Balanced Baylor takes on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Nov 13, 2017)
WACO, Texas -- When Baylor forward Johnathan Motley declared for the NBA draft after his junior season last spring, it left an apparent hole in the Bears' lineup.
Motley scored 17.3 points and grabbed 9.9 rebounds per game for Baylor in 2016-17, essentially a double-double per night.
But when Baylor flipped the switch on its new season on Friday, the Bears clearly weren't still moping about Motley's departure.
Six Baylor players scored in double figures as the 24th-ranked Bears began the campaign with a 41-point victory over Central Arkansas.
"We've got a lot of weapons and we showed it today," Baylor point guard Manu Lecomte said. "Inside, obviously our guys, they can't stop them. We had to just keep feeding them. And outside, we have great shooters and guys that can get into the lane."
Baylor's season continues when it hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Monday night.
More to the point, Baylor freshman Tristan Clark was Motley-esque in scoring 15 points and dishing out three assists in his debut. At one point, Clark swooped from the free throw line and through the lane to set up a one-handed jumper, the kind of move Motley used with regularity.
Clark started and played 27 minutes, making 7 of 9 field goals and giving up just one turnover.
"Normally, freshmen tend to turn it over," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "He really does a good job of being solid with the ball.
"I know Tristan's one of those guys that our upperclassmen love, because he's so coachable, he listens, he's respectful, and those guys are happy when he does well and they're able to help him."
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi started its season by edging NAIA opponent Our Lady of the Lake on Friday. Islanders freshman guard Myles Smith made a shot at the buzzer to lift them to a 69-68 victory over the Saints.
"Well there was plenty of time," Islanders coach Willis Wilson said. "When we took the timeout it was showing 3.6 seconds, but I knew they were going to add time. Four seconds is plenty of time to get a good shot."
Sophomore guard Kareem South scored 16 points and Smith and guard Joseph Kilgore each posted 11 to lead Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in its season-opening victory. Islanders forward Elijah Schmidt grabbed 17 rebounds in the first outing of the year, setting the bar high.
But Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will see its level of competition skyrocket against Baylor.
The Bears have not only risen to become an NCAA Tournament regular under Drew, they also have a tendency to start the season in high gear. A year ago, Baylor went from unranked to the top 5 in the nation with a series of eye-catching nonconference wins over ranked foes.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is no stranger to tough competition this time of year. Like most of their Southland Conference brethren, the Islanders frequently make trips to play on Power 5 opponents' home courts. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi played at St Mary's, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State last season, losing those games by an average of 20 points.
Baylor leads the all-time series versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 2-1. However, the Islanders won the last meeting, defeating Baylor, 73-58, on Dec. 4, 2004, in Waco.
