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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 13.8px;"><b>BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 16, 2026</b></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; color: black;"><b>Baylor MBB to Compete in 2026 College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b><i>The Bears will play Minnesota in the opening round of the College Basketball Crown on April 1</i></b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b><i>Media Credential Form:
<a href="https://collegebasketballcrown.com/mediacredential/" data-outlook-id="174207df-79ae-4c6d-96ba-7c39f3d3b43d" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
https://collegebasketballcrown.com/mediacredential/</a></i></b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>For more information contact:
</b>Josie Hutton; 254-709-7720, </span><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(150, 96, 125);"><u><a href="mailto:josie_hutton@baylor.edu" data-outlook-id="16a13b81-6112-4ba8-86e0-3d10dc932d92" style="color: rgb(150, 96, 125); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">josie_hutton@baylor.edu</a></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>LAS VEGAS –</b> Baylor men’s basketball will compete in the College Basketball Crown, taking place in Las Vegas from April 1-5. The Bears will start the tournament playing
Minnesota at 9:30 p.m. CT on FS1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Baylor is one of eight teams in competition alongside Colorado, West Virginia, Creighton, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Rutgers and Stanford.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"We’re excited to have the opportunity to continue competing in the College Basketball Crown,” said head coach Scott Drew. “We’ve been blessed with a great group of guys, and
we’re grateful for the opportunity to spend a few more weeks with them and hopefully finish this year with a win.”</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Baylor and Minnesota will play in the second game of the event. The winner of that match-up will play the winner of Colorado and Oklahoma in the semifinals. The semifinals will
be held on Saturday, April 4, with the championship on Sunday, April 5, at 4:30 pm CT at T-Mobile Arena on FOX. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This will be the first time in program history Baylor and Minnesota have competed against each other. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Two-time All-American and NBA veteran Jim Jackson calls the action throughout the entire tournament, pairing with FOX Sports’ lead college basketball announcer Gus Johnson for
the semifinals and championship matchup on FOX, with play-by-play announcer Tim Brando on the call for the quarterfinals on FS1. Allison Williams serves as sideline reporter for the quarterfinals, while Kristina Pink joins for the semifinals and championship. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The studio team provides bridge show, pregame, and postgame coverage throughout the tournament. FOX Sports’ studio coverage is anchored by hosts Rob Stone and Mike Hill, with
insight and analysis from LaPhonso Ellis, Casey Jacobsen and Donny Marshall.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Bears competed in Las Vegas earlier this season in the Players’ Era Tournament, where they went 2-1 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena with wins over Creighton and San Diego State. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For more information on tickets, visit
</span><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(150, 96, 125);"><u><a href="https://www.vividseats.com/college-basketball-crown-tickets--sports-ncaa-basketball/performer/184249" data-outlook-id="5f67e9b4-d0aa-4035-a393-f1e7ed1319f6" style="color: rgb(150, 96, 125); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">vividseats.com
</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">or
</span><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(150, 96, 125);"><u><a href="https://collegebasketballcrown.com/" data-outlook-id="6d90e8de-dd13-4c8f-97d9-4d7f48e1d595" style="color: rgb(150, 96, 125); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">collegebasketballcrown.com</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> for
the latest updates. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><i> - BaylorBears</i></span><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"><i><u>.com</u> -</i></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(15, 92, 26);"><b>Josie Hutton</b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (MBB, FB, MTEN) </span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black;">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black;">C: (254) 709-7720</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> <img src="cid:67D33727-E4A9-4D29-9472-41A398FBDDB5" alt="BU.png" id="id-67D33727-E4A9-4D29-9472-41A398FBDDB5" width="129" height="34" style="width: 129px; height: 34px; max-width: 100%; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"></span></p>
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