No. 6 Baylor Men's Basketball Blitzed by Michigan State, 88-64

DETROIT — The No. 6 Baylor Men’s Basketball team (9-1) lost their first game of the year and did so in devastating fashion, 88-64 to the Michigan State Spartans (5-5). 

The Spartans were the preseason No. 4 team in the country — undeniably a talented squad — but they did not live up to their potential much until today.

The Bears were blitzed in the first half, trailing by as much as thirty and being outscored 45-17 at the break.

Baylor shot just 32% from the field in the first half and went 2-for-10 from deep as well. Michigan State shot 63% from the field and was 5-for-7 from three for reference.

Turnovers also ailed the Bears as they got sloppy when trying to chase the game. They lost the possession 11 times in the half.

The confluence of all of these stats was best shown in the middle ten minutes of the half. Michigan State officially went on a 27-4 run with the Bears making just two of 11 shots in that span and turning the ball over seven times as well. This run built the Spartans' lead to 36-11.

Scott Drew was mic’d up for the broadcast and in the middle of the first half said “They played harder, they played faster. They were the hammer we were the nail.”

The Bears were able to win the second half 47-43. Though that means nothing for the team’s record, it points to fixable issues and a bad shooting night. 

Once the Baylor offense got back into gear, RayJ Dennis was able to muster 11 points and seven assists while Yves Missi scored 11 of his own. Jayden Nunn and Ja’Kobe Walter added nine points each as well.

The Bears’ defense will likely be the primary concern moving forward with the shadow of last year creeping back up on the 2023-24 Bears. 

Baylor got punked by a talented team and a championship coach. Not entirely dissimilar to last year’s Marquette game minus the national championship on the coach’s resumé.

And much like last year, the Bears have a marquee neutral-site matchup up next. This time, Baylor plays No. 21 Duke in Madison Square Garden in New York City rather than Gonzaga in South Dakota.

That game will tip off at 6 PM CT and will air live on ESPN.