BAYLOR (9-9, 1-6) vs. No. 10 OKLAHOMA STATE (16-3, 6-2)
Feb. 5, 2005 - Ferrell Center (Waco, Texas) - 6:00 p.m. CST

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RADIO: Baylor Radio Network (ESPN/KRZI 1660AM Waco)
INTERNET AUDIO: live broadcast at BaylorBears.com
TELEVISION: no local TV
INTERNET VIDEO (BEARCAST): live stream at BaylorBears.com
LIVE STATS: live GameTracker stats at BaylorBears.com

THE GAME
Baylor returns to Waco and attempts to end a four-game losing skid when it hosts 10th-ranked Oklahoma State Saturday, Feb. 5. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST at the Ferrell Center. The Bears are 9-9, 1-6 after losing 77-51 at Iowa State Tuesday. Baylor, the nation's most inexperienced team, is playing with limited scholarships and with nine newcomers. The Cowboys own a 16-3, 6-2 record and are coming off a 77-57 win over Kansas State at home Wednesday. Oklahoma State won the first meeting against Baylor this season, when then-No. 5 OSU downed the Bears 82-53 in Stillwater.

BAYLOR TIP-INS
- Baylor has lost 14 straight games vs. ranked opponents (2-27 last 4 years).
- Cowboy guard John Lucas III played two seasons at Baylor & ranks 7th on the school's career 3-pointers list & 9th in career assists.
- Baylor has been outscored 85-13 in bench points the last 4 games (0-4).
- Baylor is 0-4 this season in games in which Tommy Swanson fouls out.
- With 9 wins, Baylor has surpassed last season's win total (8-21).
- Aaron Bruce ranks 3rd in 3-point shooting (41%), 8th in FG shooting (49%) and 1st in FT shooting (87%) in the Big 12.
- Aaron Bruce (86.8%) and Tim Bush (85.2%) rank 1st & 3rd in Big 12 FT shooting.
- Baylor is the nation's most inexperienced team (only 1 returning scholarship player).
- Aaron Bruce is the second-highest scoring freshman in the nation (16.7 ppg).
- Baylor is 11-0 when scoring 70+ points (under Coach Drew; 2 seasons).
- Tim Bush has hit just 3 of his last 20 3-pointers attempted over the past 5 games.
- Baylor is 8-3 when holding opponents under 50% field goal shooting.
- Baylor has dressed 7 or fewer scholarship players for 47 straight games [17-30 record] (since final game of 2002-2003 season).
- Tommy Swanson's +6.3 scoring increase (from `03-04) is the 4th-best in the Big 12.
- BU is 1-20 when allowing opponents to shoot 50% or higher (in 2 years under Drew).
- Underclassmen have led Baylor in scoring in 16 of 18 games.
- Baylor ranks 2nd in the Big 12 in 3-point shooting, averaging 7.6 3s per game.
- Freshman Aaron Bruce is on Dick Vitale's Super Six All-Diaper Dandies listing.
- 102 of Kevis Shipman's 117 points scored (87%) this year are from 3-pointers (30).
- Baylor is 6-0 when recording more points in the paint than its opponent this season.
- Baylor's roster includes two active players taller than 6-6 (Tommy Swanson 6-10 and walk-on Mark Shepherd 6-9) [freshman Mamadou Diene, 7-0, has yet to dress].
- 4 Bears have double-digit scoring averages.
- Aaron Bruce was named the Midseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year by the Rocky Mountain News.
- Junior Tommy Swanson has made 47 straight starts (BU's longest streak since Terry Black & DeMarcus Minor started all 60 games during 1999-00 and 2000-01).

HEAD COACH Scott Drew
Scott Drew is in his second season of the massive rebuilding project he undertook at Baylor and owns a two-year mark of 17-30 and a career record of 37-41 (3 seasons). Drew spent 10 seasons at Valparaiso, the last as head coach after nine seasons as an assistant to his father Homer. During his decade at Valpo, the Crusaders earned six NCAA Tournament berths, including five straight from 1996-2000. An outstanding recruiter, Drew is responsible for four national Top-20 recruiting classes over the last six years. He was named the 1998-99 National Recruiter of the Year by Court Vision and helped produce what HoopScoop named the nation's sixth best recruiting class in 2001, the 10th best in 2004, the 13th best in 1999 and the 19th best in 2003.

THE OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
No. 10 Oklahoma State (16-3, 6-2) is led by Eddie Sutton, in his 15th year at OSU and his 35th year as a collegiate head coach. Sutton owns a career record of 771-295 with stints at Creighton, Arkansas and Kentucky prior to OSU; he is 341-131 with the Cowboys. Sutton is currently third in career victories among active Division I head coaches.

OSU NOTES: The Cowboys are led by senior F Joey Graham (18.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and senior G John Lucas III (17.9 ppg, 4.6 apg), the first and third ranked scorers in the Big 12 Conference, respectively... OSU is the top shooting team in the conference, with a 50.5% field goal percentage... Lucas played two seasons at Baylor and ranks seventh all-time in 3-pointers and ninth in career assists at BU.

THE OKLAHOMA STATE SERIES
Oklahoma State leads the all-time series with Baylor by a 42-12 margin. The Cowboys have won 14 of the last 15 meetings, including an 82-53 victory two weeks ago in Stillwater. Baylor trails 13-9 in games played in Waco and has lost six straight.

CUB FROM DOWN UNDER LEADING BEARS
True freshman G Aaron Bruce has led the inexperienced Bears since the start of his young career. Bruce has started every game and leads the Bears in scoring (16.7 ppg; 7th in Big 12) and free throw shooting (86.8%; 1st in Big 12, 28th nationally) and is second in 3-point percentage (41.3%; 3rd in Big 12) and minutes played (33.3 mpg). Bruce has scored in double-digits in 16-of-18 games.

BRUCE LEADING BIG 12 FRESHMEN
True freshman Aaron Bruce tops the Big 12 freshmen in four major categories: Scoring (1st, 16.7 ppg); field goal percentage (1st, 48.8%); 3-point field goal percentage (1st, 41.3%); and free throw percentage (1st, 86.8%).

BRUCE 2nd NATIONALLY AMONG FRESHMAN SCORERS
With a 16.7 scoring average, Aaron Bruce ranks second among the nation's freshmen in points per game, trailing Auburn's Toney Douglas (17.7 ppg).

BEARS vs. NATIONALLY RANKED FOES
Saturday's matchup vs. No. 10 Oklahoma State is Baylor's fifth game against a ranked opponent this season (0-4). The Bears are 2-27 over the last four seasons vs. ranked teams and have lost 14 straight since knocking off No. 13 Oklahoma State 74-72 in Stillwater on Feb. 15, 2003.

BUSH POSTING IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS
Sophomore F Tim Bush, a transfer from LSU, has made an immediate impact since gaining his eligibility following the fall semester. Bush is averaging 13.9 points [15th in Big 12], 5.6 rebounds [19th in Big 12], 33.7 minutes, is shooting 85.2% on free throws [3rd in Big 12] and has scored in double-digits in 11 of 14 games. Bush is playing substantial minutes for the first time in four seasons. After not playing his senior season of high school, Bush played just 36 minutes in 10 games for LSU as a true freshman in 2002-03 and transferred prior to last season - which he sat out at Baylor as a redshirt.

"VETERAN" SWANSON SHOWS STEADY IMPROVEMENT
Junior C Tommy Swanson, Baylor's only scholarship returnee, has stepped into his role as a major contributor in scoring and rebounding for the young Bears. Swanson has increased his average points to 12.7 (from 6.4 as a sophomore), shooting percentage to 54 percent (from 45), rebounds to 6.4 [13th in Big 12] (from 4.1) and minutes to 29.6 (from 22.1). Swanson has made 47 consecutive starts, Baylor's longest streak since Terry Black and DeMarcus Minor started all 60 games of the 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons.

SWANSON AMONG BIG 12's MOST-IMPROVED SCORERS
Junior F Tommy Swanson has improved his scoring average by more than six points from last season (12.7 ppg from 6.4). His 6.28-point improvement is the fourth-highest increase in the Big 12 this season (list of leaders below).

	BIG 12 MOST IMPROVED SCORERS
	Name, School		03-04	04-05	Improvement
	Chris Copeland, Colorado	3.18	13.57	+10.39
	Marcus Hall, Colorado	3.81	11.47	+7.66
	Joey Graham, OSU	        12.40	18.73	+6.33
	Tommy Swanson, Baylor	6.44	12.72	+6.28
	Ronald Ross, Texas Tech	10.12	16.33	+6.21
	Acie Law, Texas A&M	7.48	13.52	+6.04

BRUCE ALMIGHTY: PURE SHOOTER
Through 18 games of his career, freshman Aaron Bruce has established himself as a proficient shooter. The guard from Australia, tabbed the Big 12's "best jump shooter" in Lindy's preseason publication, currently ranks third in the Big 12 in 3-point shooting (38-of-92, 41.3%), eighth in field goal shooting (102-of-209, 48.8%) and first in free throw shooting (59-of-68; 86.8%).

VITALE NAMES BRUCE AMONG TOP SIX DIAPER DANDIES
Dick Vitale included Baylor true freshman Aaron Bruce among his "Super Six All-Diaper Dandies" - a listing of the top freshman in the nation published in January. Vitale wrote: "Coming via Australia, he is a lethal three-point shooter who is putting up big numbers for Scott Drew's Bears." Joining Bruce on the list were Jordan Farmar (UCLA), Daniel Gibson (Texas), Malik Hairston (Oregon), D.J. White (Indiana) and Marvin Williams (North Carolina).

BEARS SURPASS LAST SEASON'S WIN TOTAL
Despite losing nine lettermen from it's 2003-2004 depleted roster, Baylor has surpassed its win total from last season. With a 67-59 victory over Colorado Jan. 19, the Bears upped their win total to nine. In 2003-2004, the first in Scott Drew's rebuilding project, the undermanned Bears finished 8-21 (3-13 in the Big 12).

SUCCESS FROM THE LINE
Baylor newcomers Aaron Bruce (86.8%) and Tim Bush (85.2%) rank first and third, respectively, in the Big 12 in free throw shooting. Bruce's 86.8 percent ranks 28th nationally and Bush's 85.2 ranks 46th.

THE LAST MEETING: No. 5 OKLA. ST. 82 - BAYLOR 53 [Jan. 22, 2005]
Fifth-ranked Oklahoma State was too much for the short-handed Bears as Baylor was downed 82-53 at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Baylor led 18-11 eight minutes into the game behind eight points by Tim Bush. Then the Cowboys went on a 19-1 to close out the first half with a 36-24 lead. Terrence Crawford's dunk after his steal of Aaron Bruce's pass with 13 minutes left in the game made it 49-34, capping a 7-0 Cowboys run. The Bears pulled within 10 at 51-41 on Tommy Swanson's three-point play with 9:27 left. Baylor trailed by 15 with 2:17 to go before OSU's 14-0 run to finish the game. The Cowboys held Baylor to a season-low 30.9 percent from the floor. Bush finished with a team-high 19 points.

LAST TIME OUT: IOWA STATE 77 - BAYLOR 51
A seven-and-a-half minute first-half field goal drought doomed Baylor's chances as Iowa State ran away from the Bears 77-51 at Hilton Coliseum. Trailing just 18-17 after a Richard Hurd basket with 7:30 to go in the first, the Baylor offense stalled and was outscored 19-1 the remainder of the half and never recovered. After a slow start, the Cylcones ran with impunity, shot 52.5 percent, forced 23 turnovers and even made five 3-pointers. Baylor, which has only six scholarship players, has lost four straight and five of its last six after a promising start under second-year coach Scott Drew. Patrick Fields led Baylor with 16 points and was the team's only player in double figures. Aaron Bruce, coming off a 27-point outing against Texas A&M, scored only nine on 3-for-7 shooting. Iowa State needed almost 12 minutes to score its first 18 points, then ran off 19 in less than 6 minutes. Damion Staple scored eight of his 10 points early in the second half to help the Cyclones build the lead to 54-31. Rahshon Clark's steal and dunk and Tasheed Carr's free throw made it 63-33, and it was 71-38 after Stinson's 3-pointer with 5:09 to play.

NORTH vs. SOUTH
Over the last five seasons Baylor has had much more success against Big 12 North schools than those in the South. Baylor is 13-17 (.433) the last five seasons vs. Northern schools and just 8-38 (.174) vs. teams in the South.

7-FOOT SENEGALESE CENTER JOINS TEAM
Baylor incoming freshman Mamadou Diene arrived on campus last week. Diene, a 7-foot, 200-pound center from Yeumbeul, Senegal, was Scott Drew's first-ever signee at Baylor and one of the top international prospects when he signed with Baylor in 2003.

BIG 12 ROOKIES OF THE WEEK
Twice this season Baylor newcomers have been honored as Big 12 Rookie of the Week. In back-to-back weeks, sophomore F Tim Bush (Jan. 3) and true freshman G Aaron Bruce (Dec. 27) won the award. Bush, a transfer from LSU, received the award after leading the Bears to wins over Purdue and Prairie View A&M and averaging 21.5 points and 8.5 rebounds. Bruce, a native of Australia, was honored for his performance in a win over Maryland-Eastern Shore in which he scored a game-high 22 points and shot 73 percent (8-for-11) from the field - including 4-for-7 from 3-point distance. This is the first time Baylor has had two players named rookie of the week in the same season since 2001-2002, when former Bears John Lucas III (twice) and Lawrence Roberts were so honored.

FERRELL CENTER'S 17th YEAR
The Bears are in their 17th season in the beautiful Ferrell Center this year. Baylor is 8-4 at home in 2004-2005 and owns a 150-104 all-time record in the arena, which opened in November 1988. The Ferrell Center is a golden-domed structure that seats 10,284 for basketball games.

NATION'S MOST INEXPERIENCED TEAM
Baylor returned just three players from it's 2003-04 roster this season, including two walk-ons. Nine new players were included on the 2004-05 preseason roster. Baylor is the nation's only team (and the only team in recent memory) to have only one scholarship returnee. The three returnees had a combined total of four seasons of experience at the Division I level prior to this season. The 2004-05 roster includes nine underclassmen. This marks Baylor's second consecutive season of enduring short roster numbers (the Bears suited up between five and seven scholarship players during the 2003-04 season). Baylor has dressed 7 or fewer scholarship players for 46 straight games (since final game of 2002-03 season; 17-29 record during that span).

LOTS OF NEWCOMERS
The 2004-2005 Baylor roster includes seven newcomers and an additional two players who sat out last season. The nine new faces include three junior college transfers (junior G Kevis Shipman, sophomore G Roscoe Biggers and G/F Patrick Fields); one Division I transfer (sophomore F Tim Bush); and five high schoolers (G Aaron Bruce, C Mamadou Diene, G/F Hall Henderson, F Richard Hurd, F Mark Shepherd).

DEPARTED PLAYERS
Nine lettermen from Baylor's season-opening 2003-2004 roster are not on the 2004-2005 edition. With those departed players the Bears have lost 88.8 percent of their scoring and 86.4 percent of last season's rebounding. Gone is Baylor's all-time games-played leader Matt Sayman, the USBL's No. 1 draft pick R.T. Guinn, talented All-District honoree Terrance Thomas, the scoring of third-team All-Big 12 selection Harvey Thomas and 22-game starter Carl Marshall. Four players left due to graduation/expired eligibility (Guinn, Robbie McKenzie, Sayman, T. Thomas), three transferred (Will Allen, Corey Herring, Marshall), one left to play professionally (H. Thomas) and one was dismissed from the team (Ellis Kidd Jr.).

BAYLOR GAMES ONLINE - AUDIO AND VIDEO (BEARCAST)
A live audio stream of all Baylor basketball games can be heard on BaylorBears.com at no cost. Live video (BearCasts) is available at BaylorBears.com; all non-televised home games will be streamed on-line. BearCast subscriptions are $6.95 a month or $49.95 annually. Single-game basketball fees are $0.95 for an annual BearCast subscriber, $1.95 for a monthly BearCast subscriber or $4.95 for non-BearCast subscribers.

BAYLOR'S EARLY SIGNING CLASS RATED 11th NATIONALLY
Baylor's five-man early signee class is rated the 11th-best class in the nation according to HoopScoop and is one of the highest rated recruiting classes in recent school history. The class includes three national Top-100 players and three Top-10 state recruits. The signees include four prep seniors, Henry Dugat of Dayton (Texas) High School, Curtis Jerrells of Del Valle High School in Austin, Texas, Kevin Rogers of South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas and Jari Vanttaja of Oulu, Finland; as well as Tony Jones, a freshman at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas.

Rogers, a 6-8, 220-pound power forward, is rated the 35th-best recruit nationally by Rivals and Hoop Alliance and the sixth-best recruit in the state by Rivals. Dugat is a 6-0, 160-pound combo guard rated No. 69 nationally by Scout.com and the fifth-best recruit in the state by TexasHoops. Jerrells, a 6-1, 170-pound point guard, was named to the TABC 4A All-State second team. He is rated the No. 94 recruit nationally by Rivals and the No. 7 recruit in Texas by Texas Roundball. Vanttaja is a 6-10, 215-pound forward who recently averaged 14 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Finnish Junior National Team at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim, Germany. According to HoopScoop, if Vanttaja played in the U.S. he would be rated among the Top 50 high school prospects. Jones is a 6-7, 185-pound forward who redshirted the 2003-2004 season at Hill College and will have three seasons of eligibility at Baylor.

BAYLOR EARLY SIGNEES:
Name		Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	Hometown (Schools)
Henry Dugat	G	6-0	160	Fr.	Dayton, Texas (Dayton HS)
Curtis Jerrells	G	6-1	170	Fr.	Austin, Texas (Del Valle HS)
Tony Jones	F	6-7	185	So.	San Antonio, Texas (Taft HS/Hill College)
Kevin Rogers	F	6-8	220	Fr.	Dallas, Texas (South Oak Cliff HS)
Jari Vanttaja	F	6-10	215	Fr.	Oulu, Finland (South Tapiola HS)

OVER THE AIR
Bear basketball games are aired live on the Baylor Radio Network and flagship station 1660AM ESPN Radio (KRZI) in Waco. Selected games are broadcast on Dallas-Fort Worth affiliate WBAP 820AM, which covers 80 percent of the nation and reaches 38 states during night games. All Baylor games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Bears" John Morris, a veteran broadcaster in his 10th season, and former Baylor basketball standout Pat Nunley, in his 23rd season as color analyst.

INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW
Inside Baylor Sports, a half-hour wrap-up of BU athletics, airs weekly throughout the Southwest. The program, co-hosted by John Morris and Lori Scott-Fogleman, airs on KCEN-TV (Sundays at 10:30 p.m.), FSN Southwest (Wednesdays at 1 p.m) and CSTV (Thursdays at 5 or 5:30 p.m). All shows are archived online at BaylorBears.com and BaylorTV.com.

NEXT UP...
The Bears travel to Lubbock for a Wednesday, Feb. 9, contest against Texas Tech. Tipoff is schedu ed for 8 p.m. CST at the United Spirit Arena and the game will be televised live on ESPN+Plus (Time Warner Cable channel 16 in Waco/Temple).