Pre-Tournament Press Conference Transcripts: Colgate | Baylor

Game Information
NCAA Tournament First Round, West Region
Colgate Raiders (25-9, 16-2 Patriot) vs #14 Baylor Bears (23-10, 11-7 Big 12)
Friday, March 22, 2024 | 11:40 a.m. CT
FedExForum | Memphis, Tenn.

How to Follow
Watch | truTV
Live Stream | NCAA.com
Listen | Westwood One, SiriusXM 209 or 202
Live Stats | NCAA.com
Game Notes: Colgate | Baylor

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – As Colgate celebrates its fifth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, the Raiders will face a school very familiar with advancing through the brackets. The Baylor Bears, the 2021 national champions, will provide the opposition at 12:40 p.m. (ET) on Friday, March 22, at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.

"Just awesome to be here, I think, for me personally as I reflect back on my journey through college basketball a couple times as a player, a number of times as an assistant coach and now five times as a head coach, the spectacle of March Madness and the NCAA tournament is an awesome thing," said head coach Matt Langel.

"I know our players are excited to be back here to have the opportunity to compete. Just like my own children, they all grew up wanting to be a part of this. I love our team and the journey that we've been on. It's been a special group to coach. And very much looking forward to the opportunity tomorrow."

Setting the Scene
Colgate, granted a 14th seed in the West Region, will attempt to upset third-seeded Baylor. This year's tournament marks the fourth consecutive year the Bears enter the tournament as a 3rd seed or higher, a feat unmatched by any other Division I institution. The 14th seed ties for the highest in Colgate history (2020-21, 2021-22). Colgate has been either a No. 14 or 15 seed in seven trips to the NCAA tournament during the tenure of 2023-24 Patriot League Coach of the Year Matt Langel.

Baylor finished the regular season with a 22-9 record, then split two games in the Big 12 Tournament. The Waco, Texas, team is currently ranked No. 13 nationally, and finished tied for third in the Big 12. The Bears played the nation's toughest schedule, tipping off against teams that were selected for either the NCAA tournament or the NIT 19 times over the course of the season. Baylor was 10-9 in those games. 

By comparison, Colgate played five teams that qualified for either tournament, coming away with a 1-4 record against those squads. The teams have a common opponent in Cornell. The Raiders dropped a 13- point decision at Cornell in December, while the Bears beat the Big Red by 19 in Waco in Cornell's next game.

Scouting Colgate
The Bears will have to contend with one of the top defensive teams in the country in the Raiders. Colgate allows an average of only 63.2 points per game, good for 11th in Division I. The Raiders also rank in the top 30 nationally in three-point field goal defense (29.8%, 13th), defensive rebounds per game (27.8, 24th) and field goal percentage defense (40.8%, 29th).

Sophomore point guard Braeden Smith is the engine that makes the Raiders hum. The Patriot League Player of the Year and Championship Tournament MVP leads Colgate in scoring (12.5/game), assists (5.8/game) and steals (1.9/game) while being the team's second leading rebounder (5.5/game).

Fifth-year Keegan Records is second on the team in scoring with a 10.9 average and is the leading rebounder at 6.3. Records was a first-team All-Patriot League and All-Defensive Team pick. Fellow fifth- year Ryan Moffatt was a second team All-League selection. Moffatt, who was also a Patriot League Men's Basketball Academic All-League honoree, is third on the team with 10.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest.

Scouting Baylor
Baylor boasts a cast that likes to run and score quickly. The Bears average over 80 points per game. Six Bears average double figures with Ja'Kobe Walter, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and an All-Conference third team performer, leading the Bears with 14.2 points per game. 

Senior Guard RayJ Dennis boasts nearly a 2:1 assist-turnover ratio having dished out 226 helpers. Dennis was an All-Big 12 second team selection. Jalen Bridges, a senior forward, joined Walter on the All-Big 12 third team, averaging 11.9 points and 5.7 rebounds. Seven-foot center Yves Missi, leads the team with 5.8 rebounds per game, averaged just over 11 points and blocked 50 opponents' shots. Missi was named to both the All-Big 12 Freshman Team and All-Defensive team. Other double-figure scorers are guards Langston Love (11.0) and Jayden Nunn (10.6).

Series History
This will be Colgate's first all-time meeting against Baylor. The Raiders are 4-7 against current members of the Big 12. Colgate's last win against the conference came on Dec. 14, 2019, when it upset Cincinnati 67-66.