Davion Mitchell and Jared Butler scored 19 points each and No. 10 Baylor beat UT-Martin 91-63 for its eighth straight win
HOUSTON —
Davion Mitchell and Jared Butler scored 19 points each and No. 10 Baylor beat UT-Martin 91-63 on Wednesday night for its eighth straight win.
MaCio Teague had 12 points and Mark Vital added 11 for the Bears (9-1), who shot 56%, including 62% in the second half. Flo Thamba had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Butler also had six assists.
Parker Stewart finished with 18 points, Miles Thomas had 17 and Quintin Dove added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Skyhawks (3-7), who lost for the sixth time in seven games. UT-Martin shot 35%.
After the Bears opened the game with a 17-5 run, the Skyhawks answered with a 13-2 spurt to cut the lead to one on Quintin Dove’s layup with 8 1/2 minutes left in the first half.
Baylor finished the half on a 7-0 spurt capped by a dunk by Vital to take a 38-30 lead into halftime.
Baylor opened the second half on a 12-4 run to open up a 16-point lead on Mitchell’s layup with 15 1/2 minutes to go.
BIG PICTURE
UT-Martin: The Skyhawks kept it close throughout the first half, but Baylor’s athleticism and depth was too much. UT-Martin had the edge in rebounding at 40-38 and held a 16-11 advantage in second chance points.
Baylor: The Bears had issues with UT-Martin’s size in the first half but were able to break through with a huge second half. Baylor dominated the points in the paint, 54-26, and had a 16-6 advantage in fast break points. Baylor had 21 assists on 39 made field goals. Baylor forced 19 turnovers, which it converted into 27 points.
MONSTER BLOCK
Baylor finished with seven blocks as a team, led by four by Thamba, but Vital had the block of the night with 13 minutes remaining, sending Stewart’s 3-pointer from the left sideline over the UT-Martin bench and into the fifth row.
UP NEXT
UT-Martin hosts Mount St. Joseph on Dec. 29.
Baylor hosts Jackson State on Dec. 30.