Three-time All-Big 12 honoree (Third Team in 2020, Honorable Mention in 2019 & 2021) and three-time Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection … Named a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist in each of last two seasons and was one of four finalists in 2020 … Tabbed as 2021 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by The Athletic … Holds BU record with 45 career Big 12 victories (45-22), passing A.J. Walton (39-29) … Tenth all-time at BU with 144 steals … Sixth player in program history to make 100+ career starts as he started 94 of the team’s last 104 games during BU career … Finished career with six points and 11 rebounds in the National Championship game victory over then-unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Gonzaga (4/5) ... Sat out 2016-17 as redshirt and played in 126 of team’s 128 games over four seasons, including 105 starts ... Selected as captain of Seth Davis’ 21st-annual All-Glue Team in 2020 ... Committed to Baylor in September 2013, more than two years before signing day ... Graduated in May 2021 with degree in Health, Kinesiology and Leisure Studies.
2020-21 (Senior): Selected to All-Big 12 and Big 12 All-Defensive Teams and led Bears to first Big 12 Championship and first National Championship in program history … Named a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist for second-straight year … Tabbed as Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by The Athletic … Broke BU record with 45 career Big 12 victories (45-22), passing A.J. Walton (39-29) … Scored career-high 19 points (8-9 FGs) in comeback from nine points down to win at Oklahoma State (1/23) … Posted season-highs of 15 rebounds and three blocks and 32 minutes against Iowa State (2/23) … Had memorable senior night with first double-double of the season (10 points/15 rebounds) in win over Texas Tech (3/7) … Finished with 10 rebounds and a season-high six assists in Big 12 Championship quarterfinal win vs. Kansas State (3/11) … Brought down 15 rebounds for the fourth time in the 2021 season (and third time in a seven-game stretch) against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship semifinals (3/12) … Finished with six points and 11 rebounds in the National Championship game victory over then-unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Gonzaga (4/5).
2019-20 (Junior): Earned All-Big 12 Third Team recognition after playing in 29 games and making 23 starts ... Honored as one of four finalists for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year ... Unanimously voted to Big 12 All-Defensive Team, marking second-straight year on league’s defensive team, and was named captain of Seth Davis’ 21st-annual All-Glue Team ... Led team with 50 steals, ranked second with 6.2 rebounds per game, second with 17 blocks and third with 53 assists ... Had seven games touching all five stat categories (points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals) ... Started two of team’s first eight games, then started 21 of final 22 contests, missing one game due to injury ... Made first start of season and posted 10 points, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 26 minutes vs. Texas State (11/15) ... Played 27 minutes off bench in win at Coastal Carolina (11/22), recording 10 points, nine rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block ... Did not attempt a field goal but recorded +8 plus-minus in 26 minutes off bench of Myrtle Beach Invitational title game win over No. 17 Villanova (11/24), posting two points, four rebounds, three assists and on steal ... Entered starting lineup for remainder of season in win over No. 18 Butler (12/10), recording seven points, five rebounds, three blocks, two assists and one steal ... Posted then-season-high 11 points in 24 minutes vs. UT-Martin (12/18) ... Grabbed season-high 13 boards and added eight points and three steals in 30 minutes of win at No. 22 Texas Tech (1/7) ... Played season-high 38 minutes and had +16 plus-minus in win at No. 3 Kansas (1/11), recording four points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals ... Played 31 minutes and had 11 points, seven rebounds and two steals vs. Iowa State (1/15) ... Grabbed 10 boards in 29 minutes of win at Florida (1/25) ... Approached triple-double with eight points, nine rebounds and seven assists in 31 minutes of win at Iowa State (1/29) ... Scored season-high 13 points and added six rebounds vs. Oklahoma State (2/8) ... Posted 10 points and six rebounds in win at Oklahoma (2/18), helping Bears break Big 12 record with 23rd-consecutive win ... Capped season with seven points, 12 rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes at West Virginia (3/7) ... Named to Spring Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
2018-19 (Sophomore): Started all 34 games, including 11 times at 5-spot, 21 times at 4-spot and twice at 3-spot ... Provided physical presence and contributed across stat sheet, averaging 7.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 steals in 27.7 minutes per game ... Led team with 245 rebounds and 35 steals, ranked second with 31 blocks and third with 68 assists ... Had more than twice as many offensive rebounds (121) as next closest player on team (55) ... Improved free throw shooting dramatically throughout season, moving up from 40 percent (26-of-65) across season’s first 17 games to 68 percent (38-of-56) over final 17 games ... Played at least 22 minutes in final 16 games of season ... Opened season one rebound shy of first double-double with 10 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals in 28 minutes vs. Texas Southern (11/6) ... Notched career-first double-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes vs. Nicholls State (11/16) ... Grabbed career-high 17 rebounds, including nine on offensive end, in 36 minutes of win at Arizona (12/15), which were three more than all Arizona players combined (14) ... Posted 12 rebounds and career-high five steals in 36 minutes vs. SFA (12/18) ... Had 11 points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes of win over Oregon (12/21) ... Recorded 11 points and four assists in Big 12 opener at TCU (1/5) ... Moved to starting 5-spot following Tristan Clark’s season-ending knee injury ... In first game at 5-spot, came up one rebound shy of double-double with 10 points and nine boards in 26 minutes vs. Kansas (1/12) ... Grabbed 13 rebounds and added five assists in 32 minutes of win at Oklahoma State (1/14) ... Had eight points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in 25 minutes of win at Oklahoma (1/28) ... Scored then-career-high 14 points in 29 minutes at Texas (2/6) ... Recorded second double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds in 33 minutes of win vs. West Virginia (2/23) ... Led Bears to OT win vs. Texas (2/27), playing career-high 41 minutes and recording 13 points and eight boards, including perfect 7-of-7 at free throw line ... Had 10 points and career-high three blocks in 27 minutes of Big 12 Championship quarterfinal vs. Iowa State (3/14) ... Totaled career-high 17 points and added eight rebounds and two steals in 29 minutes of NCAA Tournament second-round game vs. Gonzaga (3/23).
2017-18 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in 33 games and made 18 starts during first season of collegiate competition ... Saw at least 20 minutes of action in 26 of 33 games, including 14 consecutive games to end season, and played 30+ minutes seven times over final 18 games ... Ranked 14th in Big 12 and third among freshmen with 5.6 rebounds per game and finished 10th in conference with 2.3 offensive rebounds per game ... Increased total to 6.4 rebounds per game in conference play, which ranked eighth in league ... Scored in double-figures nine times, had two games with double-digit rebounds and four games with 5+ assists ... Finished third on team with 71 assists, second with 184 rebounds and third with 26 steals ... Came off bench in first 11 games played and started 18 of final 22 games ... Made collegiate debut with six points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals in 20 minutes vs. Central Arkansas (11/10) ... Had 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 20 minutes at No. 21 Xavier (11/28) ... Posted eight points, seven rebounds and season-high three steals against No. 8 Wichita State (12/2) ... Scored in double-figures in three straight games, beginning with 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists in 19 minutes off bench vs. Savannah State (12/17) ... Had 10 points, six rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes vs. Southern (12/20) ... Made career-first start in Big 12 opener at No. 22 Texas Tech (12/29), tied season-high with 12 points in 28 minutes ... Had 10 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes off bench vs. Texas (1/6) in final game before entering regular starting lineup ... Started next 14 games and 17 of season’s final 19 contests ... Had career-first double-digit rebound game with 10 boards, including season-high six offensive rebounds, and season-high eight assists against Oklahoma State (1/15) ... Nearly had double-double with nine points and nine rebounds in 27 minutes at No. 10 Kansas (1/20) ... Had season-highs with 11 rebounds and three blocks against No. 10 Kansas (2/10) ... Played season-high 38 minutes and grabbed nine boards in double-overtime win at Texas (2/12) ... Tied season-high with 12 points in 31 minutes at TCU (2/24) ... Came off bench on senior night vs. Oklahoma (2/27), posted 10 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes ... Started both NIT games, recording three points and six rebounds in each.
2016-17 (True Freshman): Sat out first season at Baylor, but participated on practice squad ... Redshirted to retain eligibility.
High School: Began prep career at Washington-Marion High School in Lake Charles, La., where he played freshman and sophomore seasons ... Played final two prep seasons for head coach Ray Forsett at Advanced Prep International in Dallas ... Ranked No. 1 in Louisiana and No. 55 nationally in 2016 recruiting class by 247Sports.com ... Committed to Baylor in September 2013, more than two years before signing day ... Averaged 16.5 points per game during 2013-14 sophomore season and 13.4 points per game during 2012-13 freshman season ... Scored in double figures in 50 of 60 games at WMHS, including 13 games of 20-plus points.
Personal: Son of Mark Vital Sr. and Sandra Staves ... Graduated in May 2021 with degree in Health, Kinesiology and Leisure Studies.
