Dec. 31, 1999
WACO, Texas - Tevis Stukes' seven treys and 24 total points proved to be just what Baylor needed in a 72-45 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the Ferrell center Friday.
The senior guard ignited Baylor in the second half after the Bears led by only one point at 22-21 during halftime, due in large part to the Lions' zone defenses.
"They did a good job changing zone defenses on us," coach Dave Bliss said as his team finished non-conference play at 9-2. "When we forced them to go to a man we did a better job. We tend to be a little reticent when people play zones on us."
During a tight first half, Baylor shot only 37 percent from the floor while Arkansas-Pine Bluff hit 43.5 percent of its shots. Then as Stukes heated up, BU improved to 53.6 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes while the Lions fell to 34.5.
Pine Bluff, 1-8 on the season, went ahead by three at 25-22 when Patrick Chambers, his team's leading scorer with 16 points (8-of-10 from the field), hit a jumper with 17:33 remaining.
Baylor didn't take a second-half lead until Terry Black, who finished with 12 points, drained a trey making the score 31-29 Baylor with 13:51 to play.
Black's basket ingited a 12-1 Baylor run. DeMarcus Minor, who tallied nine points to go with 11 assists from his point guard spot, made a free throw to put Baylor ahead by 11 at 41-30 with 11:43 to go.
A jumper by Jeremy Jefferson, who scored 10 Lion points, cut the Baylor lead to seven at 41-34 with 11:13 showing, but the Bears rallied down the stretch, going on an 18-5 run.
During that string, Stukes, Black and Jamie Kendrick, who totalled 13 points, all drained treys as Baylor out-scored UAPB 50-24 in the second half.
"The second half is when I get it going," Stukes said. "I got my jumper going and they were looking for me."
When Minor checked a stat sheet and noted Stukes' seven treys, the Bear shooting guard joked, "Man, I was on fire. Better call the police."
Stukes also led the Bears in rebounding with seven boards, but it was his shooting Bliss noted: "Tevis' 7-of-11 on three-point shots really took them out of the zone. We've worked on his shot. He'd been shooting a 'cowboy fade.' His jumpshot was good tonight."
"Earlier I had been falling back (when I shot)," Stukes said. "Coach had me shooting more balanced. I just got my feet straight and let it go."
Minor said when Stukes is hot, it's easy to play the point: "It's simple. I just get him the ball any way possible. You break a play, do anything to get him the ball."
"There are times when we do good things and times when we do some bad things," Bliss noted. "We have a fine line for success. We're probably the most unique team in the Big 12. We have so many things we need to work on, but we're glad to be 9-2.
"We hit the ground running Thursday and we'll go two months without a break."
Baylor opens Big 12 play Jan. 6 at Texas.
