Carr Scores 24 as Bears Blow Past Braves 113-56 in Return from Finals Week
WACO, Texas — Baylor Men’s Basketball (8-2) steamrolled the visiting Alcorn State Braves (1-10) 113-56 as the Bears returned from their finals week layoff in style.
Cameron Carr led all scorers with 24 points and added six rebounds as the Bears won the game on the boards and in transition.
Baylor nearly doubled up Alcorn State 50-26 in rebounds and more than doubled the Braves’ 17 fast break points with 38 of their own. In fact, of the Bears' 42 made buckets, half were dunks (11) or layups (10).
Another 20 points for Baylor came from the free throw line, where they made 20 of 23 total attempts, including 15 of 17 in the first half, to help build a big lead.
With such an athletic team that clearly enjoys play on the break, will Scott Drew turn up the tempo this season?
“I think we want to get stops and get out [in transition] and as we play teams that are a little better in transition defense, then the next maturation is … if you don't have easy's, don't take bad, quick shots.”
That first half was decided largely by three runs. First, the Bears jumped out to a 12-2 lead. Second, the Green and Gold rode an 8-0 run to make it a 30-14 ball game. Then, a huge 17-0 run at the end of the half led to the Bears’ 55-30 halftime lead.
“I thought we weren't atrocious, but in first 16 minutes we weren't as sharp as we are capable and needed to be,” said Coach Drew after the game, “And then I thought the last 17-0 run to finish the half, and then the beginning of the second half, the rust was off and I think we're locked in.”
That run to start the second half was a five-minute, 23-0 run that stretched into a 30-3 run. It set Baylor up to finish with its largest margin of victory on the young season at 57 points.
Isaac Williams was the second leading scorer for the Bears with 21 points, while Caden Powell led the team with a career-high 16 rebounds.
Forward Michael Rataj had a scary moment at the end of the game when he fell hard after a dunk attempt, but he remained in the game to shoot his free throws, which Coach Drew mentioned was a positive indicator after the game.
Rataj finished the game with 18 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double in a Baylor uniform.
Three more Bears scored in double figures with Tounde Yessoufou contributing 17 points, Obi Agbim scoring 14, and Dan Skillings adding 12.
Baylor now has one day to rest and ready itself for a stingy Southern University squad that took Washington to double overtime in Seattle earlier this season. That game is set to tip off at noon on Sunday and will be broadcast nationally on TNT with the Big 12 opener for Baylor Women’s Basketball following at 3 p.m. (ESPN+).
