Baylor MBB to Host Georgia in Big 12/SEC Challenge
Bears have league's best record in conference challenges at 5-1
IRVING, Texas – Baylor men's basketball will host Georgia during the third-annual Big 12/SEC Challenge Presented By Sonic. For the first time, all games in the Challenge will be played in one day – Saturday, Jan. 30.
All 10 matchups for the event were announced by the league offices Thursday, but tipoff times and television networks will be assigned at a later date. Each game will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU, and ESPN's College GameDay Covered by State Farm will originate from one of the 10 sites to be determined.
Baylor will face Georgia for the first time in program history. Both teams are coming off NCAA Tournament appearances, with Baylor going 24-10 and earning a No. 3 seed and Georgia going 21-12 and earning a No. 10 seed.
Additional matchups in the Challenge include Kentucky at Kansas, Mississippi at Kansas State, Tennessee at TCU, Vanderbilt at Texas, Iowa State at Texas A&M, Oklahoma at LSU, Oklahoma State at Auburn, Texas Tech at Arkansas and West Virginia at Florida.
The Big 12 has won each of the first two Challenges against the SEC, going a combined 13-7. The league is a combined 41-27 in the two conference challenge series it has played (vs. Pac-10, SEC) dating back to 2007.
Baylor is 2-0 in the Challenge, with a neutral-site win vs. Kentucky in the inaugural event and a win at Vanderbilt last season. Combined with a 3-1 record in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series, Baylor's 5-1 record in conference challenges is best in the Big 12.
Baylor returns five of its top seven scorers from last season's 24-10 team, which reached the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year. All-Big 12 forwards Rico Gathers and Taurean Prince return for their senior seasons, as well as rising senior guard Lester Medford. Ishmail Wainright is the lone returning junior, while Johnathan Motley, Al Freeman and T.J. Maston will be sophomores. The Bears also add five players from a nationally-ranked signing class.
2016 BIG 12/SEC CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY SONIC (JAN. 30)
Georgia at Baylor
Kentucky at Kansas
Mississippi at Kansas State
Tennessee at TCU
Vanderbilt at Texas
Iowa State at Texas A&M
Oklahoma at LSU
Oklahoma State at Auburn
Texas Tech at Arkansas
West Virginia at Florida
