Interviews, quotes and reactions from Baylor's 78-61 win over Alcorn St.
Head coach Scott Drew
On his 300th win
“That’s a player award because you can’t achieve that without players, fans, [assistant] coaches. So coaches are the last ones to get excited about that. But it’s a good accomplishment for everybody.”
On the takeaways from the night
“The two bright spots were rebounding — whenever you can outbound someone 49 to 27 and 18 to 5 on offensive boards, 15-4 second-chance points. It was great to see Jo Lual-Acuil score really highpoint balls and rebound better than he did against Corpus Christi, so that was a positive. And that’s back-to-back games our turnovers have been cut way down.”
Forward Tristan Clark
On his comfort level after a few games
“I feel way more comfortable. The first two games were a little shaky but today I feel real confident. I just went out and played my game.”
Guard King McClure
On Coach Drew’s 300th win
“Coach Drew deserves it. I feel like he’s the most underrated coach in college basketball. He has 300 wins now. That’s big time. So I’m proud of him.”
On where the team stands to improve
“There were spurts we could have played a little bit harder. We coulda played better defense. They got too many easy shots.”
Leaning on Tristan Clark & Finding the Bigs
The only obvious misstep from the freshman phenom was a turnover to open the second half. But save that TO, Clark was virtually flawless, affirming the belief he’ll be a true impact player.
He was perfect from the floor before his seventh shot in garbage time with a mid-range jumper. It wasn’t just how well he was shooting but also the team’s confidence moving the ball to him, moving inside the paint and even trying his hand at shot clock-beaters. In turn, his confidence was on full display too, settling into a groove as he hit double-digit points the second time this season and was one rebound away from a double-double.
Clark isn't the only big stepping up. Jo Lual-Acuil struggled to find a rhythm the last outing but with 16 points and 12 rebounds showed the Jo that Drew and his teammates were touting all preseason with new confidence in his ballhandling and shot selection. The two combined for half of Baylor's 18 offensive rebounds, outdoing Alcorn on their own.
Jake Lindsey reaffirms his role
It’s easy to sing Lecomte’s praises after leading the team in scoring each game this season, continuing to work as the resident sharpshooter. But he only managed to shoot 33 percent from the floor. Lindsey’s involvement is typically more restrained, doing the work that’s hidden on a stat sheet.
His effort on defense has been phenomenal to open the season but was on full display tonight, landing two steals and getting in Alcorn State’s face for a block and another forced shot that might as well been another block after chasing down a breakaway from behind. That made his 11 +/- more noticeable than his previous outings that earned him the team’s second-highest mark through the first two matches.
Perhaps his greatest accomplishment is he was the only player without turnover. Not only did he leave the night without a TO but hasn't had one all season. Everyone else has at least two. It's a stark contrast to his four turnovers in the Sweet 16.
Odds & Ends
Last game was a disaster shooting from the foul line with only 62.5 percent falling through. Multiple players missed a pair of attempts and kept the team from forming a groove until late. That was curbed letting up just one free throw from Corpus Christi but Friday night was another story with everyone proving their worth at the line.
It was also another step in the right direction limiting turnovers that were a nuisance in the opening game. Terry Maston had a string of uncontrolled moments, turning it over twice while Mark Vital and Tristan Clark had freshman moments under the basket but by-in-large continued to impress under the basket. It wasn't often, but their green edges have shown at times.