WACO, Texas – Baylor head coach Scott Drew issued the following statement prior to Saturday’s game against No. 7 Kansas.
“Sophomore forward Tristan Clark suffered a left knee injury that will require season-ending surgery. He’s a tremendous player and teammate, so this is obviously disappointing news, but Tristan is determined to do whatever it takes to rehabilitate and return to being one of the nation’s premier big men. We can’t wait to have him back out on the court next season.”
Clark is averaging 14.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.43 blocks and 1.6 assists in 29.8 minutes per game while starting Baylor’s first 14 games this season. He leads the nation with a 73.7 field goal percentage, which was on pace to be the fourth-best single-season mark in NCAA Division I history.
Clark ranks seventh in the Big 12 Conference in scoring, ninth in rebounding, third in blocked shots and 20th in minutes. He was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Dec. 31 after posting 17 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks while converting on 8-of-9 from the field against New Orleans.
The sophomore from San Antonio scored in double-figures in 11 of 14 games this season, including a career-high 27 points on 11-of-13 from the field in a neutral-site game against Ole Miss. He blocked multiple shots in 11 of 14 games, including three games with five or more blocks.
Clark more than doubled his scoring average from last season, improving from 6.8 points per game as a freshman to 14.6 points per game during his 2018-19 sophomore year. He surpassed his blocked shots total from a season ago, recording 34 blocks in just 14 games this season against 29 blocks in 33 games as a freshman.
Clark has played in 47 games and made 44 starts over his first two seasons at Baylor. He’s scored 429 points, grabbed 236 rebounds and blocked 63 shots, averaging 9.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 22.9 minutes per game. His current .6629 career field goal percentage is on pace to break Josh Lomers’ program record (.6627) once he reaches the 200 field goals made minimum (177-of-267).
Baylor hosts No. 7 Kansas at 3 p.m. CT today on ESPN. The Bears then play at Oklahoma State at 8 p.m. CT Monday on ESPNU before returning home to host No. 8 Texas Tech at 5 p.m. CT on Jan. 19on ESPN2.
