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<b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 16, 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="page-break-after:avoid;layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Baylor MBB Earns a No. 9 Seed in the East Region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="page-break-after:avoid;layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">BU is making its school-record sixth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">For more information, contact:
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Matt Roberts, 254-227-2280,
</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:WM_Roberts@Baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:blue">WM_Roberts@Baylor.edu</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">WACO, Texas —
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Baylor men's basketball was selected to its 13<sup>th</sup>-straight NCAA postseason as a No. 9 seed in the East Region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, announced Sunday on
CBS.</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">The Bears (19-14, 10-10 Big 12) will open on Friday against No. 8 seed Mississippi State (21-12, 8-10 SEC) at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. The winner of
that game will then play a second-round matchup on Sunday against the winner of Friday’s first-round game between No. 1 Duke and the winner of the American and Mount St. Mary’s matchup in the First Four.</span><span style="font-family:"MS Gothic";color:black;mso-ligatures:none">
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Tip-off times and TV networks and are to be determined. The East Regional semifinal and final will be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., with the
Final Four to be held in San Antonio, Texas.</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="http://www.BaylorBears.com"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:blue;background:white">www.BaylorBears.com</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">BAYLOR NCAA NOTES:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• Baylor is 23-17 in 16 previous NCAA Championships trips, including a 20-11 record in the Scott Drew era</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• Drew is one of eight coaches in NCAA history, and the only one since 1990, to have won an NCAA title and an NIT Title at the same school<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• BU is one of just four teams to win at least one game in each of the last five NCAA Tournaments played dating back to 2018-19, joining
Gonzaga, Kansas and Houston<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• Baylor is 9-4 with six-straight wins in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-indent:-5.0pt;line-height:120%;text-autospace:none">
<span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• </span>
<span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Baylor is 1 of 8 teams to appear in nine of the last 10 tournaments, joining Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, North Carolina and Purdue<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• Baylor is appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in the last 11 tournaments<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• Baylor is appearing in the NCAA postseason for a school-record 13th-consecutive time (11 NCAA, 2 NIT).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• Baylor is making its 14th NCAA Tournament appearance in the modern tournament era. BU’s first three NCAA Tournament appearances in 1946, 1948 and 1950 were
in an eight-team bracket.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• BU’s six-straight NCAA Tournaments are also a school record
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• Baylor is 45-28 in postseason tournaments (conference, national) over the last 17 seasons<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• BU is aiming to reach the Sweet sixteen for the sixth time in the Drew Era, and the second time since 2021. Out of the last 10 opponents who have eliminated
Baylor in the NCAA Tournament, seven have made at least the Elite Eight, five have made the Final Four, three have made the National Title game and two have won the national title<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• Baylor has played in three Final Fours (1948, 1950, 2021). The first two Final Four appearances were when it was an eight-team bracket.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">• Baylor has played in two National Championship games (1948 lost to Kentucky, 2021 defeated Gonzaga).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0E101A;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">2024-25 SEASON HONORS</span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><b><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;text-transform:uppercase;mso-ligatures:none">VJ EDGECOMBE</span></u></b><u><span style="font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black;text-transform:uppercase;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Jerry West Award Watch List<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Naismith Trophy Watch List<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Wooden Award Preseason Top-50<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Sporting News All-America Third Team<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Lute Olson Award Early Season Watch List<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Big 12 co-Newcomer of the Week (1/27)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Jerry West Award Midseason Top-10<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Jerry West Award Finalist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Big 12 Freshman of the Year<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Big 12 All-Freshman Team (Coaches)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">All-Big 12 Second Team (Coaches)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">AP All-Big 12 Second Team<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><b><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">NORCHAD OMIER<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">NABC Player of the Year Watch List<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Karl Malone Award Watch List<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Wooden Award Preseason Top-50<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Lute Olson Award Early Season Watch List<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Big 12 Player of the Week (11/25)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Oscar Robertson Midseason Top-50<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Karl Malone Award Midseason Top-10<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">All-Big 12 First Team (Coaches)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">AP All-Big 12 Second Team<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><b><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">JEREMY ROACH<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Big 12 co-Newcomer of the Year<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Bob Cousy Award Watch list<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Naismith Trophy Award Watch List<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Wooden Award Preseason Top-50<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Lute Olson Award Early Season Watch List<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><b><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">ROBERT WRIGHT<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Big 12 Newcomer of the Week (2/3)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">All-Big 12 Honorable Mention<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0E101A;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Matt Roberts | Director of Athletic Communications (MBB/MGOLF/ WGOLF) <br>
Department of Athletics | Baylor University<br>
C: 254-227-2280</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1D1D1D;mso-ligatures:none"><img border="0" width="152" height="43" style="width:1.5833in;height:.4479in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DB9698.E9F478B0" alt="signature_339785252"></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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