After opening the 2011-2012 season with a pair of tune-ups against low-major opponents, No. 12 Baylor has its first real test this season Tuesday against San Diego State.
The 3-0 Aztecs made last season's Sweet 16, and although they lost their top four scorers, they still have a solid group of talent, with a high-scoring back-court of guards Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley as well as transfers from LSU (PF Garrett Green) and Washington State (PG Xavier Thames).
The game will be played Tuesday at 1:00 PM at the Ferrell Center in Waco. It will be televised on ESPN, while ESPN Central Texas Radio will have the radio broadcast.
With Big 12 preseason player of the year Perry Jones III serving a five-game suspension for amateurism violations, the Bears have depended on highly-touted freshmen Quincy Miller for offense. Miller, a 6'9 210 forward, is averaging 17.0 points per game on 47% shooting.
An inconsistent back-court was the downfall of last season's team, but Baylor has gotten steady point-guard play from junior A.J. Walton and junior college transfer Pierre Jackson so far.
Without Jones on the interior, senior Anthony Jones and sophomore Cory Jefferson have stepped it up on the boards, averaging 8.5 and 9.5 rebounds per game respectively.
San Diego State's two leading scorers, Franklin and Tapley, are both excellent long-range shooters, which should provide a test for the Bears ability to contest perimeter shots in their 2-3 zone.
For more in-depth analysis and information on Baylor athletics, check out the brand new SBNation blog Our Daily Bears.