Bethune-Cookman-Baylor Preview

Published Dec. 13, 2011 4:38 p.m. ET

foxsports

While Robert Griffin III became Baylor's first Heisman Trophy winner because of his offensive prowess, the Bears' basketball team has been shining at the defensive end of the court.

Griffin will be honored at halftime as the sixth-ranked Bears try to extend their non-conference home win streak to 25 in a matchup with Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday night.

Fans can attend for $3 in honor of Griffin, who will address the crowd at the break after winning college football's highest individual honor over the weekend.

By that point, Baylor could have a huge lead and will likely have conceded very few points. The Bears are first in the nation in field-goal percentage defense at 32.9.

"We have a lot more depth this year we have a lot a guys than can do special things," forward Quincy Acy said. "We take it personally in practice guarding each other. Last year, (defense) is what really hurt us."

Baylor is 7-0 for the second straight season and is attempting to open with eight wins for the first time since 2000-01. The Bears are one of nine unbeaten Division I teams.

A 10-day layoff for exams could be Baylor's biggest hurdle heading into its second meeting with Bethune-Cookman (3-6), which lost 83-39 in Waco last season. The Wildcats shot 31.3 percent in that defeat.

Baylor has not played since going on the road and handing Northwestern its first loss, 69-41 on Dec. 4. The Bears shot a season-high 60.4 percent and matched their season best with 18 assists.

"I've really been impressed with the unselfishness of the players," coach Scott Drew said. "We just really have good kids and I think they buy into (the) team (concept)."

Baylor's 22.4-point margin of victory is tied with that of No. 3 Kentucky for the nation's fifth-best mark, but the team feels it can do even better.

"We still have a long way to go as far as not getting comfortable with leads," said Acy, who has recorded a career-high six blocks in two of his last three games.

This will be the third game for preseason Big 12 player of the year Perry Jones III, who was suspended for the first five. The Northwestern game marked the return of Quincy Miller to the lineup after he missed one contest with a sprained ankle.

"With us having a lot of new guys and just getting Perry back, I think we'll be a much better team come February than we are now," Drew said.

Bethune-Cookman is 0-5 on the road, with four defeats coming by five or fewer points. The Wildcats fell 53-51 at Central Florida on Saturday.

"We just have to find a way to get over the top and get a road win," acting coach Gravelle Craig told Bethune-Cookman's official website.

Top scorer Garrius Holloman will try to fare better against Baylor's imposing frontcourt than he did last season, when he shot 2 of 7 for four points.