Baylor Men’s Basketball 2023-24 Basketball Schedule Analysis
The 2023-24 Baylor men’s basketball schedule is complete and here is an analysis of the entire schedule as Big 12 basketball season nears.
Season Opener
The Bears will open the season on the road but it won’t be a true road game. They’ll take on Auburn at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
New York State of Mind
The Bears will do a lot of time in New York in non-conference. Baylor will be at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the NIT Season Tip-off, where they will face Oregon State and then either Pitt or Florida. Then, the Bears return on Dec. 20 to face Duke at Madison Square Garden.
Best Non-Con Game
The Bears have a bushel of them. But, that game with Auburn on Nov. 7, a neutral site game at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., is a great early-season test for both teams. The Pentagon treated the Bears well last year when they played Gonzaga there, but they only won by one point. This should be another close matchup.
Big EAST/Big 12 Battle
The Bears are at home this year against Seton Hall on Dec. 5. It will be the last Big EAST/Big 12 Battle game in the Ferrell Center. Last year the Bears went to Marquette and were drilled by 26 points. Seton Hall is coming off a 17-16 season under Shaheen Holloway, who was in his first season after leading St. Peter’s to that incredible 2022 NCAA Tournament run. The Pirates got into the NIT, where they lost in the first round to future Big 12 member Colorado.
Mid-Major Danger Game
Keep an eye on that game with Northwestern State on Dec. 2 at the Ferrell Center. The Demons won 22 games last season and finished second in the Southland Conference.
Foster Pavilion Opener
The Bears will debut their new building, the Foster Pavilion, on Jan. 2 when they host Cornell.
Big 12 Opener
The Bears hit the road to start Big 12 action when they face Oklahoma State ata Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., on Jan. 6.
Big 12 Home Opener
The Bears’ first Big 12 game at Foster Pavilion will be the following Tuesday, Jan. 9, when they host BYU.
Brutal Big 12 Stretch
What that four-game stretch that starts on Feb. 24 at home against Houston. After that, the Bears go to Fort Worth on two days’ rest to take on TCU, followed by a home Saturday game against Kansas on March 2 and another two-day turnaround to host Texas the following Monday.
What Should Happen?
The Bears should be an NCAA Tournament team once again. The last time the Bears missed the NCAA Tournament was in 2017-18 when they won 19 games. The real goal for this team is to get past the second round in the NCAA Tournament, where they’ve been eliminated each year since their 2021 national championship run.
2023-24 Baylor Men’s Basketball Schedule
Nov. 7 vs. Auburn@, 8 p.m.
Nov. 9 vs. John Brown, 11 a.m.
Nov. 12 vs. Gardner-Webb, 4 p.m.
Nov. 14 vs. Kansas City, 9 p.m.
Nov. 22 vs. Oregon State#, 6 p.m.
Nov. 24 vs. Pitt or Florida#, 2 or 4:30 p.m.
Nov. 28 vs. Nicholls, 7 p.m.
Dec. 2 vs. Northwestern State, 5 p.m.
Dec. 5 vs. Seton Hall$, 8 p.m.
Dec. 16 vs. Michigan State&, 8 p.m.
Dec. 20 vs. Duke%, 6 p.m.
Dec. 22 vs. Mississippi Valley State, 6 p.m.
Jan. 2 vs. Cornell, 7 p.m.
Jan. 6 at Oklahoma State*, 2 p.m.
Jan. 9 vs. BYU*, 8 p.m.
Jan. 13 vs. Cincinnati*, 7 p.m.
Jan. 16 at Kansas State*, 7 p.m.
Jan. 20 at Texas*, TBA
Jan. 27 vs. TCU*, 3 p.m.
Jan. 31 at UCF*, 6 p.m.
Feb. 3 vs. Iowa State*, 7 p.m.
Feb. 6 vs. Texas Tech*, 8 p.m.
Feb. 10 at Kansas*, 5 p.m.
Feb. 13 vs. Oklahoma*, 8 p.m.
Feb. 17 at West Virginia*, 5 p.m.
Feb. 20 at BYU*, 8 p.m.
Feb. 24 vs. Houston*, 11 a.m.
Feb. 26 at TCU*, 8 p.m.
March 2 vs. Kansas*, 11 a.m.
March 4 vs. Texas*, 8 p.m.
March 9 at Texas Tech*, 5 p.m.
Bold denotes home games; @-at Sanford Pentagon, Sioux Falls, S.D.; #-NIT Season Tip-off, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.; $-Big East/Big 12 Battle; &-Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Mich.; %-Madison Square Garden, New York, NY. *-Big 12 games; all times central; first game at Foster Pavilion is Jan. 2. Games in November and December at the Ferrell Center. Big 12 Tournament begins March 12 in Kansas City, Mo.
