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The Lady Bears head to Dallas tomorrow for the Big 12 tournament, after going undefeated in league play and winning the regular season title. Though there may not be expected drama on the Baylor side of the bracket, the other Big 12 teams offer exciting storylines, as nearly 40 of this season's games were decided by 5 points or less. The tournament also begins the farewell tour for the 6 seniors on this year's squad, and Kim Mulkey spoke at length yesterday about the growing process the team underwent to become the dominant force they now are, and on a possible return to the National Championship game. The Lady Bears took home several Big 12 season awards yesterday, with Kim Mulkey winning Coach of the Year, Brittney Griner winning both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, and Destiny Williams picked up the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Baylor Baseball hosts Illinois this weekend, playing their first doubleheader of the year on Saturday. The Bears have been on a hot streak recently, winning 5 of their last 6 games to move to above .500 for the first time this season, and this series against the Illini offers a chance to continue the improvements in both hitting and pitching.
Though coach Scott Drew has done amazing things with the men's basketball program in the years that he's been here, he may be hitting the same problem suffered by such powerhouses as Kansas and Kentucky-the lure of the NBA payday. Though the program now draws talents such as Isaiah Austin and Perry Jones III, Drew faces restructuring the team year after year when players leave school early for the NBA.
Baylor Football's spring practice continues on, and expected starting quarterback Bryce Petty has been making a good impression on both coaches and teammates. A more physical player than either Robert Griffin III or Nick Florence, the offense under Petty will be much more about running "over you, rather than around you." Baylor also brings two cornerbacks off injury this season, and Demetri Goodson and K.J. Morton are eager to return to the field after watching last year's success from the sidelines. Finally, the game versus OU has been moved to Thursday, November 7, and will be broadcast on national TV.
Men's Tennis welcomes no. 5 Kentucky to Waco this afternoon, facing the Wildcats at the Hurd Tennis Center at 2:30 PM. The Bears are 9-1, and have won their last 7 games, and all 7 games at home. Despite Kentucky's ranking, Baylor has never lost to the Wildcats, posting a 8-0 record across several years.
The NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships field is set, and Baylor will be represented by 10 individuals and the men's 4x400-meter relay team in Fayetteville, Arkansas. One of those 10 individuals is freshman Felix Obi, who was just awarded the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award for his excellence in the triple jump. Obi is the first Baylor athlete ever to win the Big 12 title in the men's triple jump, and has Olympic hopes to work towards, along with this weekend's National Championship.