Daily Bears Report 1/27/2018 MBB vs. Florida (11:00 AM CT) and Football Recruiting News

Jam Packed DBR Today! Sic ‘em Bears!

By Ohio Baylor Fan@OhioBaylorFan Jan 27, 2018, 10:49am CST

Today’s Events

Men’s Basketball, @ Florida, 11:00 AM CT, Gametracker, Listen, Watch ESPN
Men’s Tennis, vs. UNLV, 2:00 PM CT

Men’s Basketball

Bears hope to stay unbeaten in Big 12/SEC Challenge, WacoTrib, Baylor coach Scott Drew has always seen the Big 12/SEC Challenge as a unique opportunity to showcase the strength of his league and improve the Bears’ NCAA tournament resume.

MBB Travels to No. 20 Florida for Big 12/SEC Challenge - Baylor University Official Athletic Site, Baylor Basketball heads to Florida to face the Gators in the fifth-annual Big 12/SEC Challenge. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT from the O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla., and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN and WatchESPN.

Florida vs. Baylor odds: Big 12-SEC Challenge picks from expert who's 4-1 on Bears - CBSSports, Josh Nagel has his finger on the pulse of Baylor basketball and just locked in a pick for Saturday

Gators playing for more than conference pride - GatorSports.com, For the SEC, it’s a chance to enhance its brand as an improving basketball conference.

For No. 20 Florida, it’s a chance to bounce back after a disappointing home loss Wednesday to South Carolina.

The Gators will try to get the conference off to a good start today when they host Baylor in the first wave of SEC-Big 12 Challenge matchups at the O’Connell Center. Both Florida and Baylor have had their share of inconsistencies after making deep runs in the NCAA Tournament last season. The schools could have met in the East Region’s Elite Eight last season, but South Carolina knocked off Baylor in the Sweet 16, then beat the Gators in the Elite Eight en route to its first Final Four appearance in school history.

Baylor vs. Florida College Basketball Predictions Against The Spread, Can No. 20 Florida bounce back today when the Gators host Baylor in the Big 12/SEC Challenge at Noon ET?

Scouting Report: Florida Gators vs. Baylor Bears | GatorCountry.com, After losing a deflating game to the South Carolina Gamecocks on their home floor in Gainesville the Gators turn their sights to the Baylor Bears when they kick off the Big 12-SEC Challenge on Saturday, January 27.

With the rare opportunity to pick up a quality out of conference win in January at stake the Gators will look to improve the disjointed offense they showed against the Gamecocks while also trying to defend the 3-point line at a higher level on their side of the floor.

With both leagues considered to be some of the strongest in college basketball the Big 12-SEC Challenge will be a legendary battle for basketball supremacy and a victory for the Gators won’t just be another addition to their quality win total but an RPI boost for the entire conference, ultimately helping the entire league. Leading in to this marquee matchup, here is the scouting report.

Big 12/SEC challenge: What to watch for in Baylor’s matchup with Florida, DieHards, Baylor is firmly on the outside looking in of the NCAA tournament. The Bears have to make a statement against Florida in a midseason nonconference game.

The Baylor Bears hit the road to take on the Florida Gators in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, BearsIllustrated, The Baylor Bears and Florida Gators square off in the SEC/Big 12 challenge.

Baylor Bears at Florida Gators preview, FoxSports, The Florida Gators will try to get back on track when they meet the Baylor Bears in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday at noon in Gainesville, Fla.

Tennis

Men's Tennis Set to Host ITA Kick-Off Weekend - Baylor University Official Athletic Site, Head coach Matt Knoll could surpass a coaching milestone as the 11th-ranked Baylor men's tennis team serve as one of 15 sites for the ITA Kick-Off Weekend starting Saturday, Jan. 27 at the Hurd Tennis Center.

No. 19 WT Sweeps Opening Day - Baylor University Official Athletic Site, With a dominant 7-0 victory over Western Michigan in the morning and another 7-0 win against New Mexico in the evening, No. 19 Baylor women’s tennis is off to a 2-0 start to the season for the 11th consecutive season. With the win, the Bears extend their regular season home win streak to 21-straight dual matches.

Women’s tennis sweeps doubleheader to open season | The Baylor Lariat, After having its opening match last weekend postponed, Baylor women’s tennis made its debut count on Friday afternoon.

The 19th ranked Bears first swept Western Michigan in an early showing 7-0 before dismantling New Mexico 7-0 in the nightcap.

Baylor head coach Joey Scrivano said he was really impressed with his team’s performance in both matches, but it was the way the Bears started and finished that made the difference.

“I really liked our focus going into both matches. They started strong, but they also finished strong. It shows their professionalism and intensity, and it’s really impressive,” Scrivano said. “It’s not easy to play a doubleheader and it’s not easy to win matches with this kind of margin. I really like what I saw today.”

Lady Bears Basketball

Daily Bears Report 1/26/2017 - Baylor Lady Bears Trounce Texas, 81-56 - Our Daily Bears, Kristy Wallace makes awesome Aussie Day 27 point statement for Lady Bears.

Softball

SB Picked Second in Preseason Big 12 Coaches Poll - Baylor University Official Athletic Site, Baylor softball was picked to finish second in the 2018 Big 12 Coaches Preseason Poll, announced Thursday by the conference office.

Volleyball

Baylor Volleyball Adds Milana, Van Slate to 2018 Roster - Baylor University Official Athletic Site, Baylor volleyball head coach Ryan McGuyre announced the addition of junior transfer outside hitter Gia Milana and freshman defensive specialist Emily Van Slate to the 2018 fall roster Friday afternoon.

Baseball

Baylor baseball gets spring practice underway, KWTX, After a successful 2017 campaign, the Baylor Baseball team is back on the field.

Bears baseball holds first practice, KXXV, The Bears are fresh off a trip to the regional where a quick couple of games knocked them out of the post season as soon as they got in.

Football

Baylor Bears join Florida Gators as the first offers for emerging 2020 athlete Jaden Hullaby from Mansfield Timberview, 247Sports, Baylor has offered an emerging sophomore athlete prospect from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Baylor recruiting: Bears in great spot as National Signing Day approaches, DieHards, Baylor football is close to finishing out a star-studded recruiting class. Here are their priorities in the final few weeks.

Four Star Mansfield Safety, Cam Jones, set to announce between Baylor, Nebraska, and Ole MIss, BearsIllustrated, The four-star Mansfield High School safety will announce his decision between Baylor, Nebraska, and Ole Miss.

NCAA denies K.J. Smith 6th year with Baylor | Baylor Bears Football, BearsExtra, Baylor defensive lineman K.J. Smith’s college career is over after the NCAA denied a medical redshirt waiver for a sixth year of eligibility.

Baylor DE K.J. Smith loses appeal for medical redshirt, DieHards, Baylor defensive end K.J. Smith will not return for the 2018 season after the NCAA denied a request for a medical redshirt.

The Baylor Bears senior defensive lineman's request for a 6th year of eligibility was denied by the NCAA, BearsIllustrated, K.J. Smith got an answer on his request for a 6th year of eligibility from the NCAA, and it not good news for the Bears.

Scandal

Court to set priority trial setting for Oakman's sexual assault trial, WacoTrib, Prosecutors and an attorney for former Baylor University football player Shawn Oakman asked a judge for a priority trial setting Friday in Oakman’s sexual assault case.