Baylor 80, McNeese State 39: Newcomers Deng Deng, Lester Medford and Jonathan Motley all scored in double figures as the Bears blasted the visiting Cowboys in the season opener for both teams.
Deng and Medford, both junior college transfers, recorded 16 and 13 points respectively, while Motley, a redshirt freshman, tallied 10 for Baylor, which is replacing a talented trio of starters from its 26-12 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 squad of a year ago. Rico Gathers had nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds, and Kenny Chery had nine points and five assists for the Bears, who outrebounded McNeese State 55-28.
Desharick Guidry scored 11 points and six rebounds but was the only player to score in double figures for the Cowboys, who shot 21 percent, including 4-of-21 from 3-point range. Matthew Moss and Shaun Johnson each added six points off the bench.
Baylor, which led 39-17 at the break, still held a 22-point advantage at 44-22 early in the second half. But Deng and Chery accounted for all the Bears’ points in a 14-3 run over the ensuing 5:30 that put Baylor up 58-25 and put the win away.
Baylor jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the opening minutes and led 19-12. The Bears, though, steadily pulled away and Medford drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the hosts the 22-point lead at intermission.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Baylor is 11-1 in season openers under coach Scott Drew, with the only loss coming in 2005 when the Bears did not play a non-conference schedule. … Forward Taurean Prince, a two-year returning letterwinner for the Bears, was suspended for the game due to an unspecified violation of team rules. … Isaiah Austin, the former Baylor standout and likely first-round NBA pick who had to withdraw from last summer’s draft due to his Marfan Syndrome diagnosis, debuted as a student-assistant coach for the team.
McNeese St. | Baylor | |
Desharick Guidry 11 | Scoring | Deng Deng 16 |
Jamaya Burr 4 | Assists | Kenny Chery 5 |
Desharick Guidry 6 | Rebounds | Rico Gathers 12 |
Jamaya Burr 3 | Free Throws Made | Rico Gathers 5 |
Jamaya Burr 2 | Steals | Kenny Chery 2 |
Austin Lewis 2 | Blocks | Deng Deng 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
McNeese St. | 39 | 21.0 | 4-21 | 9-15 | 8 | 23 | 2 | 7 | 11 |
Baylor | 80 | 51.7 | 7-22 | 13-23 | 23 | 47 | 5 | 7 | 14 |