After 11 losses to Kansas, Baylor finally pulled it off. The Bears beat the Jayhawks. Not only did they beat them on Saturday afternoon, but took down the conference favorites 80-64. With the win, the Bears are now on a three-win streak and look like one of the most dangerous teams around.
Two games in one
Had Baylor kept Kansas to 20 points in the second half as it did to open the game, it would have been Kansas’ lowest mark in the Bill Self era. But after regrouping in the second half, the Jayhawks stormed back within a possession more than doubled their first half production, making the second half an offensive shootout.
For the first half, coach Scott Drew credited Baylor’s transition work for the team’s success, a direct response to the previous bout with the Jayhawks. But in the second half as KU put up 44 points to climb within a possession, Drew said “they did a great job exploiting” the high-post and shook off Baylor’s zone better to open up more three-point opportunities.
Despite the change of pace in the second half, Self said he “still felt [Baylor] controlled the game.”
Baylor held a 30-20 lead entering halftime and that lead proved crucial for the Bears. Manu Lecomte said the objective was to hold a sizable lead in the final three minutes. In all of Baylor’s close losses including the team’s trip to Allen Fieldhouse, it was the final three minutes where the game unraveled. Holding that double-digit lead in the final minutes was the deciding factor.
Jo Lual-Acuil makes a statement…Nuni Omot makes a statement…
“Jo was unstoppable inside,” Manu Lecomte said after the game. “Nuni was making shots from three.”
There are too many player listed in the press conference. While it wasn’t every player that had a career performance, everyone was operating in their own right.
Lual-Acuil was in full control of the glass, grabbing 16 of his 19 points from inside (adding a nice three from the top of the key) and added six rebounds to his box score. But he wasn’t alone inside, Mark Vital continues to make waves with 11 rebounds (and had numerous tips land in Nuni Omot and Lual-Acuil’s hands) and three blocks.
And for your viewing pleasure, here’s Vital’s earth shattering block to close the first half.
Manu Lecomte put up some daggers in the second half but Coach Drew said he was most impressed with his six assists to two turnovers, a similar stat line to Jake Lindsey who had a crucial four-point run in the first half. Add in Nuni Omot sinking 3-of-4 three-pointers, this team looks like it’s rolling on all cylinders.
The only real downside to the game was shooting 67 percent of free throws.
Dominating three-point game changes the tone
Great coaches in their own right, Bill Self and Scott Drew have different ideas of that’s a good shot- at least, when it comes to Manu Lecomte’s hand.
In the closing six minutes of the game, Lecomte put up two 30-foot shots, effectively sealing the game for the Bears. Self said those were “bad shots” but Drew could only grin thinking about them. He said he welcomes teams leaving his point guard open. Those shots will go through more often than not.
“If people are going to leave him open out there, I’d like him to shoot,” Drew said, comparing him to Steph Curry and Oklahoma’s Trae Young.
Thanks to Lecomte coming alive in the second half, Baylor shot 53 percent from the perimeter for the first time in conference play. Not only was the offense rocking — but playing with a double-digit lead — the defense held one of the nation’s top three-point shooting teams to 19 percent.
Devonte’ Graham was 4-of-10 but had three air balls on the afternoon, perfectly summarizing the Jayhawks’ performance.
Side note: Some viewers may have seen Lecomte hurt his hand later in the game. He said that he just jammed his pinky and should be fine.
