Baylor Basketball: 3 takeaways from Bears victory over Central Arkansas
By Andrew Tineo
After a week break, Baylor Basketball showed no signs of slowing down in an emphatic win over Central Arkansas.
Baylor has been nothing short of dominant this season, winning all six of their games by double figures. However, it has been a troubling start for the opposing Bears, with a 1-6 beginning to their season.
Baylor is one of four teams to be ranked in three of the previous five seasons (Kansas, Villanova, Gonzaga).
The losses include Memphis, Saint Louis, and three SEC opponents in a row. With them being, Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State. Baylor would win the last contest between the two to begin the 2019 season. The Bears would win that game, 106-68 with Baylor hitting 18 three-pointers.
Baylor would start off with two back to back three-pointers, from Davion Mitchell and Jared Butler
Central Arkansas would hit back to back three-pointers to draw within two. Only for Mitchell to hit his second three-pointer within the first five minutes.
Central Arkansas was not shy of shooting the three-pointer. Through the first ten minutes, the Bears shot 4-8 from beyond through the first ten minutes and kept them in the game early on.
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After a few sloppy Baylor possessions, Adam Flagler would come off the bench and connect on two straight three-pointers on back-to-back possessions. Offense was not an issue for either team, as each team connected on eight three-pointers in the first 20 minute period.
Deandre Jones became a huge impact player, with the UCA’s best player out Rylen Bergersen heading into the game was the leading scorer, averaging 15.3 points per game. He was sent home, due to being sick, not COVID related. His 15 points led all scorers for Central Arkansas.
However, it was Baylor that had the halftime lead, 53-35. Butler led the way for Baylor with 17 points on 6-9 shooting from the field. Baylor would start the second half on a 13-0 run to start the half and the defense would start to lock-in.
It would be until seven minutes into the second half that Central Arkansas would score their first points of the half. Teague would respond on the other end with an easy two points.
After a quiet first half from Teague, he would start the half five of five from the field, and lead the Bears in scoring at the time with 20 points.
Baylor would coast the rest of the way with a 93-56 win over Central Arkansas. Baylor would be led by Teague’s 20 scoring, 11 rebounds from Tchatchoua, and Mitchell’s 12 assists. Baylor improved to 7-0, while Central Arkansas falls to 1-7.