Will Chamblee

Just over a year ago, Baylor men’s and women’s basketball were preparing for their first-round matchup in the 2020 Big 12 tournament. The men’s team woke up on the morning of March 11, 2020, expecting to play Kansas State that day but had no idea it would be the beginning of a crucible that would span an entire year.

It’s hard to improve on a season where you were named to the All-Big 12 third team, the All-Big 12 defensive first team and was an integral part of one of the best teams in the nation. But that’s exactly what junior guard Davion Mitchell has done this year.

Baylor men’s basketball avenged last seasons’ sole home defeat as they took down the No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks 77-69 in an emphatic victory Monday night at the Ferrell Center. After scoring only seven points in Saturday’s game against Texas Tech, junior guard Jared Butler had a bounce-back performance, leading the game with 30 points and eight assists. Junior guard Davion Mitchell and senior guard MaCio Teague also reached double digits, scoring 10 and 13 points each.

Born in Douala, Cameroon, basketball wasn’t on Baylor sophomore forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua’s radar during his childhood. In fact, Tchamwa Tchatchoua didn’t even play organized basketball until he was 15-years-old. Six years later and Tchamwa Tchatchoua is the first man off the bench for one of the best college basketball programs in the nation, averaging 8.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in 21 minutes per game.

Despite the early COVID-19-related troubles, this season is one of high expectations for the Bears who were picked to win the Big 12 in the preseason poll and are ranked No. 2 in the AP Preseason Poll and No. 1 in the Coaches’ Poll.

It was a week of superlatives for Baylor men’s basketball, as multiple preseason polls were released and AP’s Preseason All-American Team was named. Junior guard Jared Butler was one of the members of AP’s Preseason All-American Team. Butler was also named Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.

No. 2 Baylor basketball won its season opener 112-82 against Louisiana in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Senior guard MaCio Teague led the way, scoring 21 points and three three-pointers while leading the team with seven rebounds. Junior guards Jared Butler and Davion Mitchell followed Teague’s lead, both scoring 18 points.

By Will Chamblee | Sports Writer, Video by Nate Smith | Broadcast Reporter A heroic second–half push by Baylor football fell short, as a lethargic start to the game doomed the Bears to a tough 33-23 loss at the hands of rivals TCU on Halloween.

Baylor soccer’s head coach Paul Jobson has always said his team “is built on defense.” He’s been proven right so far this season as the Bears boast one of the best defensive records in the nation, allowing only four goals so far.

Redshirt players have been key to Baylor’s success in basketball and this season will be no different. Freshman forward Jordan Turner, sophomore forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua and sophomore guard Adam Flagler will be eligible to play for Baylor this season

Baylor women’s soccer opened the season against rivals TCU with a 0-0 draw Friday night at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field.

College football is in limbo. The Big 10 cannot seem to make a decision and the Pac 12 will not play sports until the fall. And while FBS games will be played on Saturday, there are questions as to how long college football will last before the coronavirus spreads to too many teams.

Baylor football hit the field at McLane Stadium for the first time this fall, holding its first scrimmage of camp Saturday.

“Elite competitor” and “winner” were the words that former Baylor football coach Matt Rhule used to describe Charlie Brewer upon entering the 2019 season.

The Dave Aranda-era of Baylor football is in full swing and Baylor’s inaugural season under the first-year head coach promises to be as interesting and exciting as any.