Baylor Basketball

Game Thread: Nnaji Expected to Debut as Baylor Basketball Opens Big 12 play at TCU

Baylor men's basketball (10-2) travels to TCU (10-3) to open up Big 12 conference play on Saturday, January 3rd at 1 p.m., CT. The game will be televised on TNT.
By Ashley Hodge
January 1, 2026
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161 Comments
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Photo by Jack Mackenzie - SicEm365.com

FORT WORTH, Texas – Baylor men's basketball (10-2) travels to TCU (10-3) to open up Big 12 conference play on Saturday, Jan. 3, at 1 p.m., CT. The game will be televised on TNT.  

Computer Models

  • Torvik: Baylor (41), TCU (50)
    • Prediction:TCU 81, Baylor 78
  • KenPom: Baylor (30), TCU (54)
    • Prediction: TCU 79, Baylor 78
  • Haslametrics: Baylor (32), TCU (60)
    • Prediction: Baylor 79, TCU 78
  • Evan Miyakawa: Baylor (36), TCU (41)
    • Prediction: TCU 81, Baylor 77
  • Massey: Baylor (23), TCU (49)
    • Prediction: Baylor 74, TCU 72

Projected Lineups

Baylor Starters

  • Guard: Obi Agbim (5Sr.) 6-3, 185 (12 ppg; 4 asst)
  • Guard: Tounde Yessoufou (Fr.) 6-5, 215 (19 ppg; 6 reb; 2 steals)
  • Forward: Cameron Carr (RSo.) 6-5, 175 (21 ppg; 6 reb; 2 blks)
  • Forward: Dan Skillings (Sr.) 6-7, 200 (12 ppg; 7 reb; 3 asst)
  • Forward: Michael Rataj (Sr.) 6-8, 230 (10 ppg; 7 reb; 3 asst)

Baylor Bench

  • Center: Caden Powell (Sr.) 6-9, 225 (7 ppg; 9 reb)
  • Guard: Isaac Williams IV (So.) 6-1, 190 (12 ppg; 3 asst)
  • Center: James Nnaji (Fr.) 7-0 250 (31st pick in 2023 NBA draft)

Projected Lineups

TCU Starters

  • Guard: Brock Harding (Sr.) 6-0, 160 (9 ppg; 6 asst)
  • Guard: Jayden Pierre (Sr.) 6-0, 180 (11 ppg; 2 asst)
  • Forward: Liutaurus Lelevicius (Jr.) 6-7, 225 (8 ppg; 4 reb)
  • Forward: David Punch (So.) 6-7, 245 (14 ppg; 8 reb)
  • Forward: Xavier Edmonds (Jr.) 6-8, 245 (11 ppg; 4 reb)

TCU Bench

  • Guard: Micah Robinson (So.) 6-6, 230 (10 ppg; 5 reb)
  • Guard: Tanner Tolson (Jr.) 6-5, 195 (7 ppg; 3 reb)
  • Guard: Jace Posey (So.) 6-5, 220 (6 ppg; 3 reb)
161 Comments
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Discussion from...

Game Thread: Nnaji Expected to Debut as Baylor Basketball Opens Big 12 play at TCU

17,281 Views | 161 Replies | Last: 25 days ago by bear2be2
bear2be2
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In reply to Johnny Bear • 2:36p, 1/3/26
Johnny Bear said:
On top of everything else doing a lousy job of defensive reboundIng

We're getting punched in the mouth today and not handling it well.

TCU is beating us to every loose ball.

This team isn't great by any means, but it's better than it's shown today. Barring a comeback, we'll need a gut-check after this one because we didn't respond well at all to TCU's aggressiveness/physicality.
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Big12Fan2024
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2:36p, 1/3/26
ESPN Boxscore shows Agbim and Rataj combined 1-11, the rest of the team shooting almost 50%.
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Johnny Bear
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2:38p, 1/3/26
TCU already in bonus with 11:45 to go. Unless at least one of our guys catches fire in a hurry I don't see a W happening - and we really needed this one.
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Big12Fan2024
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2:38p, 1/3/26
Beautiful pass, Caden!

Let's get the mojo rolling now!!!
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BearFan33
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2:39p, 1/3/26
7 points is nothing for this team

But need stops
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IowaBear
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2:39p, 1/3/26
Bears are still in this. But they need Agbim and Rataj to step up here
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bear2be2
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In reply to Big12Fan2024 • 2:39p, 1/3/26
Big12Fan2024 said:
Beautiful pass, Caden!

Let's get the mojo rolling now!!!

That was one of precious few possessions where we moved the ball well today.

We've had no answer for TCU's defense today.
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bear2be2
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In reply to IowaBear • 2:40p, 1/3/26
IowaBear said:
Bears are still in this. But they need Agbim and Rataj to step up here

Rataj made a nice backdoor cut on the last bucket. Hopefully that will get him going.
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Big12Fan2024
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2:41p, 1/3/26
TCU was a 33% 3 point shooting team on the year. Today? 47%
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bear2be2
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2:41p, 1/3/26
That deep 3 by TCU seemed like a settle, but when you make it, it's a good shot.

Tough break there.
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IowaBear
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In reply to Big12Fan2024 • 2:43p, 1/3/26
Story of Baylor basketball the last 3 plus years. They play awful awful 3 point defense
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Big12Fan2024
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2:44p, 1/3/26
So friggin' tired of being bad at D.
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Smashmouth
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2:46p, 1/3/26
Reminds me of the post after game 2. All the same deficiencies showing up today.
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Bearwhiz
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2:46p, 1/3/26
D is trash
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True Grit
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2:46p, 1/3/26
I thought we would lose this one and maybe only hit around 6 Big 12 wins this year, but the effort is just not there. We are getting outworked.
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IowaBear
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2:49p, 1/3/26
I'm not sure what Drew needs to do, but the defense isn't working. I understand they just brought in a new coach that specializes in defense. But year and year since 22 the defense has been putrid. Doesn't matter how much talent you have on the offensive end. If play zero defense you're going to lose a lot if games.
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bear2be2
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2:51p, 1/3/26
When Tounde plays hero ball, he plays us completely out of games.

We cut it to six, and he gave TCU the momentum right back with two awful possessions in a row.
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El Oso
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2:52p, 1/3/26
We're just heaving it towards the rim now.
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bear2be2
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In reply to Bearwhiz • 2:53p, 1/3/26
Bearwhiz said:
D is trash

This is our biggest issue as a program currently. Bad defense has been a constant since 2022, and no variables seem to change that year to year.
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bear2be2
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In reply to True Grit • 2:55p, 1/3/26
True Grit said:
I thought we would lose this one and maybe only hit around 6 Big 12 wins this year, but the effort is just not there. We are getting outworked.

This has been a really poor effort and performance on both ends. Disappointing, for sure.
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El Oso
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2:58p, 1/3/26
Down nine with 3:24 on the clock. Last chance.
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Johnny Bear
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3:00p, 1/3/26
Agbim finally actually hits a 3.
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Big12Fan2024
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3:01p, 1/3/26
C'mon Bears! It's down to 6!
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bear2be2
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In reply to Johnny Bear • 3:01p, 1/3/26
Johnny Bear said:
Agbim finally actually hits a 3.

I think we need to get Agbim off the ball with Williams at the one more. Obi is a spot-up shooter. Get him some open shots.

He's a smart player and steady facilitator, but he can't create for himself off the bounce. You're just taking a weapon off the floor by playing him on the ball so much.
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El Oso
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3:01p, 1/3/26
Three point play out of the timeout makes it 6.
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El Oso
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3:03p, 1/3/26
Can't give up the rebound after two missed free throws.
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bear2be2
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3:03p, 1/3/26
We're competing. Like all Scott Drew teams, this bunch plays hard. It's just going to have to play much better to compete in this league.
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El Oso
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3:05p, 1/3/26
TCU 64
Baylor 60

2:23 left
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bear2be2
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3:05p, 1/3/26
Powell has played a good second half. He's done a lot of little things that have added up in a big way.
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El Oso
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3:07p, 1/3/26
Didn't need that from Carr.
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IowaBear
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3:07p, 1/3/26
Putrid last 2 possessions. MOVE the ball
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Bearwhiz
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3:07p, 1/3/26
WTH Carr
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Big12Fan2024
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3:07p, 1/3/26
What was that shot selection? Sheesh.
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El Oso
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3:07p, 1/3/26
TCU 66
Baylor 60
28.3 left (they may add a second)
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ImABearToo
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3:08p, 1/3/26
Carr, why?
“Life is short, eat desert first!”
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