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Friday, February 17, 2017 The Baylor Lariat B6 A&L

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Baylor vs. : NOT OVER JUST YET Baylor Lariat Radio on baylorlariat.com The Final Battle Men’s basketball Listen to live play-by-play Here’s our take on still has much to commentary of Baylor athletics online No. 4 vs. No. 3 in accomplish before they at two locations: a battle for Big 12 celebrate Supremacy pg. B10 pg. B8 baylorlariat.com | bit.ly/lariatradio

Penelope Shirey | Lariat Photographer STARING INTO THE FACE OF ADVERSITY Lady Bears basketball head Kim Mulkey crouches on the sideline in a game against the Sooners on Jan. 29 in Waco. The Lady Bears won the game 92-58. This game was one of only six games to be nationally televised this season. Lady Bears receive sparse coverage NATHAN KEIL will women’s teams get equal Bears set an NCAA record for , which saw both teams women’s had 25 games, including all Sports Writer buzz?” margin of victory with a 140- enter with a combined 37- games as well. but one conference game, air “Money will go to women’s 32 win over Winthrop on Dec. game winning streak, made it “ State just played on ESPN. The one conference Seemingly every night sports as soon as an 15 than showed up when the on networks. , and that game not airing will be the from the end of November wants to watch women, so the men’s team upset No. 4 This unbalancedgame wasn’t picked up either,” Bears’ showdown with Kansas, through March, if you want to best way to support women on Nov. 15. distribution of games did not Mulkey said. “But they did get as it will air at noon Saturday watch some college hoops, all athletes is by attending The Lady Bears also drew sit well with Mulkey after her Texas and Stanford on there.” on CBS. you have to do is turn on ESPN women’s sports in the first a larger crowd in their home team had just knocked off No. Even the University of This does not take into or any other station within its place.” opener against 9 UCLA 84-70 and before her , which just won account the Phillips 66 Big 12 family of networks to get your If fans in the stands and Baptist University than the team was about to travel to its 100th consecutive game championship for the men. basketball itch scratched. wins on the scoreboard equal men did against Oral Roberts take on No. 3 Connecticut, on Monday by beating No. 6 The conference tournament However, if you are looking television appearances, then University. with neither being broadcast South Carolina 66-55, has only for the women will air on the for women’s college basketball, why are the Baylor Lady Bears And yet there is a great on ESPN. had eight games this season , but ESPN you might just have to look a not on national television disparity between the number “I think that it’s really sad nationally broadcast on ESPN. does own the rights to the little bit harder. Why is this? more? of women’s games on TV that ESPN did not pick up Even though many of its games Women’s NCAA tournament. According to Head coach Kim Mulkey compared to the number of this game [UCLA], and for have been available to stream The Lady Bears return Michael Graber, a sports and the Lady Bears are 24-2 men’s games on TV. the most part it was a good via the Watch ESPN app for to action at 5 p.m. Saturday cinematographer, the way that overall, 13-1 in Big 12 play, The Lady Bears have played game,” Mulkey said. “Thursday smart phones, tablets and against Oklahoma State in the TV networks decide on which and sit one game behind Texas 10 games this season against is going to be on a New York computers. Sic ’Em for the Cure game at games to air ultimately comes for the conference lead. They ranked opponents. Only two Station. We are playing two When the season is all said the . down to money. have been ranked in the top of them, at and a good teams in top 10, and and done, Baylor will have had Baylor will have its last “In sports TV, the tail wags 10 the entire season and have home game against Oklahoma, neither game was picked up by five women’s basketball games ESPN televised game at 8 p.m. the dog. The money goes where an average attendance of 6,088 have been broadcast on the ESPN.” air on ESPN this season. Monday when the Lady Bears the audience is,” Graber said in at the Ferrell Center. The men ESPN family of networks. It wasn’t just the Baylor Comparatively, the men’s travel to Austin for a rematch Kelly Wallace’s March 14 2016 average about 800 more people Another three games, both games that weren’t being team, which has also risen against Texas. article for CNN entitled “The per contest, but, more people games against picked up that upset Mulkey. through the rankings and sits Real March Madness: When showed up to watch the Lady and a home game against It was other high quality at No. 6 right now, will have

IS 2016-17 THE ACTUAL YEAR OF THE BEAR? Baylor Lariat Radio Live from all season long Baylor athletics’ current

rankings as of Feb. 17, 2017 Baylor Lariat Radio will be broadcasting live play-by-play commentary of Baylor Bears baseball this season from Football: No. 9 Baylor Ballpark.

Men’s basketball: No. 1 While you are watching the game from the grandstands, be sure to listen to our live commentary from the game. Lady Bears basketball: No. 2 Men’s golf: No. 13 Ways to listen live:

Women’s golf: No. 23 1. Connect to a Wi-Fi system (Better safe than sorry, am I right?) Equestrian: No. 1 2. Use the “Mixlr” app (iPhone, Android) and search for “Baylor Lariat Radio” Soccer: No. 68 (out of 334) 3. Access www.mixlr.com/baylor-lariat-radio with your Men’s tennis: No. 13 preferred web browser and search for “Baylor Lariat Radio”

Women’s cross country: No. 23 4. Enjoy the ballgame in a whole new way Softball: No. 23 Friday, February 17, 2017 The Baylor Lariat B8 Sports Sports Take: Men’s basketball still has much to accomplish

JAKOB basketball has done under won 22 games and earlier BRANDENBURG coach . this season rose to the No. 1 Reporter In 2012 and 2014, the ranking for the first time in Bears played in the conference program history. Joe Lunardi’s Baylor men’s basketball is championship game. In 2010 “Bracketology” projects the ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll and 2012, Baylor made it all Bears will be a No. 1 seed in and is off to the best start in the way to the this year’s NCAA Tournament. program history. However, of the NCAA tournament, That all goes down the drain the Bears have lost three of losing to the eventual national with another early exit during their last five games. At a time champion both times. March Madness. like this, it is important to Unless this year’s team To this Baylor team’s credit, remember that this team hasn’t at least matches those feats, they know they still have work accomplished anything yet. they will fall short of the to do. Led by the team’s lone The last time a Baylor expectations the program has senior, Ish Wainright, the men’s basketball team won created for itself. Bears have adopted the mantra a conference championship What this Baylor team “We Still Suck.” It serves to of any kind was in 1950. For does in the postseason is remind the Bears that despite those of you younger than 67, critical, especially due to the their success, they still haven’t that was in the old Southwest embarrassing round of 64 earned national respect and Conference and occurred 44 losses the last two seasons. that their team goals, namely years before the Big 12 even In 2015, Baylor won 24 conference and national existed. games and was awarded a championships, are still ahead Since that last Baylor title, No. 3 seed in the NCAA of them. every other school in the Big 12 Tournament. They were upset The Bears have five Liesje Powers | Lariat Photo Editor has won at least six conference in their opening game by 14- games left on their schedule. CHARGING IN Baylor sophomore guard King McLure drives the lane in a game against the TCU championships in basketball, seed State. The next They are still in position Horned Frogs on Feb. 11 in Waco. Baylor won the game 70-52. either in the regular season year, the Bears won 22 games to end Kansas’ streak of 12 or by winning the conference and were given a five seed. consecutive regular-season Big The Bears have another important test comes when the Drew has coached, but the best tournament. That ended with another first- 12 Championships, and the chance to make their mark field of 68 teams is set to battle the school has ever had. We’ll However, if that is too wide round loss, this time to 12- Bears will have a big say in that at the Big 12 Tournament for the national championship. see if they can live up to it, or if of a scope of history for you, seed Yale. when the Jayhawks visit Waco from March 8-11 in Kansas This team has the potential they’ll just be another footnote let’s look just at what Baylor The 2017 Bears have already on Saturday. City. Then the final and most to not only be the best that in Baylor basketball history.

Baylor Bears basketball by the numbers Overall W-L Big 12 W-L Home W-L Avg. Point diff. Reb. per game Assists per game

No. 4 BAYLOR 22-4 9-4 17-1 +11.8 37.7 16.0

Astros build team, complex for the future of baseball

ASSOCIATED PRESS “It’s more than we need,” “We’re going to embrace with the position players when catcher Brian McCann said. them,” Hinch said. “It’s not they get here. This is a training WEST PALM BEACH, “It’s first class in all sense of the being arrogant or cocky or six weeks. We’re not going to Fla. — Getting to the Houston w ord .” not respecting the rest of the tip-toe and be careful.” Astros’ clubhouse at the new The clubhouse itself is at league. It’s just an admittance With the complex still Ballpark of the Palm Beaches least the size of the Astros’ that we have a pretty good technically a construction site, can be a spring workout in locker room at Minute group and we’ve played some fans won’t be allowed to watch itself. Maid Park, if not bigger. On pretty good baseball.” the workouts in person until There are dirt roads to Wednesday, all of the 10 large Dallas Keuchel and Lance Saturday. The ballpark will traverse, stray nuts and bolts flat-screen televisions were McCullers, both of whom host its first game when its two to avoid and paper signs taped either dark or displayed an missed time last season, lead tenants take the field on Feb. to ceilings telling interlopers internal setup menu. a talented pitching staff that 28. which corridors they may not Perhaps the most under-performed last season. Upon arrival, those take. important upgrade? The three- Both proclaimed their arms unfamiliar with the area will Once there, though, it’s easy hour Grapefruit League bus healthy. have a tough time discerning to see why the Astros are so trips are now a rarity. “I wasn’t the first that before hosting a spring excited to have ended their 30- They share the complex to name the starter training complex, the site was NEW BEGINNINGS For the first time since 1985, the Houston plus year stay in Kissimmee. with the Nationals, are a Astros will be somewhere other than Osceola County — I’m very disappointed,” once a landfill. The half-full clubhouse 20-minute drive from the site complex Kissimmee, Fla., for Spring training. Hinch joked. “I want to see “It smells of something was oddly quiet Wednesday used by the Cardinals and them on the mound and I a little funny coming in, but for the first day of workouts Marlins, and are 45 minutes everywhere,” Houston dozen feet away. want to see them healthy. I we can make due with that if for pitchers and catchers until from the Mets. manager A.J. Hinch said before That shouldn’t pose much think right now distinctions that means a little bit nicer a member of the construction The Astros’ side of the pausing. “Maybe not now. I’m of a distraction considering like that are very premature on things,” Keuchel cracked. crew walked with one of the $150 million Ballpark of the not sure what’s completely they are accustomed to tens of our particular team.” “Not to say anything bad Astros clubhouse managers to Palm Beaches features six full done. I ask for patience from thousands of boisterous fans Hinch plans to push about Kissimmee, because the audio/video control unit practice fields, an additional our guys.” once the season starts. When Keuchel, McCullers and crew Kissimmee was nice for mounted on one of the walls. turf infield, two batting Hinch made the remarks complete, the complex will early in camp. 30-something years, but we’re Suddenly Queen’s “Bicycle structures with 10 cages each while standing at home plate allow the Astros to operate “We’re not going to kill now in the 21st century with Race” blared from the ceiling- and a new video room, which of the artificial turf infield, more efficiently, Hinch hopes, them, but we’ve got to get them some of this nice stuff and a mounted speakers. may or may not be functional some of his words rendered thereby helping them live up sore,” Hinch said. “We’ve got to little bit better locker room Check another item off the at the moment. almost unintelligible by the to the lofty expectations for get them tired. Their legs are and facility.” list. “We’ve got cameras buzz saw being operated a few this season. going to be heavy. Same way

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WE’RE THERE WHENLariat YOU CAN’T BE Friday, February 17, 2017 The Baylor Lariat Sports B9 Oakley thinks Dolan feud can’t be resolved

JIM BAUMBACH made three days after Silver Jordan, an Oakley friend, Thursday that he’s not ready the Knicks-Clippers game. He to sell the team in 2014 after Tribune News Service summoned Oakley and Dolan who was on a conference call. to move on. “My life is going also declined to say whether the revelation of his past racist together and then painted an “That’s how bad this is for me. to change a lot because it’s just he will pursue a lawsuit against comments. optimistic picture of a future I’d rather go to jail.” like getting a DUI sometime Dolan or MSG. “This man has been around Charles Oakley doesn’t reconciliation at Madison An NBA spokesman did or going to jail for murder,” “I don’t know,” he said. for a long time,” Oakley said of expect his feud with Knicks Square Garden. not return messages seeking he said. “It’s something on “My team, we’re not going to Dolan. “I ain’t heard nothing owner James Dolan to ever But on Thursday, Oakley comment. A spokesman for my record. If you Google my expose our hand because we good about him.” He also end, saying “some things can’t criticized the league for giving Dolan declined to comment. name, it’s going to come up. don’t have to expose our hand.” called Dolan “a control freak.” be solved.” the impression that a single Oakley also didn’t respond to And that hurts.” Oakley also continued on Oakley acknowledged that And the former Knicks meeting could resolve the messages Thursday afternoon And he was bothered that the offensive against Dolan, his comments might bother forward may have started a issues that he said led to the from . Silver gave the impression that who _ in a radio interview some people at the league new feud of sorts with the NBA Feb. 8 altercation with MSG Silver released a statement reconciliation is near. two days after the altercation office, but he wasn’t concerned by saying commissioner Adam security that resulted in his hours after Monday’s meeting “I feel like I was pulled out _ raised the possibility about the ramifications of his Silver’s meeting with Oakley being dragged out, handcuffed in which he said both Oakley of the meeting as I was pulled that Oakley has a drinking comments. and Dolan on Monday at the and arrested. and Dolan were “apologetic” out of the Garden,” Oakley problem. “Yeah, I might hear from league office was an effort “to “I told them I’d rather go and also that Dolan “expressed said. Oakley compared Dolan to the NBA about this,” he said. make themselves look good.” to jail than them saying they his hope that Mr. Oakley Oakley criticized his disgraced former “But I ain’t saying nothing Oakley’s latest comments, did something for me,” Oakley would return to MSG as his former teammates who have Clippers owner Donald b a d .” from an interview with Sports said, referring to the meeting guest in the near future.” not yet spoken up on his behalf Sterling, who was banned for Illustrated on Thursday, were with Silver, Dolan and Michael But Oakley made it clear in the wake of the incident at life from the league and forced

Rangers, Napoli BAYLOR LARIAT RADIO reunited Jam-packed slate of action for third stint February 17 February 19 ASSOCIATED PRESS Baylor Bears Baseball Baylor Bears Baseball SURPRISE, Ariz. — Mike Napoli has rejoined the Texas vs. Niagara University vs. Niagara University Rangers for the third time, calling it a great opportunity to be back with his first World Purple Eagles Purple Eagles Series team. The Rangers re-introduced Napoli on Thursday morning. Coverage begins at Coverage begins at He got an $8.5 million, one- year contract that includes a 11:45 a.m. club option for 2018, with the 6:05 p.m. expectation to be the primary first baseman and provide a needed big bat. Napoli has played in the World Series for three different February 18 February 20 teams over the past six seasons. He went to the World Series with Texas in 2011, was part #4 Baylor Basketball vs. Don’t Feed the Bears- of a championship in in 2013 and helped the Indians reach Game 7 last year in his #2 Kansas Jayhawks Week 21 only season with Cleveland. “I’ve been fortunate enough in my career to be on a lot of Coverage begins at Podcast begins at winning ballclubs,” Napoli said. “Coming back here is definitely something that I saw 12 p.m. 5:15 p.m. was a chance to do that.” Napoli will get a $6 million salary this year from the team that has won the AL West #4 Lady Bears Baylor Bears Baseball title the past two seasons. The agreement includes an $11 million club option for 2018 Basketball vs.OK State vs. Wolf Pack with a $2.5 million buyout. In his first season with Texas in 2011, Napoli hit .320 Cowgirls Coverage begins at with 30 homers in 113 regular- season games and had 10 RBIs in the World Series. He was Coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. the starting catcher for the AL All- team in 2012, though he also played first base during 4:45 p.m. that two-year span in Texas before going to the Red Sox as a free agent. He played some left field in 2015. “No intro needed,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. “Obviously a guy that has been part of some big moments for the Rangers over the years here, and looking forward to some big moments with him again, and glad to have him back.” Manager Jeff Banister plans for Napoli to be the primary first baseman, with some games as the designated hitter. Mitch Moreland won a Gold Glove as the Rangers’ first baseman last season. He became a free agent and agreed to a $5.5 million, one-year deal with Boston. Despite only being around Napoli for the end of the 2015 season, Banister saw the slugger’s relentless pursuit of wanting to win a World Series. “It was an absolute joy to be around him,” Banister said. “Another part of the glue that puts together, in my mind, when we start thinking about WE’RE THERE WHEN YOU CAN’T BE a championship run.” The 35-year-old Napoli, going into his 12th major league season, set career highs with 34 homers and 101 RBIs with Cleveland last year. He is a .252 career hitter with the BIT.LY/LARIATRADIO (2006-10), Texas (2011-12, 2015), Boston (2013-15) and Cleveland. Friday, February 17, 2017 The Baylor Lariat B10 Sports Sports Take: BU vs. KU, all or nothing

BEN EVERETT Sports Writer

No. 4-ranked Baylor men’s basketball hosts No. 3 Kansas this Saturday at the Ferrell Center in a matchup that is arguably the most important game in head coach Scott Drew’s time in Waco. When Drew arrived in 2003, the men’s basketball program was mired in scandal. Nevertheless, he has taken the team to heights never before seen by Baylor basketball fans. With an NCAA Tournament bid this season, which is a lock at this point, the Bears will have made the big dance four straight years, a feat that no Baylor men’s basketball team has pulled off before. However, with two Elite Eights and a Sweet Sixteen under his belt, Drew has seen deep tournament runs. What he hasn’t seen is success against the Big 12’s top dog. Since 2009-10, around the time the Bears rose to national relevance, Drew has had just two wins over the Jayhawks in 15 tries. Additionally, Baylor has yet to win a Big 12 Championship, with Kansas winning the league every year since 2005. This season started out promising for Baylor in terms of obtaining the Big 12 title. In the nonconference games, the Bears looked strong, knocking off multiple ranked teams and garnering media attention. To Associated Press start conference play, they were IT’S A BLOCK PARTY Baylor sophomore guard Jake Linsey blocks a shot in a game against the Kansas Jayhawks on Feb. 1 in Lawrence, Kan. The Bears lost the able to remain undefeated and game 73-68. reach the No. 1 ranking before falling to West Virginia. stole a win, losing by only five for Baylor to fight its way back falling short. City, Mo., in 2012 and picked Saturday on the hardwood. However, the race was still points. into the conversation for best Earlier this year, a five- up a home win in 2013 despite The best team, record wise, on, as the Jayhawks fell in The loss dropped Baylor team in the conference is by point loss. In the 2016 season, being an inferior team. Since in Baylor history went 30-8, Morgantown, W.Va. as well. back one spot in the Big 12 beating the current best team the Bears fell by eight at the then, there have been no knocked off the No. 3-ranked The first meeting between standings, and subsequent in the conference. Ferrell Center. In 2015, that numbers in the win column Kansas Jayhawks and made it Baylor and Kansas happened losses to Kansas State and Yet the motivation for margin was just one. against Kansas. all the way to the Elite Eight. on Feb. 1 in Lawrence, Kan. Texas Tech have the Bears downing the Jayhawks doesn’t That’s why Saturday’s Currently sitting at 22-4, That was five years ago. Let’s Despite a history of losing now two games back from the just come from a standpoint of showdown is such an this might be Baylor men’s see what this team can do. by a large margin at Kansas, Jayhawks. conference championships, it important one. basketball’s best team ever, and the Bears hung in and almost The only reasonable way comes from a recent history of The Bears won in Kansas they have a chance to prove it

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