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<h1 align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;text-decoration:none">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – June 1, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1>
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<h2 align="left" style="text-align:left"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;font-style:normal">Baylor MBB to Face Auburn at the Sanford Pentagon to Open the 2023-24 Season<o:p></o:p></span></b></h2>
<h2 align="left" style="text-align:left"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;font-style:normal">The Bears beat Gonzaga in a thriller last season in Sioux Falls</span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;font-style:normal"><o:p></o:p></span></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">For more information, contact:
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Matt Roberts, 254-227-2280, </span><a href="mailto:WM_Roberts@Baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">WM_Roberts@Baylor.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">WACO, Texas – </span></strong><span style="color:black;background:white">Baylor men's basketball will tip off the 2023-24 season against the Auburn Tigers
on Nov. 7, at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white">This season will mark the first time BU has opened the season with a power-six opponent since 2013-2014 when it opened against Colorado in the Tip-Off Showcase. Head coach Scott Drew is looking
forward to going back to the Sanford Pentagon for a marquee matchup to start the season.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white">“We are thrilled to be heading back to the Sanford Pentagon for a great matchup with Auburn,” Drew said. “I have tremendous respect for Coach [Bruce] Pearl and what he has done with his program,
and we look forward to a great game in November. Our team had a fantastic experience last year in Sioux Falls, and we are excited to be invited back again this season."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white">The meeting in South Dakota will be the eighth between the two programs, with Baylor winning five of the seven previous matchups, including the last meeting, 84-72, on Jan. 30, 2021. In that meeting,
Baylor’s bench took the tiger by the tail as sophomore guard </span><span style="color:black">Adam Flagler<span style="background:white"> scored a game-high 19 points and </span>Matthew Mayer<span style="background:white"> added 13 points and a couple of highlight-reel
dunks to help the second-ranked Bears remain undefeated en route to the National Championship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white">The trip to the Mount Rushmore State will be Baylor’s second in as many seasons after it defeated Gonzaga in a 64-63 thriller at the Sanford Pentagon last season. The Bears shut down Gonzaga’s
Drew Timme, limiting him to just nine points, while Keyonte George scored a game-high 18 points, and Jalen Bridges sealed the game with a critical offensive rebound and a pair of free throws in the final 30 seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white">With a 67-64 win over Arkansas last season, BU finished the 10-year Big 12-SEC Challenge with an 8-2 mark, the best among any team in either conference. Drew has an 18-11 record against the SEC,
including a 13-7 mark since 2012-2013.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white">While the full schedule will be released at a later date, Baylor previously announced it would participate in the NIT Season-Tip Off alongside Florida, Pittsburgh and Oregon State Nov. 22-24 at
Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;background:white"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Follow @BaylorMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for additional updates.<span style="background:white"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<a href="http://www.BaylorBears.com">www.BaylorBears.com</a><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Matt Roberts | Associate Director of Athletic Communications (MBB/MGOLF/ WGOLF) <br>
Department of Athletics | Baylor University<br>
C: 254-227-2280</span><span style="color:#212121;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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