WACO, Texas – Baylor men's basketball announced its non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season, a 14-game slate that includes eight home games, a return trip to the Players Era Sixteen in Las Vegas and a neutral-site reunion with Texas in San Antonio.
The Bears will open the season at Foster Pavilion for their first three games, beginning on Monday, Nov. 2, against Northwestern State at 8:30 p.m. CT. Baylor hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday, Nov. 6, and Yale, the former school of transfer Isaac Celiscar, on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
BU will hit the road for the first time on Sunday, Nov. 15, when it meets Texas at the San Antonio Hoops Showdown inside Frost Bank Center. The neutral-site matchup restores one of college basketball's most-played rivalries, as the two in-state programs will square off for the 264th time and for the first time since 2024.
Baylor returns home to host Jackson State on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 11 a.m. CT for the program's annual Future Bears Day. BU is undefeated in the past five years hosting Future Bears Day games.
The Bears will then head to Las Vegas for the 2026 Players Era Sixteen at T-Mobile Arena. Baylor opens tournament play against Alabama on Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 9 p.m. CT. BU returns to action two days later, on Thursday, Nov. 26, against either Gonzaga or Kansas State, depending on bracket results. The Bears will play a semifinal matchup Friday, Nov. 27, against an opponent to be determined from a field that includes Creighton, Miami (Fla.), Michigan and TCU. Should Baylor win its first three games, the Bears would advance to the championship game on Saturday, Nov. 28.
Returning home, Baylor hosts Memphis on Saturday, Dec. 5, in the second meeting of a four-year series between the two programs. This will be the first time the Tigers have made way to Waco since 1977. BU continues its home slate four days later, welcoming Queens on Wednesday, Dec. 9.
Following a break for finals, the Bears hit the road on Saturday, Dec. 19, traveling to Seattle for its first true road game wrapping up a two-game series with Washington. In 2025, Baylor hosted Washington in the second game of the season, taking down the Huskies 78-69.
Baylor returns home to close out the calendar year, hosting College of the Ozarks on Monday, Dec. 21, and Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday, Dec. 29.
Baylor will meet Louisville at a neutral site for the second straight season, following last year's matchup in Fort Worth. The date and site will be announced at a later date.
The non-conference slate wraps up ahead of the Big 12 Championship, set for March 9-13 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The full 2026-27 schedule, including Big 12 dates and times, will be released later this fall.
The Big 12 announced the conference pairings in June, with BU’s three home-and-home opponents being Colorado, Kansas and UCF. Its six remaining home games will come against Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia, with road contests waiting at Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, TCU, Texas Tech and Utah.
MBB 2026-27 NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Monday, Nov. 2 – Northwestern State – 8:30 p.m. CT
Friday, Nov. 6 – Arkansas-Pine Bluff – 4 p.m. CT
Tuesday, Nov. 10 – Yale – TBD
Sunday, Nov. 15 – vs. Texas (Frost Bank Center, San Antonio) – TBD
Wednesday, Nov. 18 – Jackson State – 11 a.m. CT
Tuesday, Nov. 24 – vs. Alabama – 9 p.m. CT (T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas) – 9 p.m. CT
Thursday, Nov. 26 – vs. Gonzaga or Kansas State (T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas) – TBD
Friday, Nov. 27 – vs. TBD (T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas) – TBD
*Saturday, Nov. 28 – vs. TBD (Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas) – 9:30 p.m. CT
* – if Baylor advances by winning first three Players Era games
Saturday, Dec. 5 – Memphis – TBD
Wednesday, Dec. 9 – Queens – TBD
Saturday, Dec. 19 – at Washington (Seattle, Wash.) – TBD
Monday, Dec. 21 – College of the Ozarks – TBD
Tuesday, Dec. 29 – Mississippi Valley State – TBD
TBD – vs. Louisville – TBD
