Preview: Baylor basketball's season opener vs. UTRGV

After going 1-1 in exhibition play, Scott Drew and the Baylor Bears will take the court on Monday night for the first game of the 2025-26 season. The Bears are set to host UTRGV and it will be the first game between the two programs since 2004.

Baylor has a brand new team from last season, with zero returners from last year's NCAA Tournament team. But the Bears look to be competitive after landing several key players from the portal, added with five-star talent Tounde Yessoufou.

The Bears will be without projected starting center Juslin Bodo Bodo, who didn't play in either exhibition game. Baylor went with a smaller starting lineup in both of the games, and Drew will likely opt to do so against on Monday.

Here's how you can tune into the game.

How to watch

• Day: Monday, Nov. 3
• When: 7 p.m. CT
• TV: ESPN+
• Streaming: ESPN+
• Radio: Baylor Sports Media Network
• Where: Foster Pavilion (Waco, TX)

Game Notes

• This is the eighth meeting between the two programs with BU holding a 4-3 overall record with all four wins coming in Waco. 
• The last time the two teams met was January 6, 2004 at the Ferrell Center where UTRGV took down BU 55-54. 
• Baylor is 19-3 in season openers under Scott Drew, with last season's loss to No. 6 Gonzaga being the first loss to open the season since 2018. 
• This is the first time since the 2022-23 season that BU has kicked off the season at home and the first time since unveiling the new Foster Pavilion. 
• The Bears return 0.0% of their scoring, rebounding, assists, etc. The Bears are one of three high-major programs, including Miami and Memphis, with zero returning players from the 2024-25 season.
• Baylor's 10 transfers is tied for fourth in the nation with the most transfers joining a team for the upcoming season. BU is one of seven teams in the power-five conferences with double-digit transfers. 
• Baylor's 35 wins against ranked opponents over the last six seasons are the third-most in the nation.
• UTRGV Head Coach Kahil Fennell enters his second season at the helm with the Vaqueros. Coach Fennell is looking to lead the program to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1989-90 season.
• UTRGV returns four from last season’s squad in Kwo Agwa, Marshal Destremau, Mustafo Vanjov, and Jaylen Washington.
• UTRGV brought in five transfers with Division I experience in Always Wright (Rhode Island), Koree Cotton (Jacksonville State), Zae Blake (Wagner), Marvin McGhee III (CSU Bakersfield), and Jalen Ricks (Wichita State).
• UTRGV finished with a 16-15 record, marking the program’s first winning season since 2018. UTRGV’s 16 wins also marked a 10-win improvement from 2023-24, which tied for the 10th best
  improvement in the NCAA.