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Baylor Basketball: Three Takeaways From Baylor Bears Slugfest win over the Vanderbilt Commodores

By James Fitzgerald

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While everyone was watching the Indianapolis Colts vs Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, the real slugfest took place on the hardwood in Waco, Texas with the Vanderbilt Commodores visiting the Baylor Bears.

This game had lead changes, clutch three-pointers, great defense, big time shots, and big time individual efforts.

In the end, Baylor managed to comeback from a 13-point deficit in the second half to grab a 69-67 home win over the No.16 Vanderilt Commodores.

Baylor’s Rico Gathers became the new Baylor Bears all-time leader in rebounding during this game while Taurean Waller-Prince set a new career scoring high for himself in a game in front of a bunch of NBA scouts who were actually there to see Vandy’s Wade Baldwin and Damian Jones.

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The Bears were able to overcome early shooting woes in the game to finish hitting 5 of 11 from the three-point arc and 40% from the field overall.

This was one of the better games of the nonconference schedule and these are the three things that we took away from the game.

Taurean Waller-Prince Played A Big Time Game 

Taurean Prince played his best game when Scott Drew’s bunch needed it the most.  In 37 minutes Prince hit 10 of 19 from the floor and finished with a career high 30 points in the game.

He showed his complete arsenal in this game. Prince got to the rim, hit jumpers off the dribble and knocked down spot up jumpers off of the penetration from point guard Lester Medford who finished 15 points and five assists of his own.

Taurean Prince had to have left a good impression on the mind of NBA scouts after his performance in this game. The NBA loves 6-foot-8 players with wingspan and versatility and Prince is just that.

Rico Gathers Is The Baylor Rebounding King

Rico Gathers was a beast finishing with a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds. Breaking Brian Skinner’s all-time rebounding is special and the way that Rico Gathers has scrapped to get where he is today is amazing.

Gathers is not the most athletic player on the floor at 6-foot-8 , 275 pounds, but he understands how to use his body and position himself on the floor to be able to play rough and rugged in the paint.

Dec 6, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Wade Baldwin IV (4) brings the ball up court against the Baylor Bears during the first half at the Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Rebounding records are about effort and there is no doubt that Rico Gathers brings top notch effort every time he takes the floor. Congratulations to him on becoming Baylor’s new rebounding king, it is well-deserved and it is a fact that he earned it.

Wade Baldwin is a Very Important Player to Vanderbilt’s Success

Wade Baldwin IV played strong in this game as well bringing 19 points, four rebounds and four assists to the stat sheet in 29 minutes of work before fouling out.

The 6-foot-3 guard hit 7 of 9 shots from the floor and 3 of 4 from downtown in scoring his team high total for the game.

He has scored double-figure points in 6 of the 8 games that he has played in and is the leading scorer for the Commodores at 14.4 points per contest.

Next: Gonzaga Bulldogs Flop in Second Half, Fall to Arizona

Baldwin showed up in this game, but we just wish he could have stayed out of foul trouble in a tight game where Vandy needed his services.

As long as he is able to provide a consistent outside shooting threat for Vandy to go along with all the size the Commodores possess in the block, Kevin Stallings crew is going to be a Top 25 squad all season long.

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