Dallas ? Baylor has seven scholarship players who will remain on the basketball team for the upcoming season, which will likely include games against two former teammates.

Junior forward Harvey Thomas, sophomore forward Tommy Swanson and freshman guard Carl Marshall all started classes Monday at Baylor. They join four other players who had already committed to staying.

“We have seven scholarship players on campus right now,” Baylor sports information director Heath Nielsen said Monday night. “That includes Harvey, Marshall and Swanson.”

Seniors R.T. Guinn, Matt Sayman and Terrance Thomas were all present Friday when the school introduced new coach Scott Drew. Junior Ellis Kidd Jr. also committed to staying after Drew’s hiring.

The Bears, however, have lost their three top scorers from last season. Junior post player Lawrence Roberts transferred to Mississippi State, while junior guards John Lucas and Kenny Taylor are staying in the Big 12 Conference, Lucas at Oklahoma State and Taylor at Texas.

The Big 12 announced Monday that Baylor players transferring to other league schools wouldn’t lose a season of eligibility.

“The council was careful to clarify in its vote that the action was based upon the unique circumstances presented in the Baylor situation,” Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said of the decision by the league’s Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives.

Baylor President Robert Sloan Jr. offered all players a release from their scholarships Aug. 8 when he announced major violations had been found in the basketball program. Coach Dave Bliss and athletic director Tom Stanton resigned.

The school placed itself on a two-year probation and won’t participate in any postseason tournaments next season, including the Big 12 tournament.

Sloan asked the NCAA to waive its rule that players transferring within Division I schools sit out one year before being eligible. The NCAA granted that waiver last week, but said conference rules would still apply.