There wasn’t a player who took the court for Baylor in 2019-20 that wasn’t a threat. Whether it was Jared Butler and MaCio Teague swishing threes, Mark Vital and Davion Mitchell locking down an opponents’ top player, Freddie Gillespie swatting shots or Devonte Bandoo coming through in the clutch, each of the Bears had his share of memorable moments.
Here are my choices for the Top 10 Individual Performances during Baylor’s historic season.
1. Jared Butler at Kansas, Jan. 11: (22 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals) - Butler propelled Baylor to its first-ever win at historic Allen Fieldhouse by going 9-of-18 from the field—including a 3-of-7 clip from beyond the arc—in a 67-55 victory. Butler’s game-high 22 points against the third-ranked Jayhawks came one year after he netted 31 points in the same venue as a freshman.
2. Devonte Bandoo vs. Texas Tech, March 2: (18 points, 4-of-5 3PFG, four assists) - Bandoo’s final game at the Ferrell Center was also his best, as the Canadian guard catapulted the Bears to a 71-68 overtime win over Texas Tech on Senior Night. Starting in place of Mark Vital (knee tendinitis), Bandoo played a career-high 43 minutes and hit numerous dagger shots in clutch situations. His biggest moment came when he swished a guarded, instinct 3-pointer from the right wing with 1:40 left in regulation. The basket forced a 60-60 tie and sent the game into overtime. Bandoo’s 18 points were a season-high.
3. Freddie Gillespie vs. Arizona, Dec. 7: (17 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks) - In the signature performance of his storybook Baylor career, Gillespie helped stave off the No. 12 Wildcats 63-58 on a day when most Bears fans were in Arlington cheering on the football squad in the Big 12 championship. Gillespie continuously silenced the pro-Arizona crowd by connecting on six of his eight shot attempts. He also sparked a defensive effort that saw the Bears out-rebound Arizona 40-33 while forcing the Wildcats to shoot a season-low 26 percent from the field.
4. Mark Vital at Texas Tech, Jan. 7: (eight points, 13 rebounds, three steals) - Vital helped set the tone for Baylor early in the Big 12 season, as his relentlessness on defense and on the glass (four offensive boards) helped Baylor out-rebound the Red Raiders 44-25 while holding them to 37 percent shooting. The Bears became the first team in nearly a year to defeat Texas Tech at raucous United Spirit Arena thanks, in large part, to Vital, whose 13 rebounds were a season-high.
5. Jared Butler at Villanova, Nov. 24: (22 points, 4-of-8 3PFG, three assists) - Butler’s performance against college basketball’s newest blueblood resulted in an 87-78 win in the championship game of the Mytle Beach Invitational. Thirteen of Butler’s points came after intermission—including 10 in the final 6 minutes—to help Baylor rally from a six-point deficit in the second half. Butler nabbed tournament MVP honors and Villanova would go on to beat No. 1 Kansas less than a month later.
6. MaCio Teague vs. Oklahoma State, Feb. 8: (24 points, 4-of-7 3PFG, seven rebounds) - Lost amid the ridiculous amount of whistles (49 fouls) and the ejection of Cowboys coach Mike Boynton was a brilliant performance by Teague, who went 6-of-9 from the field en route to a season-high point total. Six of Teague’s points came on free throws in the final 15 seconds to keep Oklahoma State at bay in a 78-70 win. His 24 points were the most by any Baylor player in a Big 12 game.
7. Mark Vital vs. Butler, Dec. 10: (seven points, five rebounds, three blocks, two assists) - Vital’s defensive performance against Butler star Kamar Baldwin is one of the main reasons he’s one of 10 finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. Vital pestered Baldwin into a 9-of-24 effort from the field. And he was just 1-of-5 over the final 4 minutes while trying to win the game for then-undefeated Butler. That included a layup attempt that Vital blocked with 2 seconds remaining that ended up securing the 53-52 win for the Bears.
8. Devonte Bandoo at Oklahoma State, Jan. 18: (16 points, 4-of-6 3PFG, two assists) - The Bears, who trailed by 12 points with 14 minutes remaining, wouldn’t have won this game with Bandoo. The senior scored 14 points in the game’s final 10:53 to help Baylor rally for a 75-68 win. Bandoo swished four 3-pointers during that span, including one that broke a tie and another that gave his team a lead. He also made a pair a free throws with 15 seconds left to ice the win.
9. Davion Mitchell at Coastal Carolina, Nov. 22: (15 points, six assists, three steals) - The Bears wouldn’t have had an opportunity to play—and beat—Villanova in the championship game of the Myrtle Beach Invitational if not for Mitchell’s performance in the semi-final. Baylor’s coaches made a second-half adjustment and asked Mitchell to guard Coastal Carolina standout Devante Jones (17.4 ppg). Jones didn’t score a single point in the game’s final 18 minutes as Baylor rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat the Chanticleers 77-65. Mitchell scored 12 of his 15 points after intermission.
10. Matthew Mayer vs. West Virginia, Feb. 15: (13 points, 8 rebounds, 17 minutes) - Playing before the Ferrell Center’s first sellout crowd of the season, Mayer became a fan favorite thanks to his nifty spin move and baseline dunk over Logan Routt. The slam sent the crowd into a frenzy, which helped Baylor build a 28-point lead before West Virginia made the score (70-59) respectable in the final minutes. Mayer’s eight rebounds were a season-high, and his 13 points were his second-highest mark. His absence (injured hip) in the rematch in Morgantown three weeks later played a huge part in Baylor’s loss.
Honorable mention:
*Freddie Gillespie at TCU, Feb. 29: (18 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks)
*Jared Butler vs. WVU, Feb. 15: (21 points, 8-of-11 2PFG, 5-of-7 3PFG, five rebounds, four assists)
*MaCio Teague at Kansas, Jan. 11: (16 points, seven rebounds, three assists)
*Mark Vital at West Virginia, March 7: (seven points, 12 rebounds, four assists)
*Davion Mitchell vs. Kansas State, Feb. 25: (14 points, 10 assists)
