Isaacs scores 20 as Texas Tech hits from deep to beat No. 11 Baylor in regular-season finale
AP
Mar 09, 2024
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) Pop Isaacs scored 20 points, including the first of Texas Tech Red Raiders's four consecutive 3-pointers after No. 11 Baylor Bears had taken its only lead after halftime, and the Red Raiders won their regular-season finale 78-68 on Saturday night.
The Red Raiders (22-9, 11-7 Big 12) had missed their first five 3s of the second half before Issacs connected with 7:03 left for a 56-54 lead. RayJ Dennis then made a tying layup for Baylor before Tech scored 11 points in a row, going ahead on a 3 by Darrion Williams that was the first of three long-range shots in just over a minute.
“We had some pretty decent looks, but just finally just broke the game open with getting stops and playing in transition,” Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland said. “And that’s been the mark of our team - when we make 3s in transition, we’re really tough to defend. So just thrilled the way the game finished.”
Williams had 16 points and 11 rebounds for his ninth double-double this season, even while playing most of the second half with four fouls as Isaacs did. Chance McMillian finished with 11 points off the bench.
Ja'Kobe Walter had 15 points for Baylor (22-9, 11-7), while Jayden Nunn scored 14 and Dennis added 12.
Both teams were already guaranteed top-four finishes in the Big 12 standings, so they get double-byes into the quarterfinal round of next week's conference tournament. Baylor will be the No. 3 seed in Kansas City, Missouri, while Texas Tech will be the No. 4 seed.
Walter's 3-pointer with 7:25 left was part of a 16-4 run that put the Bears ahead 54-53. But then Texas Tech made six field goals in a row, including consecutive transition 3s by Kerwin Walton.
“We did a great job coming back,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “Really credit Texas Tech for making some big shots.”
Baylor's only other lead was 2-0 after Walter made the first shot of the game. The Red Raiders then scored 16 points in a row, nine by Isaacs.
BIG PICTURE
Baylor: The Bears were trying for another big comeback, having trailed by 16 points with 16 minutes left. They beat Texas 93-85 on Monday night after trailing by 14, their biggest comeback win of the season. They also erased a 16-point halftime deficit against No. 1 Houston before falling in overtime.
“When you come out flat, the other team is going to make a run," Walter said. “That’s happened to us multiple times, but we’ve always fought back.”
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders finished 15-2 at home in McCasland's first season. They are 6-4 against Top 25 teams, and only Kansas has more such wins in the Big 12.
LOVE IS BACK
Baylor sophomore guard Langston Love returned after missing four games in a row, and seven of eight, because of an ankle injury. He had nine points and five rebounds while playing 22 minutes. Love made his first four field goal attempts, but missed the last three.
UNEXPECTED BOARDS
Texas Tech dominated on the glass, finishing with a 40-29 rebounding advantage. The Bears didn't have an offensive rebound before halftime, but did have seven after that.
“Really credit Tech for doing a great job blocking out,” Drew said. “I don’t know when the last time we had zero offensive rebounds in a half (was). I mean, I don’t know if it’s ever happened.”
UP NEXT
The Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, with Baylor and Texas Tech both playing in the quarterfinal round Thursday against opponents to be determined.
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1st Half
BAYL
Bears
27
TXTCH
Red Raiders
40
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Yves Missi vs. Robert Jennings (Bears gains possession)
19:38
+2
Ja'Kobe Walter makes two point jump shot
2-0
19:22
+2
Pop Isaacs makes two point layup
2-2
18:54
RayJ Dennis misses three point jump shot
18:52
Darrion Williams defensive rebound
18:36
Darrion Williams misses two point jump shot
18:34
RayJ Dennis defensive rebound
18:28
Ja'Kobe Walter misses three point jump shot
18:26
Darrion Williams defensive rebound
18:07
Yves Missi shooting foul (Pop Isaacs draws the foul)
18:07
+1
Pop Isaacs makes regular free throw 1 of 2
2-3
18:07
+1
Pop Isaacs makes regular free throw 2 of 2
2-4
17:39
Jalen Bridges misses three point jump shot
17:37
Bears offensive rebound
17:36
Bears turnover (shot clock violation)
17:28
+2
Joe Toussaint makes two point layup
2-6
17:13
RayJ Dennis turnover (lost ball)
17:12
Bears 30 second timeout
17:07
+2
Joe Toussaint makes two point jump shot
2-8
16:35
Ja'Kobe Walter misses two point jump shot
16:33
Joe Toussaint defensive rebound
16:16
Pop Isaacs misses three point jump shot
16:14
Darrion Williams offensive rebound
16:10
Joe Toussaint misses three point jump shot
16:08
Robert Jennings offensive rebound
16:08
+2
Robert Jennings makes two point layup
2-10
16:08
Josh Ojianwuna shooting foul (Robert Jennings draws the foul)
16:08
+1
Robert Jennings makes regular free throw 1 of 1
2-11
15:55
RayJ Dennis misses two point jump shot
15:53
Pop Isaacs defensive rebound
15:44
+2
Pop Isaacs makes two point jump shot
2-13
15:36
Bears 30 second timeout
15:36
TV timeout
15:25
RayJ Dennis turnover (bad pass) (Robert Jennings steals)
15:23
Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua personal foul (Robert Jennings draws the foul)
15:13
Pop Isaacs misses two point layup
15:11
Robert Jennings offensive rebound
14:59
Joe Toussaint misses two point jump shot
14:57
Robert Jennings offensive rebound
14:52
+3
Pop Isaacs makes three point jump shot (Chance McMillian assists)
2-16
14:29
+2
Langston Love makes two point layup (Jalen Bridges assists)
4-16
14:18
Pop Isaacs misses three point jump shot
14:16
Ja'Kobe Walter defensive rebound
14:06
+3
Jalen Bridges makes three point jump shot (RayJ Dennis assists)
7-16
13:34
Joe Toussaint misses two point stepback jump shot
13:32
RayJ Dennis defensive rebound
13:15
Pop Isaacs personal foul (Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua draws the foul)
13:10
+2
RayJ Dennis makes two point driving finger roll layup
9-16
12:44
Pop Isaacs misses two point layup
12:42
Jalen Bridges defensive rebound
12:27
Miro Little misses three point jump shot
12:24
Red Raiders defensive rebound
12:15
+2
Darrion Williams makes two point jump shot (Eemeli Yalaho assists)
9-18
11:49
RayJ Dennis misses two point jump shot
11:47
Red Raiders defensive rebound
11:47
Yves Missi personal foul
11:47
TV timeout
11:37
Chance McMillian misses three point jump shot
11:35
Miro Little defensive rebound
11:14
+2
Josh Ojianwuna makes two point layup (Miro Little assists)
11-18
11:14
Chance McMillian shooting foul (Josh Ojianwuna draws the foul)
11:14
Josh Ojianwuna misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:14
Eemeli Yalaho defensive rebound
11:07
Kerwin Walton misses three point jump shot
11:05
Jalen Bridges defensive rebound
11:00
Darrion Williams personal foul
10:52
Ja'Kobe Walter misses three point jump shot
10:50
Darrion Williams defensive rebound
10:40
RayJ Dennis personal foul (Pop Isaacs draws the foul)
10:33
+2
Darrion Williams makes two point layup
11-20
10:09
Darrion Williams shooting foul (Caleb Lohner draws the foul)
10:09
+1
Caleb Lohner makes regular free throw 1 of 2
12-20
10:09
+1
Caleb Lohner makes regular free throw 2 of 2
13-20
9:58
+3
Chance McMillian makes three point jump shot (Joe Toussaint assists)
13-23
9:33
Caleb Lohner misses two point layup
9:31
Robert Jennings defensive rebound
9:12
+2
Joe Toussaint makes two point driving layup
13-25
8:52
Jayden Nunn misses three point jump shot
8:50
Robert Jennings defensive rebound
8:34
+3
Pop Isaacs makes three point jump shot (Joe Toussaint assists)
13-28
8:11
Robert Jennings shooting foul (Jayden Nunn draws the foul)
8:11
Jayden Nunn misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:11
+1
Jayden Nunn makes regular free throw 2 of 2
14-28
7:41
Chance McMillian misses three point jump shot
7:39
Jalen Bridges defensive rebound
7:39
Jalen Bridges turnover (out of bounds)
7:39
TV timeout
7:30
Joe Toussaint misses two point jump shot
7:28
Ja'Kobe Walter defensive rebound
7:20
+2
Jayden Nunn makes two point layup
16-28
7:20
Robert Jennings shooting foul (Jayden Nunn draws the foul)
7:20
+1
Jayden Nunn makes regular free throw 1 of 1
17-28
7:08
Yves Missi blocks Joe Toussaint's two point layup
7:06
Kerwin Walton offensive rebound
7:02
+2
Kerwin Walton makes two point jump shot
17-30
6:49
Yves Missi turnover (traveling)
6:36
Jalen Bridges blocks Kerwin Walton's two point pullup jump shot
6:34
Joe Toussaint offensive rebound
6:21
+2
Pop Isaacs makes two point jump shot
17-32
5:56
Ja'Kobe Walter misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot
5:54
Kerwin Walton defensive rebound
5:54
Jalen Bridges personal foul (Kerwin Walton draws the foul)
5:43
Josh Ojianwuna personal foul (Eemeli Yalaho draws the foul)
5:43
Eemeli Yalaho misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:43
Josh Ojianwuna defensive rebound
5:29
Josh Ojianwuna misses two point driving layup
5:27
Pop Isaacs defensive rebound
5:06
Pop Isaacs misses three point jump shot
5:04
Bears defensive rebound
4:51
Pop Isaacs personal foul (Ja'Kobe Walter draws the foul)
4:51
Ja'Kobe Walter misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:51
Eemeli Yalaho defensive rebound
4:32
Eemeli Yalaho misses two point jump shot
4:30
Jalen Bridges defensive rebound
4:24
Darrion Williams personal foul (RayJ Dennis draws the foul)