By Stephen Hawkins
The Associated Press
WACO LJ Cryer had a career-high 20 points to lead five players scoring in double figures for ninth-ranked Baylor as the defending national champions overwhelmed Nicholls State 89-60 on Monday in a rare midday game.
Freshman Kendall Brown had 13 points and 10 assists for the Bears (2-0), who had 33 assists on their 37 made baskets. Jeremy Sochan, another freshman, had 14 points, while returning guards Adam Flagler and Matthew Mayer had 12 each.
Cryer finished with 7-of-9 shooting and made five of Baylor’s 13 3-pointers.
Ty Gordon had 20 points for the defending Southland Conference champion Colonels (3-1). Latrell Jones had 11 points.
About 3,000 students from 14 local elementary schools, many of the kids with sack lunches, attended the “I’m Going to College” game in the Ferrell Center.
Cryer hit two 3s and had a jumper in the game’s first seven minutes, when Baylor made 10 of its first 14 shots and jumped ahead 25-11. A few minutes after that, Mayer and Sochan had 3s in a 12-0 run for the Bears.
The Bears extended their lead to 73-43 midway through the second half when Cryer had a steal and passed ahead to Brown for a breakaway dunk.
BIG PICTURE
Nicholls State won its first three games for the first time since 1971-72. But facing top 10-Baylor, the world’s largest Baptist university, was quite different than scoring 120 and 101 points in games played Friday night and Saturday against Carver College, a Bible college in Georgia that has only about 100 students. The Colonels beat Northern Iowa in their opener.
Baylor: The Bears have won 15 consecutive home games, and 27 of 28, with the only setback in that span a three-point loss to Kansas two seasons ago. Unlike their opener Friday night, when they unveiled the national championship banner and presented rings to returning players and staff, the Bears got off to a fast start and led throughout. Incarnate Word, which is in the Southland Conference with preseason favorite Nicholls State, led by six points twice before Baylor had a half-ending 11-2 run and went on to an 87-60 victory.
UP NEXT
Nicholls State: Another Big 12 opponent, at TCU on Thursday night.
Baylor: Hosts Central Arkansas on Wednesday night in the third of four consecutive home games to start the season.
