Nov. 22, 2003

Final Stats

By STEPHEN HAWKINS
Associated Press Writer

WACO, Texas - With black stripes on their jerseys in remembrance of a slain teammate, the Baylor Bears started the new season with a win Saturday night.

Terrance Thomas had 16 points and 11 rebounds and four of the Bears scored in double figures in a 72-59 win over Texas Southern.

Baylor's opener came after a difficult off-season that included the death of Patrick Dennehy and a coaching change after serious NCAA violations were revealed. A moment of silence was observed just before tipoff in memory of the 6-foot-11 player who sat out last season after transferring from New Mexico. Dennehy's body was found four months ago and a former teammate is charged in his death.

The season opener allowed Baylor to take the important step of playing again.

Tommy Swanson made Baylor's first shot for a 2-0 lead just 30 seconds in. The game was tied only once, and the Bears led for good in Scott Drew's debut after R.T. Guinn's layup made it 4-2.

Baylor (1-0) led by as many as 21 points before settling for a 41-23 halftime lead.

With only seven scholarship players in uniform, Baylor's play got ragged in the second half as the minutes added up for the starters. Four of them played at least 34 minutes while Swanson was limited to eight minutes because of four fouls.

Texas Southern (0-1) used an 18-4 run to cut the gap to 54-46 on Damien Smith's free throw with 8:09 left. That came a possession after he hit a 3-pointer from just in front of his coach on the sideline.

Ellis Kidd ended Baylor's 4:30 scoring drought with a 3-pointer at the seven-minute mark and Matt Sayman followed with a layup.

Sayman had 15 points while Guinn had 13. Kidd and Corey Herring, who was just cleared to play by a Baylor investigative committee during the past week, both had 10 points. Lionel Willis led Texas Southern with 16 points.