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Daily Bears Report 12/31/2016-1/1/2017

Happy New Year! Highlights and Postgame Baylor Men’s Basketball vs. Oklahoma, Lady Bears Have Holiday Guest, Lady Bears vs. Kansas on New Years Day

By Ohio Baylor Fan

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NCAA Basketball: Baylor at Oklahoma Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

New Year’s Day Event

Women's Basketball, vs Kansas, Ferrell Center @ 2:00 PM, Watch (premium stream), Listen (free)

Lady Bears News Clippings

Lady Bears Holiday Guest

  • Former Baylor Athletic Director Ian McCaw, who resigned in the wake of the sexual assault scandal at Baylor in May, was back on the Baylor campus for the first time since taking a new job at Liberty University, cheering on the Lady Bears basketball team. From KWTX TV 10.

McCaw and his wife, Heather, attended the women's game Thursday night at the Ferrell Center, sitting behind the bench with the family of head coach Kim Mulkey.

The No. 3 Lady Bears defeated Kansas State 87-57.

McCaw said despite the tumultuous last seven months, he was glad to be back in Waco supporting a university whose athletic programs he helped lead for nearly 13 years, and particularly a women's basketball program he watched win two national championships.

"It's been a special time to be back in Waco for the Christmas Holidays to see family and friends," McCaw said."

“It was a real treat to be able to watch the Lady Bears. I am so proud of Kim and the dynasty that she has built. It was a tremendous privilege to work with her for 13 years and be a small part of her championship teams."

McCaw and Mulkey have maintained a close relationship since McCaw resigned on May 30 citing the need for "healing" for the University.

When Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, hired McCaw on Nov. 28 it faced criticism from some who wondered what his potential role in the scandal.

Mulkey stepped in defending her former boss and Liberty President Jerry Falwell's hire, telling a Lynchburg reporter, "If I was the president of a university, I wouldn’t hesitate to hire Ian McCaw.”

Mulkey told KWTX she has the upmost respect for McCaw and was happy to have him in her stands.

"I was so glad to see Ian and get a hug from him,” Mulkey said.

“To have him continue to support Baylor and show up at games speaks volumes about him as a person.”

Men’s Basketball

Baylor's "second season" started a lot like the first ended, with the fourth-ranked Bears opening Big 12 play with a 76-50 blowout of the Oklahoma Sooners Friday night at the Lloyd Noble Center. Story by Baylor Bear Foundation’s Jerry Hill from Baylor Bears dot com.

After holding OU (6-6, 0-1) to the fewest first-half points by an opponent in a Big 12 road game in the Scott Drew era - taking a 36-17 lead at the break - the Bears (13-0) led by as many as 34 in winning at the Noble Center for just the fifth time in 27 trips.

"I remember a lot of trips up here that didn't go well. This is a tough place to play," said Drew, who is 3-11 at Norman. "I know they weren't at full strength, that's first and foremost. Second of all, I thought we were sharp after the break. You've got to credit our upperclassmen for making sure they were ready to go."

Boy, were they.

Motley, Manu Lecomte and Jo Lual-Acuil hit 3-pointers as the Bears got out to an 11-2 start in the first four minutes.

Playing without senior point guard Jordan Woodard and sophomore forward Dante Buford, who were both sitting out with injuries, the Sooners struggled to get anything going on the offensive end.

OU shot just 26 percent in the first half (7-of-27), including 3-of-12 from outside the 3-point arc, and 32.7 percent for the game (17-of-52). Christian James hit three second-half 3-pointers, finishing with a game-high 11 points as the Sooners' only double-figure scorers.

"Everybody was just playing with a lot of energy, flying around, making them do the things they don't want to do," said Motley, who posted his fourth double-double of the season and ninth of his career with 19 points, 13 rebounds and a season-high three blocks. "They like to shoot a lot of 3's, and we were just trying to make them put it on the floor and them finish over our bigs."

"We were definitely confident. And we believe in ourselves," Motley said. "We've got some goals we want to accomplish, and everyone's locked in on those goals. And it showed out there."

Lecomte was a sizzling 4-of-5 from outside the arc and finished with 14 points, while Lual-Acuil had 12 points and eight boards, helping Baylor finish with a 46-30 rebounding edge. But, the nation's leading shot blocker did not have a blocked shot for the first time in 13 games.

"My teammates did a great job finding me . . . always, always," Lecomte said. "I've just got to keep shooting it."

  • Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger knew his team would have to adjust this season without Buddy Hield, Isaiah Cousins and Ryan Spangler. From News OK.

Kruger didn't figure they'd have to learn to play without Jordan Woodard as well.

But after a run of excellent health throughout the three previous seasons, the Sooners have struggled with wellness this season.

Friday night, Woodard missed his second consecutive game as the Sooners opened Big 12 play with a 76-50 blowout loss to No. 4-ranked Baylor in front of an estimated 7,267 at Lloyd Noble Center.

It's not clear how long Woodard will be out or what is keeping him sidelined other than it was a medical condition.

“That’s all we can say,” Kruger said. “It is a medical situation that will continue to be evaluated and monitored.”

The condition isn’t related to the high-leg injury that kept Woodard out of the Dec. 21 loss to Auburn. The senior guard had returned to practice this week and said Tuesday he was ready to play.

He practiced Thursday without incident but late Thursday night, Kruger learned that Woodard would be out with an illness.

It’s unclear how much time Woodard will miss.

“Hopefully sooner than later, but there’s no timetable to it,” Kruger said.

With the Oklahoma football team’s Sugar Bowl date coming up Monday, the Lloyd Noble Center wasn’t close to full for Friday’s Big 12 basketball opener. Story by WacoTrib’s John Werner from BearsExtra.

But it wouldn’t have mattered if the arena was packed to the rafters.

No. 4 Baylor continued to prove it’s ready to face anybody anywhere as it opened up a 19-point halftime lead and cruised to a 76-50 win over the Sooners before an estimated crowd of 7,267.

The Bears improved to 13-0 and looked like a team eager to build on its impressive nonconference success that included wins over top 10 teams Oregon, Louisville and Xavier. Continue Reading...

PHOTO GALLERY

  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
  • Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

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