🐻The Official Daily Newsletter For Baylor Athletics

TGIF Baylor Fam. March, there’s truly nothing like this time of year in college athletics.

The excitement. The energy. The craziness.

All of that and then some takes over Kansas City for the next two weeks as Big 12 Tournament action kicks into high gear.

What all do we have stirring in today’s Brew? Check it out below!

🏀 Tourney Time
👏 We’ll Take A Six Piece, Please
📈 Bears In The Polls
🐻 And much, much more!

🐻 BEARS IN THE POLLS

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Tourney Time. After all the adversity, all the injuries and the ups and downs of the season, the 17th-ranked Baylor women’s squad is ready to take the court and battle for a chance to hoist the trophy.

The Bears enter today’s quarterfinal matchup against Iowa State as the second-seed in the tournament and coming off the most conference wins since 2020-21.

With a victory, BU would claim its 50th all-time Big 12 Tournament victory as the Bears sport a 49-16 mark at the event.

🏀: A Full Tourney Preview

🏆: Big 12 Tournament Central

🔼 We’ll Take A Six Piece, Please. Even before heading to KC for tourney action, the 17th-ranked Baylor women’s hoops squad had to make sure to leave space to bring home some hardware.

Earlier this week, six Bears were honored by the Big 12 as part of their yearly accolades.

Darianna Littlepage-Buggs headlined the honors for Baylor with a first-team recognition, and Yaya Felder was named Sixth Player of the Year, while Sarah Andrews and Aaronette Vonleh had a second-team placement. Bella Fontleroy and Jada Walker were given honorable mention, and Fontleroy received a second nod on the All-Defensive Team.

🏆: More on the Award Winners

🔼 He Is Speed. Not sure how popular the movie “Cars” was in Nathaniel Ezekiel’s home country of Nigeria, but if it was then he may have garnered the nickname Lightning McQueen.

Ezekiel’s speed has proven to be not only among the best in the country, but also the world an this indoor season was no different.

After ending the Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championship with two titles in the 400m and 4×400, Ezekiel was named the Big 12 Men’s Performer of the Year, becoming the first Bear since 2021 to claim the honor.

🏆: Recapping Ezekiel’s Award-Winning Season

🔼 Riding High. Clear a little more space on the fridge, we’ve got more accolades to hang.

This week, Baylor equestrian had two riders earn Big 12 monthly honors with Madison Mitchell being named the Fencers Rider of the Month, while senior Alexis Rutledge earned the title for Horsemanship.
 
This is Mitchell's third Big 12 monthly accolade of her career, and the first for Fences. This marks Rutledge's second Big 12 monthly honor.

🐎: More On The Award-Winning Duo

🔼 Diamond Days. Looking like a perfect weather weekend to head to the diamonds in Waco.

You can put off the yard work a few more days, the Baylor baseball and softball squads are back in action at home this weekend.

Softball kicks off Big 12 conference play with a three-game series against Kansas, while the baseball boys host Loyola Marymount in a three-game set.

👏 MAKING AN IMPACT

🤔 SIC ’EM TRIVIA

In their only matchup of the regular season, Baylor toppled Iowa State 67-52 at home in late February.

Who was the leading scorer for the Bears in that game?

Think you got it?

Scroll to the bottom to see the answer!

🏈 YOUR CHAIR, SIR…

Earlier this week, it was announced that Baylor Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack B. Rhoades IV will serve as the chairman of the 2025 College Football Playoff Selection Committee.
 
Rhoades will be in his second year of a three-year term on the CFP selection committee after playing a role in the selection of the first 12-team field in CFP history in 2024. 

📅 ON THE DOCKET

Friday, March 7th
🐎 Equestrian at South Dakota State @ 8am
🐎 Equestrian vs. Minnesota-Crookston @ 3:30pm (Brookings, S.D.)
🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Iowa State @ 5:30pm
(Big 12 Quarterfinals - Kansas City, Kansas)
🎾 Women’s Tennis at UCF @ 6pm
🥎 Softball vs. Kansas @ 6:30pm
⚾️ Baseball vs. Loyola Marymount @ 6:30pm

Saturday, March 8th
🐎 Equestrian vs. Minnesota-Crookston @ 10am (Brookings, S.D.)
🥎 Softball vs. Kansas @ 2pm
⚾️ Baseball vs. Loyola Marymount @ 2pm
🤸 Acrobatics & Tumbling at Missouri State @ 5pm
🏀 Women’s Basketball at Big 12 Semifinals @ 5:30pm (Kansas City, Kansas)
🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. #3 Houston @ 9 pm

Saturday, March 9th
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. #31 Cornell @ 12pm
🥎 Softball vs. Kansas @ 12pm
⚾️ Baseball vs. Loyola Marymount @ 1pm
🎾 Women’s Tennis at Houston @ 1pm
🏀 Women’s Basketball at Big 12 Championship @ 4pm (Kansas City, Kansas)
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. Lehigh @ 6pm

📬 SHARE THE BREW

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🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Yaya Felder with 15.

🐻 Have a great one, y’all!

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