While Baylor continues to wait for star LaceDarius Dunn to make his season debut, the Bears' roster should get a boost with the return of another key player.
After serving a one-game suspension, projected starter A.J. Walton is expected to play when the No. 17 Bears host La Salle on Tuesday afternoon.
Dunn, a second-team All-Big 12 pick last season when he averaged 19.6 points and 4.8 rebounds, will miss this contest and Thursday's game against Jackson State. He's serving a suspension stemming from an arrest last month, when police accused him of breaking his girlfriend's jaw in a domestic dispute. Dunn is eligible to return against Lipscomb on Nov. 22.
"The good thing is we are excited about when he comes back,'' Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "As good as he looks on the sideline, we know he's better on the court.''
Walton, expected to start alongside Dunn in the backcourt, likely will make his season debut after missing Friday's 87-52, season-opening victory over Grambling State for violating team rules. He averaged 3.8 points and 2.0 assists while playing all 36 games as a freshman in 2009-10.
Even without their projected starting backcourt, the Bears shot 52.5 percent and held the Tigers to 29.0-percent shooting. Junior Quincy Acy had 20 points with 10 rebounds and Anthony Jones added 17 and 10 boards. Six-foot-11 freshman Perry Jones had 11 points and eight rebounds.
"We have a lot of long-winged athletic guys,'' said Acy, who averaged 9.3 points and 5.1 rebounds off the bench last season.
Regardless of which players are on the floor, the Bears are poised to build on last season, when they set a school record with 28 wins and came one victory shy of their first Final Four appearance in 60 years.
"That is motivation. Elite Eight, I don't like that number. We want championship,'' Acy said.
The Explorers opened their season on a high note Friday. In his first game after missing most of last season as a medical redshirt, Ruben Guillandeaux scored 25 of his career-high 29 points in the second half of La Salle's 82-71 victory over Columbia.
The senior guard, limited to four games in 2009-10, was 6 of 8 from 3-point range and did not commit a turnover while helping the Explorers overcome a 12-point deficit.
"There's two things about Ruben that are extremely positive," coach John Giannini told the La Salle's official website. "He doesn't turn ball over, he never has, and he is a shot maker and a scorer... I couldn't be more happy for Ruben to get this home opener."
Baylor is 0-3 all-time against La Salle. The teams have not met since Dec. 10, 2004.
Though La Salle has never lost to Baylor, the Explorers have dropped 17 straight games against Top 25 opponents since beating No. 18 St. Joseph's 91-90 on March 3, 2001.
