BIG 12 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2025

Scott Drew

VJ Edgecombe

Jayden Nunn

T-Mobile Center

Baylor Bears

Postgame Press Conference

Baylor 70, Kansas State 56

THE MODERATOR: Joining us on the dais is by Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew and he is joined by Jayden Nunn and VJ Edgecombe. Coach?

SCOTT DREW: First and foremost it's an honor and privilege to play in the Big 12 Conference and it's a great experience for student-athletes, great experience for institutions like Baylor.

I want to thank God for the opportunity to do that. Really proud of how our guys came out and played. I know it's impossible nowadays with your phones, TV, and everything, not to hear some bubble talk, and when people get nervous sometimes as coaches we worry about everything, let alone if you're not going to come out and play free.

I think our guys really played fearless and played with a great amount of joy and that was one of the better first halves we've had. Jayden Nunn got us off to great start and VJ, I'm going to try to talk him into coming back but the reality is each and every day he gets better out there. He might not make every shot but his leadership awareness and his care for his teammates is priceless.

Q. VJ, I want to ask you about that guy to your right there. What kind of a lift did he give you guys in the first half? Also, when he's got that stutter-step dribble going how tough is he to keep in front of?

VJ EDGECOMBE: First and foremost I want to say God is great, and thank God for putting JNunn on my team. JNunn is a hell of a player. It doesn't matter if he score, like he don't care about that. He just want to win and he gonna play hard. Like I said, he's a tough person to go against for sure, both offensively and defensively.

So I just want to thank JNunn, man. He was hooping. He was hooping for sure. What, 7 for 10? No, he was on fire but did not complain one time about not getting a shot or something like that. So, yeah.

Q. Scott, I wonder what compelled you to call that timeout 1:29 into the game. It was a pretty fast hook.

SCOTT DREW: We obviously didn't come out -- we had good shots but we weren't going to the hole strong. We gave up buckets. We didn't get buckets, and at the end of the day maybe that was a little nerves. Guys responded well, but I'd seen enough of that.

Q. Obviously last time you played K-State you went to see Coach Tang after the game. I wonder what message you might have for him after this game?

SCOTT DREW: I can tell you Coach Tang is a brother to me. I love him dearly. He's done a great job with K-State. I don't know if it's just nowadays the physicality or whatnot but a lot of people deal with injuries. After we played 'em they got on a heck of a streak and they were playing as well as anybody in the country.

I know Hawkins going out affected them and rightfully so, but he's done a great job. I know Coach Pope actually said this. You need like 50 games, because with everybody having so much turnover really it takes about half the year to figure out what you have. When you are with guys in practice for four years you know exactly what plays they like, where they want the ball, and what you can count on.

I credit Coach Tang figuring that out. They were playing great basketball.

Q. Jayden, even with the threes that you hit and the drives that you hit, seemed like the most fired up you got was that blocked shot to end the half. Just how big were those blocks for you?

JAYDEN NUNN: First of all I want to thank God for the opportunity and what he doing with his team and what he doing in my life. I'm grateful just to be out here playing in the Big 12 Tourney. I just like defending shots. I like getting stops, you know, and those blocks mean a lot to me. I like showcasing my defense. So, yeah.

Q. Coach, what differentiates, if at all, the Big 12 Tournament versus other tournaments across the nation that are going on right now?

SCOTT DREW: I think the attention to detail. Obviously you have some great crowd support, especially K-State, Kansas and Iowa State and everybody else does their part. The city does an amazing job putting it on. It's special to be a part of, sometimes you turn on the conference tournaments and venues are empty and just doesn't feel like March Madness.

Q. VJ your alley-oop on the inbounds from Jeremy, did you think he threw it up there too high or you knew you had it all the way?

VJ EDGECOMBE: It was a great pass by Jeremy, credit the guy on my left. I credit my guy on my left. He seen it, he seen what they ran, and we executed from there. So yeah.

SCOTT DREW: It's hard coaching when you can throw it to 12 feet and know that he's got it, you know?

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.