just two field goals in the last nine minutes of the game. The Huskers hit 10 of 12 free throws in the final 3:34 after struggling from the line earlier in the game. Nebraska finished 21 of 34. Baylor hit 20 of 26 free throws. The Bears raced out to a 13-3 lead in the first 3½ minutes of the game. Trailing 24-17 after Dugat's 3-pointer with 8:51 left in the half, Nebraska clamped the defense on Baylor, holding the Bears to just two field goals and a free throw in the remainder of the period. The Huskers outscored Baylor 18-6 in that stretch to take a 35-30 halftime lead. The Bears hit their first three shots of the second half, erasing Nebraska's five-point halftime lead. Baylor led 49-45 when Nebraska put together a 9-0 run, taking a 54-49 lead on Maric's dunk with 9:33 left. Baylor answered with nine straight points, going up 58-54 on Aaron Bruce's jumper with 5:32 remaining.

BIG 12 HONORS
Baylor players have received three weekly Big 12 honors this season, matching the school's highest single-season total (also three awards in 2001-02). Baylor has earned two player of the week awards and one rookie of the week award:
Curtis Jerrells, Big 12 Player of the Week, Nov. 19, 2007
Jerrells was honored after leading Baylor to wins over Wichita State and Notre Dame at the Paradise Jam tournament. He averaged 20.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in the two victories and shot 54 percent from the 3-point line and 92 percent from the free throw line.
LaceDarius Dunn, Big 12 Rookie of the Week, Nov. 26, 2007
Dunn was honored after leading the Bears to to wins over Winthrop (in the championship game of the Paradise Jam) and Centenary. Dunn set then-career-highs for points with 17 in each game, shooting a combined 13-of-20 (.650) from the floor off the bench. He also shot 5-of-10 on 3-pointers and averaged 5.5 rebounds.
Kevin Rogers, Big 12 Player of the Week, Dec. 24, 2007
Rogers was honored after leading the Bears to two road victories at South Carolina and Southern that snapped a 25-game losing streak in true road games. He averaged 16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds and registered two double-doubles. Rogers had a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double vs. USC and scored a game-high 21 points in a win at Southern.

BAYLOR'S SUMMER TOUR TO CANCUN
Baylor spent Labor Day weekend 2007 on a basketball tour to Cancun, Mexico. The four-day trip included two exhibition games as well as sun and fun for the Bears. Baylor beat Belize Tuff E Nuff 115-47 Sept. 1, before defeating the hometown Mexican professional team Quintana Roo 91-57 Sept. 2. Both games were played in Cancun's sweltering Kuchil-Baxal Gymnasium. The Bears were led in scoring both games by junior Henry Dugat, who totaled 25 and 20 points over the weekend. Aside from the games, the players and travel party enjoyed swimming, jet skiing, fishing and shopping on the Yucatan Peninsula.

MOST EXPERIENCED BEAR SQUAD IN YEARS
For the first time in years, Baylor took the court in 2007-08 with a predominantly upperclassman, experienced team. After several seasons of young, inexperienced teams, the Bears returned nine lettermen, including seven lettermen with multiple letters. The roster includes two seniors, five juniors, two sophomores and three freshmen. Veteran Aaron Bruce is the just the fourth four-year senior to play at BU in the last eight seasons. Baylor's '07-08 returnees entered the season with a combined 246 career starts under their collective belts, the highest such number at the school in over a decade.

BEARS RETURN HIGH PRODUCTION NUMBERS
Baylor in 2007-08 returned all five starters, nine of 12 roster players and nearly all of its statistical production. The Bears return 90.6 percent of last season's points, 86.9 percent of rebounds and 94.5 percent of assists.

EARLY 2009 SIGNEES
Baylor signed two players in the early signing period, Anthony Jones of Houston (Texas) Yates High School and Russian Artem Valov of Three Rivers Community College. Jones, a senior at Yates, is rated 46th nationally by Rivals.com and is a consensus top-70 recruit. He is rated No. 51 by Hoopmasters.com and No. 62 by Scout.com. Jones averaged 14 points and 12 rebounds last season as a junior for a Yates squad that finished 25-8 in 2006-07. A 6-10 forward, Jones is rated No. 8 among the nation's forwards by Rivals.com and ranked as the fourth-best recruit in the state by TexasHoops.com. Valov is a junior college sophomore who was recently named a preseason NJCAA first-team All-American. He is rated the No. 12 junior college recruit nationally by Rivals.com's JucoJunction.com. The 6-9 forward helped lead Three Rivers to a 26-11 record and into the second round of the NJCAA tournament. Valov was named to the 2007 NJCAA All-Tournament team. Valov finished his freshman season with averages of 14.0 points and 7.2 rebounds.

DEPARTED PLAYERS
Baylor lost just three lettermen from its 2006-07 roster: three-year forwards Tim Bush (6.3 ppg) and Patrick Fields (3.0 ppg) and one-year forward Jari Vanttaja (0.9 ppg).

NEXT UP...
Baylor returns home to the Ferrell Center to host Oklahoma Saturday, Jan. 26. The game is scheduled to tip off at 3 p.m. CST and will be televised live regionally via ESPN Plus syndicated stations.