Auburn vs. Baylor at Sanford Pentagon to air on ESPN
Oct. 2, 2023
Contact:
Paul Heinert
Sanford Health Media Relations
605-366-2432 / paul.heinert@sanfordhealth.org
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The first Division I men’s basketball game at the Sanford Pentagon for the 2023-24 season is getting a primetime slot on a major network. Auburn vs. Baylor is scheduled to air live on ESPN at 8 p.m. on Nov. 7 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Tickets are available now on ticketmaster.com and at the Sanford Pentagon Box Office.
“This game is deserving of a national audience, and we are proud the entire country is going to see the type of atmosphere and experience the Sanford Pentagon provides the athletes, coaches and fans from Auburn and Baylor,” said Jesse Smith, vice president of Sanford Sports.
Auburn, a member of the SEC, is coming off a 21-13 season which saw the Tigers advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Three-time SEC Coach of the Year Bruce Pearl returns for his tenth season at Auburn. He has guided the Tigers to over 170 wins in nine seasons, the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking in both national polls and a memorable run to the NCAA Final Four in 2019. This will be the first trip for Auburn to the state of South Dakota.
Baylor, a member of the Big 12, finished last season with an overall record of 23-11, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bears played a memorable game at the Sanford Pentagon in 2022, defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs 64-63 in front of a sold-out crowd. Head coach Scott Drew enters his 21st season at Baylor. The school’s all-time winningest head coach led the team to the national championship in 2021-22 season.
This year’s contest will mark the eighth all-time meeting between Auburn and Baylor with Baylor holding a 5-2 series lead. The last meeting was an 84-72 Bears win in Waco, Texas, on Jan. 30, 2021.
Auburn vs. Baylor is one of five NCAA Division I men’s basketball games announced for this season at the Sanford Pentagon. Nebraska takes on Oregon State Nov. 18, Oregon matches up against Syracuse Dec. 17, South Dakota faces UT Rio Grande Valley Nov. 10 and South Dakota State plays Dec. 1.
Since opening in 2013, the Sanford Pentagon has hosted more than 80 Division I men’s and women’s college basketball games. Last December, the Pentagon hosted a rematch of the 2021 men’s national championship game between No. 6 Baylor and No. 14 Gonzaga. Two weeks later, defending women’s national champions and No. 1 ranked South Carolina defeated South Dakota State on Heritage Court.
About Sanford Sports
Sanford Sports is the modern athletics arm of Sanford Health, the premier rural health system in the United States. Rooted in science and health care, Sanford Sports offers a combination of programs, services, events, facilities and partnerships intended to make active lifestyles accessible and rewarding for people of all ages and abilities. Based on the 500-acre Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Sanford Sports has been changing the way athletes play for 25 years. With operations in four states, more than one million athletes use Sanford Sports facilities each year. Visit sanfordsports.com for more information.
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