Baylor Bears basketball — program history
Baylor's basketball program began in 1906 at the world's largest Baptist university, located in Waco, Texas. The 'Bears' mascot dates to 1914 when a live bear was brought to campus. Baylor's greatest moment came in 2021 when Scott Drew's Bears won the NCAA Championship, demolishing previously undefeated Gonzaga 86-70 in the title game. Drew had rebuilt the program from scratch after a tragedy-marred scandal in 2003, making the championship one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college sports history.
The name
The first live bear mascot was brought to campus in 1914; the current live bears Judge Indy and Judge Belle are North American black bears that live on campus
Signature moment
Winning the 2021 NCAA Championship by dominating undefeated Gonzaga 86-70, capping one of college basketball's greatest rebuilding stories under Scott Drew
When Scott Drew took over in 2003, the program was in disarray after a murder scandal; he rebuilt it from nearly nothing to a national championship in 18 years — one of the great turnaround stories in all of sports
The Baylor Bears compete in the Big 12 and hold an all-time record of 1515–1439 (.513 winning percentage) across 120 recorded seasons dating back to 1906-07. The program has won 1 NCAA national championship (2021) and reached 1 Final Four.
National championships
2021
Season-by-season results
* Season vacated by the NCAA — absent from the official season table; record computed from the game log and not counted in official totals or rankings.
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