MaCio Teague led four scorers in double figures with 21 points and No. 24 Baylor closed the game on a 24-8 run to pull away from Coastal Carolina 77-65 in Friday's Myrtle Beach Invitational semifinals in Conway, S.C.
The Bears (4-1) built a nine-point lead in the first half over the Chanticleers at HTC Center when Teague knocked down one of his three 3-pointers on the afternoon.
But Coastal Carolina (3-3) fought back by continuing on the hot shooting that led to a blowout of Utah on Thursday night. Keishawn Brewton made back-to-back 3-pointers, the second with 3:53 left in the half, to start a Chanticleers run, and a Garrick Green dunk sent the hosts into halftime with a 39-37 lead.
Brewton scored 17 points with five 3-pointers to pace five Chanticleers in double figures. Tommy Burton and Tyrell Gumbs-Frater both scored 12 points, and DeVante Jones and Green each added 10 points.
Behind its balanced offensive attack, Coastal Carolina led by as many as eight points. But a pair of free throws from Teague and his layup, set up by a Devonte Bandoo steal and assist, ignited the Bears down the final 11:19.
Baylor held Coastal Carolina without a field goal for stretches of 3:04 and the final 8:15, while a combination of Teague, Bandoo and Jared Butler paced the offense.
Baylor's interior duo of Tristan Clark and Freddie Gillespie both struggled offensively, totaling just six points and four rebounds. Gillespie spent much of the game on the bench in foul trouble.
The perimeter Bears picked up the slack, with Davion Mitchell scoring 15 points and Butler adding 12. Bandoo and Mark Vital were both key coming off the bench. Bando scored seven points, while Vital notched 10, and added game highs of nine rebounds and three steals.
Coastal Carolina, which shot 12 of 24 from behind the arc on Thursday, went 9 of 14 on Friday. Gumbs-Frater and Jones each knocked down two to complement Brewton. However, Baylor forced the Chanticleers into 22 turnovers.
The Bears advance to play No. 17 Villanova in Sunday's championship game. Coastal Carolina will play Mississippi State in the consolation game.
--Field Level Media
Baylor | Coastal Carolina | |
MaCio Teague 21 | Scoring | Keishawn Brewton 17 |
Davion Mitchell 6 | Assists | Ebrima Dibba 6 |
Mark Vital 9 | Rebounds | Garrick Green 8 |
MaCio Teague 6 | Free Throws Made | Tommy Burton 4 |
Davion Mitchell 3 | Steals | Tommy Burton 1 |
Mark Vital 1 | Blocks | Garrick Green 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Baylor | 77 | 48.1 | 9-27 | 16-20 | 16 | 22 | 1 | 9 | 13 |
Coastal Carolina | 65 | 51.1 | 9-14 | 10-15 | 14 | 26 | 3 | 4 | 22 |