No. 2 Baylor hoops makes surprise trip to Las Vegas

By The Associated Press

3 years ago

FILE - Baylor guard Jared Butler dribbles up court against Kansas during an NCAA college basket ... — FILE – Baylor guard Jared Butler dribbles up court against Kansas during an NCAA college basketball game in Waco, Texas, in this Feb. 22, 2020, file photo. Baylor opens this season only one poll point behind top-ranked Gonzaga in in the AP Top 25. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin, File)

No. 2 Baylor made an unexpected Thanksgiving night flight to Las Vegas, where the Bears now hope to open their men’s basketball schedule with two games this weekend..

Baylor announced it will play Louisiana-Lafayette at 5 p.m. Saturday, and then the Bears will take on Washington the following day. Both games will be played at T-Mobile Arena.

🛫 🛫 🛫 #SicEm pic.twitter.com/tBR2hCvddb

— Baylor Basketball (@BaylorMBB) November 27, 2020

The Bears had originally been slated to start the season Wednesday night against No. 18 Arizona State and then play No. 3 Villanova or Boston College on Thanksgiving Day at the Empire Classic in Connecticut. Baylor didn’t make that trip after coach Scott Drew revealed he had tested positive for COVID-19, though he was asymptomatic and was the team’s only positive the past 12 weeks. Drew is still in self-isolation.

Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley expressed concern about the different testing protocols for the Big 12 and Pac-12.

Baylor then canceled Sunday’s game at Seton Hall in what was called a mutual agreement between the schools to call off the Big 12/Big East Battle matchup.

The Bears are set to play twice next week in Indianapolis, on Wednesday against No. 8 Illinois and then three days later against No. 1 Gonzaga.