No. 1 Baylor runs all over Alcorn State
No. 1 Baylor 94, Alcorn St. 57: If topranked Baylor had any ill effects from a quick turnaround, it didn’t show.
The Bears were back in action on their home floor Monday night against Alcorn State, less than 48 hours after a road game at Oregon on Saturday.
Kendall Brown, Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua and Flo Thamba scored 16 points apiece to lead five players in double figures, and Baylor romped to a victory against the overmatched Braves.
“In the first half, we wanted to be more aggressive and gamble because we felt like they were trying to shorten the game,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “We were able to get separation. There was a short turnaround coming from Oregon, and I thought they did a great job handling it.”
Baylor (11-0) took a 10-point lead on a 3-pointer by James Akinjo with 14:31 left in the first half and never led by less than 10 after Akinjo’s layup made it 2211 at the 11:58 mark.
Dominic Brewton led the Braves (110) with 19 points and Darrious Agnew added 12. Alcorn State lost its fifth straight and has yet to play a home game this season.
“The kids have handled it well but it’s always difficult on the road, especially when you’re (1-10),” Alcorn State coach Landon Bussie said. “We’ve played three teams from last year’s Final Four (Baylor, Gonzaga and Houston), so we knew it was going to be brutal. We’re just trying to get better each game.”
The Bears shot 59% from the floor (35 of 59) and turned 17 Alcorn State turnovers into 25 points. Baylor had a 35-9 advantage in fast-break points, outrebounded the Braves 38-28 and had 29 assists to 11 turnovers.
Tchamwa Tchatchoua had a teamhigh nine rebounds for Baylor, and he and Thamba combined to go 14 for 14 from the floor.
No. 3 Purdue 79, Incarnate Word 59: Purdue coach Matt Painter might have been hoping for a better holiday send-off.
Another dominant victory will suffice.
Zach Edey had 13 points and nine rebounds, Trevion Williams added 12 points and eight boards, and the host Boilermakers routed Incarnate Word.
Jaden Ivey finished with 12 points and five rebounds for Purdue.
“They really stretched us out and our closeouts weren’t great,” Painter said. “But I don’t think you can lose sight of taking good shots – I just wish we had made a few more.”
Purdue (11-1) made more than enough in its third straight victory.
Benjamin Griscti made four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points to lead the Cardinals (2-10). Drew Lutz, who grew up in Indiana, had eight rebounds and nine assists – not nearly enough for Incarnate Word to avoid a third loss in five games.