By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
EUGENE, Ore. – Trailing by double digits for the first time in 20 games, the top-ranked Baylor Bears were pushed by an Oregon team that has struggled way more than expected.
But ultimately, they did what the three previous No. 1-ranked teams couldn't do – win a tough game on the road.
After combining for just four points in the first half,
Kendall Brown and
James Akinjo each scored 15 second-half points as Baylor (10-0) remained unbeaten with a 78-70 win over the Ducks (6-6) Saturday night at Matthew Knight Arena.
"I thought the first half, they really came out hot, inspired," said Baylor coach
Scott Drew, who picked up his 400
th career win and 380
th at Baylor. "Really credit our guys the last eight minutes, really getting back into it, cutting it to four at the half. And then the second half, we did a much better job playing Baylor basketball.
Six days after Baylor's defense held then-No. 6 Villanova to 36 points and 22% shooting, Oregon shot a sizzling 58.3% from the field half and took a 39-35 into the break.
"We could see in the post, their bigs were swinging it out and they were getting open shots or attacking us," said
Adam Flagler, who scored 15 of his 16 points in the first half. "The coaches did a great job making adjustments, and we came out in the second half and executed."
The Ducks took their biggest lead of the game, 34-24, when Rivaldo Soares knocked down a transition 3-pointer off a dish from Will Richardson, who had 16 points, six assists and five rebounds.
Flagler hit consecutive 3-pointers in a closing 11-5 run that made it a four-point game, 39-35, at the break.
Akinjo scored Baylor's first seven points of the second half and gave the Bears their first lead since the opening minute of the game when
LJ Cryer fed him for a 3-pointer that put them back on top, 42-41.
Brown had three-straight high-flying dunks, then had back-to-back layups at the end of a 12-0 run that pushed Baylor's lead to 63-51 with 7:11 left in the game.
"Just credit my teammates for keeping my head up with all the fouls and stuff," said Brown, who was 6-of-6 from the floor in the second half. "Credit to them for helping me to get going and looking for me when I'm cutting and running."
Oregon fought back to make it a two-possession game, 74-68, when Richardson hit a pair of free throws at the end of a 9-2 run, but the Ducks could get no closer. After knocking down 8-of-18 from outside the arc in the first half, Oregon hit just 2-of-7 in the last 20 minutes.
"We definitely didn't give as much emphasis on rotations to the post," Drew said, "tried to stay more out on shooters. That was a good adjustment by the staff, good atmosphere by the players. Made them finish over length."
Brown and Akinjo had 17 points apiece to pace four double-figure scorers for Baylor, which also got 16 points from Flagler and 10 points and nine rebounds from
Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua.
"He's high-level," Flagler said of Brown, whose only first-half field goal was a dunk off the opening tip. "He knew that eventually he would get going, and we did a great job continuing to keep him uplifted. We told him to just keep playing hard, and he found his groove."
Oklahoma transfer De'Vion Harmon knocked down three 3-pointers and led Oregon (6-6) with 18 points. The Ducks were up 39-35 at the half, Baylor's first halftime deficit since a Sweet 16 matchup against Villanova last season.
"At the end of the day, it's not everybody's night," Drew said. "But, what you can help with, you help with. And when guys are hot, you try to get them the ball. First half, Adam was hot. Second half, Kendall was going, James was going. That makes a team when you have multiple guys who can get 20."
Baylor returns home for games against Alcorn State on Monday and Northwestern State on Dec. 28 before opening Big 12 play on the road at Iowa State on New Year's Day.