RayJ Dennis Collects Big 12 Newcomer of the Week Honors for Baylor Men's Basketball

WACO, Texas – Baylor senior guard RayJ Dennis was named Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week, announced by the league office on Monday.

Dennis shared the honor with UCF’s Jaylin Sellers after a big week leading the Bears to an NIT Season Tip-Off title in Brooklyn. The senior transfer left his mark on the Big Apple, averaging 16 points, seven assists, 3.5 rebounds and two steals en route to tournament MVP honors.

He highlighted his stay in Brooklyn with a season-high 24 points, eight assists and three steals against Florida in the championship game. Dennis was dishing dimes in the first half, with six assists leading to nearly half of Baylor's points (18), but the senior put the game in his own hands in the second half, with 22 of his 24 points coming in the final 20 minutes, including five baskets that took BU's lead from one possession to two possessions. His 10 made field goals also tied a career-high in the win.

Against Oregon State in the semi-finals, Dennis notched eight points but found other ways to contribute with six assists, one of his four games this season with six-plus assists. 

The five-time MAC Player of the Week is Baylor’s 27th different player to be named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week and the first since Keyonte George in January 2023. Dennis is the second Baylor player to pick up a weekly award this season after Ja’Kobe Walter became BU’s first freshman to win Big 12 Player of the Week to open the season.

Dennis and the Bears will return to the court Tuesday night as they host Nicholls at 9 p.m., with John Morris and King McClure on the call for Big 12 Now on ESPN+. They will continue their homestand on Saturday as they welcome Northwestern State for a 5 p.m. tipoff in the annual "Holiday Hoops" game. That game will also be broadcast on ESPN+.

BAYLOR'S BIG 12 NEWCOMERS OF THE WEEK

• 1997 Leon Morris (12/30), Fr.
• 2000 Terry Black (11/30), Jr.
• 2001 Chad Elsey (12/18), Jr.
• 2002 Lawrence Roberts (11/26), Fr.
• John Lucas III (12/10), Fr.
• John Lucas III (1/7), Fr.
• 2005 Aaron Bruce (12/27), Fr.
• Tim Bush (1/3), Jr.
• 2006 Curtis Jerrells (2/13), Fr.
• 2007 Tweety Carter (12/18), Fr.
• 2008 LaceDarius Dunn (11/26), Fr.
• LaceDarius Dunn (3/10), Fr.
• 2009 Quincy Acy (11/24), Fr.
• 2010 Ekpe Udoh (11/30), Jr.
• Ekpe Udoh (1/4), Jr.
• Ekpe Udoh (2/15), Jr.
• 2011 Perry Jones III (11/22), Fr.
• Perry Jones III (1/17), Fr.
• Perry Jones III (2/28), Fr.
• 2012 Brady Heslip (12/26), So.
• Pierre Jackson (1/16), Jr.
• Pierre Jackson (2/4), Jr.
• Pierre Jackson (3/4), Jr.
• 2013 Isaiah Austin (11/12), Fr
• Isaiah Austin (12/17), Fr.
• 2014 Kenny Chery (12/9), Jr.
• Kenny Chery (2/17), Jr.
• 2015 Lester Medford (12/8), Jr.
• Johnathan Motley (12/29), Fr.
• 2017 Manu Lecomte (11/14), Jr.
• Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (12/19), Jr.
• Manu Lecomte (1/3), Jr.
• Manu Lecomte (2/13), Jr.
• 2019 Makai Mason (1/28), Sr.
• Jared Butler (2/25), Fr.
• 2020 MaCio Teague (1/13), Jr.
• MaCio Teague (2/10), Jr.
• 2021 Kendall Brown (12/20)
• James Akinjo (1/10)
• James Akinjo (2/14)
• Kendall Brown (3/7)
• 2022 Keyonte George (12/5)
• Keyonte George (1/2)
• 2023 RayJ Dennis (11/27)