No. 6 Baylor men's basketball takes Battle 4 Atlantis with 75-58 win over Michigan State

No. 6 Baylor men’s basketball secured Scott Drew’s second Battle 4 Atlantis tournament title with a 75-58 dub over Tom Izzo and Michigan State. 

The red button. We talked about the red button last season, and it’s back again. Whenever Baylor feels like it, this team will rip a pummeling run of death that fires their opponent directly into the surface of the sun. Down 36-31 in the first half, the button was hammered. 

That button sparked a 32-10 run that all but finished Michigan State. Thus, Drew remains perfect in the Battle 4 Atlantis with a 6-0 record and two titles in the team’s two appearances. Baylor is now tied with Villanova for most tournament trophies with two apiece. 

The first 20 minutes of this game were a bit lackluster. For a majority of that time, it felt like Baylor was just fighting to keep Michigan State’s lead within reach — and that’s exactly what the team did. Down five? Adam Flagler three. Michigan State scores? James Akinjo layup. Spartan dunk? LJ Cryer long ball. 

Sparty led the game 36-31 with 2:27 remaining before the break, but Scott Drew reigned his team in to hold Michigan State scoreless past that mark and spark a 7-0 mini-run to finish up 38-36 at the half. 

To that point, both teams were shooting 50% or better. Glaring stat disparities appeared with the Bears leading the turnover battle 9-4 but the Spartans outrebounding Baylor 18-11. The difference then was an 18-9 Baylor lead in bench points. Three games in three days calls for depth — Baylor has it. 

The second half is when it all happened. The Bears left the locker room knowing what was about to take place. A quick 17-6 run turned a Baylor two-point lead into a Baylor 13 point lead. Kendall Brown had eight of those 17. It was an absolute show. For 9:39 of game clock starting late in the first half and well into the second, Michigan State scored six points. 

Baylor was just the deeper team. The stat book for the game has Baylor leads in points in the paint 44-30 and turnovers 19-10, but those aren’t wild differences. Honestly, there isn’t a ton of separation on the book. This win can be contributed to one thing — Baylor kept it close even while playing poorly early. 

Albeit dominated on the boards in the first half, Baylor led second-chance points in the second half 11-3 and that’s what did it. With a defensive emphasis and offensive boards coming freely, the Bears shot 61 field goals to Michigan State’s 46. That, friends, is good. 

Akinjo scored 15. Brown added 12. Mayer had seven boards. And the defense was lockdown in the second half, only allowing 22. Baylor leaves paradise with a 75-58 statement.