It was choppy to start at the Ferrell Center as you could imagine. The Bears didn't have their two most prolific scorers on the court with Adam Flagler (illness) and LJ Cryer (back) sidelined.
But it gave Langston Love and Dale Bonner the opportunity to start. After an up-and-down first half, the Bears saw a 39-30 halftime lead cut to 41-38 in the opening minutes.
However, they used an 8-0 run to jump up 49-38 and really were never threatened. Love scored a career-high 20. Keyonte George hit the 20-point mark for the third time this season with 21. Bonner added 12.
Baylor had a pretty poor shooting first half but was able to get it going once everybody became a little more comfortable with each other and finished at 46.6 percent. They also cleaned up the ball handling. After a wild first half, Bears finished with just 19.
Because they had the size advantage, they dominated on the glass, 41-23. One other interesting note is that Flo Thamba won his 100th game wearing a Baylor uniform, the most of any player in program history.
Now time to hit the books for final exams. Bears don't play again until Dec. 18 when they meet Washington State at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas in the Coast-to-Coast Pac 12 Challenge.
Postgame Notes
Quotable
Langston Love
(What was the mindset of the team with LJ and Adam out?)
Some guys were out, so we had their back just like they have our back when we're playing. So, we just wanted to come in and just play hard for them.
(On the lob)
It was really exciting. Playing with a great passer like Keyonte, I knew he was gonna hit me. So, I just had to finish it off.
(Had a couple really good slams, any extra joy after last season?)
I would say that being back out there is great but it's really a blessing because, (after) all the work that I had to put in last year, my legs feel better than they’ve ever felt in my time playing basketball. So, that's what helps me get up right now. And just leaning on the backs of my teammates. They helped me through a lot, so it's cool.
Dale Bonner
(Ran the offense, how was that, an adjustment?)
I wouldn't say it's an adjustment. Just when my numbers called to play the 1, 2 or 3. Wherever the coaches need me to be, that’s what I'm gonna play so I'm just gonna continue to do that.
(Were they a pretty physical team?)
Yeah, they’re physical but they also foul a lot. We also fouled a lot, too.
Keyonte George
(Tough first half for you, what was the different in those halves?)
I mean, I've said it before, I'll say it again. Trusting my work. Some of the best shooters miss shots. So, that's my mentality. They can miss shots, I can miss shots. So, getting to the rim, out to the free throw line and then it starts opening up the game for me and I was able to make shots.
(Team didn’t shoot a lot of threes in the first half, did that open up later, what happened there?)
We got a lot of athletic guys on his team. So, get to the rim, get fouled, put pressure on the defense and then we got great shooters on the team, so that opens up for them. So, just using all our weapons. Like I said, putting a lot of pressure on the defense making them guard.
(Was that one of the more physical teams you played this year?)
No. They were definitely physical though, for sure. Using their hands a lot, body checking us, hitting us on box outs. But it was real physical. I wouldn't say it's one of my (most) physical games, but it's up there.
But it gave Langston Love and Dale Bonner the opportunity to start. After an up-and-down first half, the Bears saw a 39-30 halftime lead cut to 41-38 in the opening minutes.
However, they used an 8-0 run to jump up 49-38 and really were never threatened. Love scored a career-high 20. Keyonte George hit the 20-point mark for the third time this season with 21. Bonner added 12.
Baylor had a pretty poor shooting first half but was able to get it going once everybody became a little more comfortable with each other and finished at 46.6 percent. They also cleaned up the ball handling. After a wild first half, Bears finished with just 19.
Because they had the size advantage, they dominated on the glass, 41-23. One other interesting note is that Flo Thamba won his 100th game wearing a Baylor uniform, the most of any player in program history.
Now time to hit the books for final exams. Bears don't play again until Dec. 18 when they meet Washington State at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas in the Coast-to-Coast Pac 12 Challenge.
Postgame Notes
- Baylor won its seventh-straight game against Tarleton and its first since 1986
- Baylor is 61-17 against in-state opponents since the start of the 2011-12 season
- BU is 45-3 in home games over the last four seasons
- Baylor is 78-4 in its last 82 non-conference home games dating back to Dec. 12, 2012.
- The Bears are 142-16 in non-conference home games in the Drew era, including 114-8 since 2007-08.
- BU is 58-8 in home games against unranked opponents since 2016-2017
- With 100 career wins, Flo Thamba is now the winningest player in program history (Only includes games played).
- The senior also set a new program record with his 208th win of his career (including all games regardless of participation)
- Thamba tied a season high with six points.
- Langston Love made his first-career start and notched his first-career 20-point game, a new career high.
- Love is the fifth-different player to score 20+ points this season.
- Keyonte George had a game-high 22 points his third 20-point game this season.
- The reining Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the week is averaging 17.25 points per game in his last four games.
- This is the second time this season BU has had multiple 20-point scorers, and the first time since 11/20/22 against UCLA.
- George tied a career-high with seven rebounds
- Jalen Bridges pulled down a season-high 8 rebounds.
- Jordan Turner played in his first game of the season after missing the first eight with a wrist injury.
Quotable
Langston Love
(What was the mindset of the team with LJ and Adam out?)
Some guys were out, so we had their back just like they have our back when we're playing. So, we just wanted to come in and just play hard for them.
(On the lob)
It was really exciting. Playing with a great passer like Keyonte, I knew he was gonna hit me. So, I just had to finish it off.
(Had a couple really good slams, any extra joy after last season?)
I would say that being back out there is great but it's really a blessing because, (after) all the work that I had to put in last year, my legs feel better than they’ve ever felt in my time playing basketball. So, that's what helps me get up right now. And just leaning on the backs of my teammates. They helped me through a lot, so it's cool.
Dale Bonner
(Ran the offense, how was that, an adjustment?)
I wouldn't say it's an adjustment. Just when my numbers called to play the 1, 2 or 3. Wherever the coaches need me to be, that’s what I'm gonna play so I'm just gonna continue to do that.
(Were they a pretty physical team?)
Yeah, they’re physical but they also foul a lot. We also fouled a lot, too.
Keyonte George
(Tough first half for you, what was the different in those halves?)
I mean, I've said it before, I'll say it again. Trusting my work. Some of the best shooters miss shots. So, that's my mentality. They can miss shots, I can miss shots. So, getting to the rim, out to the free throw line and then it starts opening up the game for me and I was able to make shots.
(Team didn’t shoot a lot of threes in the first half, did that open up later, what happened there?)
We got a lot of athletic guys on his team. So, get to the rim, get fouled, put pressure on the defense and then we got great shooters on the team, so that opens up for them. So, just using all our weapons. Like I said, putting a lot of pressure on the defense making them guard.
(Was that one of the more physical teams you played this year?)
No. They were definitely physical though, for sure. Using their hands a lot, body checking us, hitting us on box outs. But it was real physical. I wouldn't say it's one of my (most) physical games, but it's up there.
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