LJ Cryer scored 20 points and Jalen Bridges added 15 as No. 5 Baylor rolled to an easy 95-62 victory over Northern Colorado in nonconference play on Monday night at Waco, Texas.
The victory was the 400th at Baylor for coach Scott Drew, who is in his 20th season at the school.
Adam Flagler recorded 13 points, 10 assists and three steals for Baylor (3-0). Keyonte George contributed 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Dale Bonner added 12 points and six steals in a contest in which both schools use Bears as their nickname.
Daylen Kountz had 19 points, six rebounds and five assists for Northern Colorado (1-2), but he also committed six turnovers. Matt Johnson II had 14 points and eight assists and Dalton Knecht added 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Baylor racked up 15 steals and held a 40-32 rebounding edge. It shot 52.9 percent from the field and was 10 of 31 from 3-point range.
Northern Colorado shot 37.5 percent from the field and hit 10 of 29 shots from behind the arc. Northern Colorado committed 24 turnovers to Baylor’s 10.
Baylor had a 28-4 edge in points off turnovers and 27-10 advantage in fastbreak points.
Northern Colorado’s Caleb Shaw, the nephew of Drew, had just four points on 1 of 11 shooting. He missed seven of his eight 3-point attempts.
Northern Colorado jumped out to a 5-2 lead before Flagler scored eight points and Cryer added five during a 13-0 burst to take a 10-point lead.
A 3-pointer by Bridges pushed the lead to 28-10 with 7:40 remaining in the half.
Baylor’s largest first-half lead was 20 and it led 44-26 at the break.
Northern Colorado was within 53-38 after a 3-pointer by Knecht with 15:21 left in the contest before Baylor delivered the knockout punch with a 21-1 surge.
Flo Thamba’s basket capped the run and gave Baylor a 74-39 lead with 8:13 remaining. The Baylor lead topped out at 38 points.
–Field Level Media