By Jake Shaw
Special Contributor to SicEmSports
Dale Bonner hadn't scored in nearly a month. Perhaps he was saving up his contributions for when Baylor would need him most.
Bonner came off the bench — forced into extended action after an ankle injury sidelined star freshman guard Keyonte George — to score 13 points, including two clutch 3-pointers, and added three assists and two steals, giving Baylor an unexpected lift in a 81-72 win over the Longhorns.
Baylor moves to 10-6 in the Big 12 (21-8 overall) and should be locked into at least a 3-seed in the NCAA tournament. It keeps Baylor in the Big 12 title hunt while putting Texas (22-7, 11-5) a half-game back of Kansas (hosting WVU today) for the conference lead.
Trailing by as many as 14 in the first half, Baylor outscored UT by 23 in the final 30-plus minutes of the game, leading by 10 or more for 12-plus minutes in the second half. But it didn't look like it would be a one-sided win.
George got a steal at the 11:38 mark of the first half but appeared to twist his ankle on a fast break that led to a turnover. At that point, Baylor trailed 18-4 and looked helpless on both ends. Somehow, Baylor started to play its basketball after losing one-third of its vaunted backcourt.
Langston Love hit a 3. Baylor got a stop. Jonathan "EJ" Tchamwa Tchatchou hit a couple of free throws. Baylor got a stop. LJ Cryer scored on a running bank shot. Baylor got a stop.
That loop continued, Baylor scoring 25 of the game's next 30 points, turning an 18-4 deficit into a 29-23 lead. UT closed the first half with two straight buckets, cutting it to 29-27 at the break, but Baylor had clearly righted the ship, and Bonner's time would soon come.
Ironically, having not made a shot — from the field or the free throw line — since the Jan. 31 loss at Texas, Bonner started a second-half surge with a three-pointer with 14:16 left. It gave Baylor a 50-40 lead, its first double-digit advantage, and one that would hold for the next 12 minutes.
Bonner then hit an elbow jumper, created a wide-open layup after a Baylor stop, then added another layup and picked up an assist to Flo Thamba. He followed with a deep three late in the shot clock to put Baylor up 67-50 midway through the second half, marking Baylor's biggest lead.
Texas didn't get back to a single-digit deficit until 1:59 to play, and despite a couple of Baylor turnovers against a full-court press, Baylor iced the game with free throws.
If Baylor goes on to do something special this season, Bonner's performance will be more than just a simple footnote. It might be remembered as a season-restoring effort.
MORE THOUGHTS:
Special Contributor to SicEmSports
Dale Bonner hadn't scored in nearly a month. Perhaps he was saving up his contributions for when Baylor would need him most.
Bonner came off the bench — forced into extended action after an ankle injury sidelined star freshman guard Keyonte George — to score 13 points, including two clutch 3-pointers, and added three assists and two steals, giving Baylor an unexpected lift in a 81-72 win over the Longhorns.
Baylor moves to 10-6 in the Big 12 (21-8 overall) and should be locked into at least a 3-seed in the NCAA tournament. It keeps Baylor in the Big 12 title hunt while putting Texas (22-7, 11-5) a half-game back of Kansas (hosting WVU today) for the conference lead.
Trailing by as many as 14 in the first half, Baylor outscored UT by 23 in the final 30-plus minutes of the game, leading by 10 or more for 12-plus minutes in the second half. But it didn't look like it would be a one-sided win.
George got a steal at the 11:38 mark of the first half but appeared to twist his ankle on a fast break that led to a turnover. At that point, Baylor trailed 18-4 and looked helpless on both ends. Somehow, Baylor started to play its basketball after losing one-third of its vaunted backcourt.
Langston Love hit a 3. Baylor got a stop. Jonathan "EJ" Tchamwa Tchatchou hit a couple of free throws. Baylor got a stop. LJ Cryer scored on a running bank shot. Baylor got a stop.
That loop continued, Baylor scoring 25 of the game's next 30 points, turning an 18-4 deficit into a 29-23 lead. UT closed the first half with two straight buckets, cutting it to 29-27 at the break, but Baylor had clearly righted the ship, and Bonner's time would soon come.
Ironically, having not made a shot — from the field or the free throw line — since the Jan. 31 loss at Texas, Bonner started a second-half surge with a three-pointer with 14:16 left. It gave Baylor a 50-40 lead, its first double-digit advantage, and one that would hold for the next 12 minutes.
Bonner then hit an elbow jumper, created a wide-open layup after a Baylor stop, then added another layup and picked up an assist to Flo Thamba. He followed with a deep three late in the shot clock to put Baylor up 67-50 midway through the second half, marking Baylor's biggest lead.
Texas didn't get back to a single-digit deficit until 1:59 to play, and despite a couple of Baylor turnovers against a full-court press, Baylor iced the game with free throws.
If Baylor goes on to do something special this season, Bonner's performance will be more than just a simple footnote. It might be remembered as a season-restoring effort.
MORE THOUGHTS:
- ESPN originally reported George would return from his ankle injury, then declared him doubtful. Baylor coach Scott Drew said postgame that a 102-degree fever by George on Friday played a part in not returning, adding Baylor doesn't know the extent of George's injury yet.
- Bonner's 13 is one short of his season high, set in the season opener, a 117-53 stat-padding Baylor romp over Mississippi Valley State. It marks Bonner's first time scoring in double-digits in a Big 12 game.
- Bonner stole the headlines, just slightly overshadowing Jalen Bridges. The WVU transfer led Baylor with 17 points. More important than his scoring, Bridges led a resurgent defense with 8 rebounds and 4 blocks.
- Flo Thamba emerged from slumber with perhaps his most impactful game of the year. He recorded the game's only double-double, getting to 12 in both points and rebounds.
- The other two-thirds of Baylor's backcourt, LJ Cryer and Adam Flagler, were relatively quiet with a combined 23 points.
- Timmy Allen, who torched Baylor for 18 points in the first meeting, scored 12, but six came in the final minute with the game decided. Meanwhile, Dylan Disu (averaging 7ppg) exploded for Texas with 24 points, including 3-4 from 3. His teammates went just 7-23 from long range.
