For the 20th-consecutive year, the Baylor men’s tennis team will play in the NCAA Tennis Championships starting Friday at the Hurd Tennis Center.
The seventh-ranked Bears will take on Lamar at 1 p.m. CT in first round action. No. 26 ranked Cornell will face 43rd-ranked Rice in the other first round match at 10 a.m. The winners of those two matches will then play on Saturday, May 13, at 4 p.m. CT for a spot in the NCAA Championship Round of 16.
The Bears will host the first and second rounds for the 13 time in their 20 NCAA appearances, and the fourth time in the last five years.
BU is currently 21-7 on the season, but has lost three straight matches.
Tickets to the matches are $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 2-17. Baylor students with a valid student ID get in free.
TEAM NOTES
• Baylor is 53-18 (.746) all-time in NCAA Championship play. BU is 17-2 in first round matches and 16-1 in second round action.
• The Bears are12-7 versus ranked opponents and 9-2 in home matches in 2017.
• Baylor is 24-0 when hosting first and second round NCAA Championship action and 26-1 all-time in NCAA matches in Waco.
• Baylor, currently ranked No. 7, was ranked as high as No. 3 on April 4 after a 19-3 start.
• The Bears won the 2004 NCAA Team Championship, which was Baylor’s first team NCAA title in any sport.
• BU has reached the round of 16 16 times, including 14 straight trips prior to last season’s second round exit.
• Baylor is coming off a quarterfinal loss in the Big 12 Championship and has lost 4 of its last 5 matches.
• BU is 17-11 in doubles points and 16-1 in matches when winning the doubles point and 5-6 when dropping the opening point.
• Baylor rolled past Lamar with a 6-1 on Feb. 3. The Bears have won 8-straight matches over Lamar and lead the all-time series 9-4.
RESULTS/COVERAGE
Live scoring and video for the all first and second round matches can be found at BaylorBears.com. BU’s matches will also feature a live blow. Complete meet recaps and video highlights can be found at the conclusion of each day of competition at BaylorBears.com.
