Jared Butler stirs the drink once again as Baylor upsets No. 8 Texas Tech

WACO, Texas — In Saturday’s contest in Waco against the Texas Tech, the Bears took down the No. 8-ranked Red Raiders 73-62, their second victory over a ranked opponent in Big 12 play

There were a lot of great aspects of this game for the Bears.

For starters, the Bears forced 17 turnovers and had an advantage on the offensive boards, 14-8. That led to the Red Raiders only putting up 45 shots from the field, while Baylor was able to shoot 58 of their. By creating opportunities and minimizing their opponents opportunities, the Bears were able to climb back into a game which they fell behind by 13 and take a commanding lead in the closing minutes of the game.

Senior point guard Makai Mason added 16 points and made 4 of his 7 three point attempts. Junior forward Mario Kegler had one of his best overall games as a Bear with 9 points and 5 rebounds and was incredibly active on defense. Junior forward Mark Vital contributed 6 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists and continues to show more positive signs offensively. 

It was clear, however, that freshman point guard Jared Butler had done it once again. For the third game in a row he played exceptionally well in place of Tristan Clark in the starting lineup. He poured in 19 points and 5 assists while shooting 7-of-15 from the field. Those are some sensational numbers from the first-year player and he has shown that he can help lead this team to key victories.

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Since replacing Tristan Clark in the lineup in the game against Kansas, Jared Butler has averaged 16.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals. He has shot 47% from the field and a remarkable 43% from the 3-point line on 23 attempts.

While it has only been three games, those are not numbers to shrug at. They have come against top-tier opponents in the Big 12, including Kansas along with Texas Tech, and have been a major part of how the Bears have managed to play so well without Clark. 

Just from an eye test, it is clear that Jared Butler has been a poised player over these past few games and shown that he has some real potential to be a great player for the Bears going forward. His ability to penetrate, make plays for his teammates, and knock down tough shots has filled a major void this team has needed since the beginning of the season.

If he can come close to replicating the numbers he has put up lately, Baylor fans should be ecstatic given that he could be a part of this team for the long haul.  Not just 2019, but for seasons to come.