Box Score  66
SOUTHERN
(3-10) | | 1ST | 2ND | F |  | 31 | 35 | 66 |  | 34 | 36 | 70 |
Box Score | Quotes | Notes Waco, Texas ? Attendance: 5,379 |  70
BAYLOR
(10-1) |
THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas (AP) - Rico Gathers had 16 points with 11 rebounds and No. 22 Baylor held on to win its first game this season as a ranked team, 70-66 over Southern University on Monday night.
Freshman Johnathan Motley had 19 points for the Bears (10-1), who moved into the Top 25 earlier Monday. His two free throws with 42 seconds left in the first half put Baylor ahead to stay after Southern (3-10) used a 12-0 run to take the lead.
Baylor's last field goal of the game was Motley's tip-in with 6:09 left for a 59-51 lead. But the Bears made 11 of their 12 free throws the rest of the way.
The Bears led 66-55 with 3:32 left before Adrian Rodgers hit consecutive 3-pointers. That was during a span when he scored 15 consecutive points for Southern, the last on a jumper with 29 seconds left to get his team within 68-63.
In the first half, Baylor had a 30-19 lead when Gathers had a layup with 4:23 left.
Trelun Banks then made back-to-back 3-pointers to spark Southern's big run, and a layup by Tre Lynch put the Jaguars up 31-30 with a minute left in the first half.
Banks had 13 points and Lynch had 11.
Kenny Chery added 11 points and seven assists for Baylor.
The Bears marked their eighth consecutive season making an appearance in the Top 25 on Monday. The only other Big 12 team to do that is No. 10 Kansas.
Baylor is 47-0 against SWAC teams, including a 7-0 mark against Southern.
Baylor hosts Norfolk State on Dec. 30.
HIGHLIGHTS
? Baylor used a 14-3 run from the 9:04 mark of 1st half (16-16) to the 4:25 mark (30-19) to take its largest lead of the game.
? Kenny Chery (season-high-tying 7 assists) has had 5 or more assists 4 times this season in 7 games.
? Chery (season-high-tying 3 steals) has had multiple steals in 5 of 7 games played this season.
? Chery (11 points) had his 2nd double-figure scoring game of the season and 24th of his career - it's his 1st such game since scoring 20 at South Carolina on Nov. 18, 2014.
? Johnathan Motley (19 points) had his 5th double-figure scoring game of the season and his career. It's the first time he's scored double figures in three straight games - only other time he's scored 10+ in 2 straight games was to start the season.
? Motley has 57 points in his last 3 games, more than his previous 6 games combined (26 points).
? Motley (career high 6 blocks) had multiple blocks for 2nd straight game for first time in career and set a career high for the 2nd straight game - he has 11 blocks in his last 2 games after having 5 over his first 9 games of the season.
? Rico Gathers (16 points) had his 5th double-figure scoring game of the season and 19th of his career.
? Gathers (11 rebounds) had his 9th double-figure rebounding game of the season and 23rd of his career.
? Gathers had his 5th double-double of the season and 12th of his career.
STAT OF THE GAME
19-8: Second-chance points advantage for Baylor over Southern.
TWEET OF THE GAME
TOP QUOTE
"The most important thing is we found a way to win, and we shot 88 percent from the free throw line in the second half. That is one area we really focused on and it shows that it's been paying off." - Baylor head coach Scott Drew
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor returns to action following the Christmas holiday, hosting Norfolk State Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m. CT.
