No. 18 Baylor pulls ahead in 2nd half for 77-69 win over UCF
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Baylor coach Scott Drew feels like his No. 18 Baylor team is three plays away from potentially being the No. 1 team in the country after losing three straight - two in overtime and the other by two points.
Trailing on the road against UCF and facing a possible fourth straight loss, Langston Love came off the bench to score 24 points, including a 3-pointer with five minutes to play that capped a 7-0 run and gave the Bears the lead for good in a 77-69 win over UCF on Wednesday night.
UCF led for all but 94 seconds before Baylor (15-5, 4-3 Big 12) took the late lead that was extended to as much as nine points.
After three straight tough finishes, the Bears finally came through for a late-game win.
“We've just got tough guys who embrace the moment," Love said. "That's all it takes. We're going to make the tough plays and get on the floor and give the extra effort. That's all we had to do.”
The Knights (12-8, 3-5) have struggled late in games this season.
After leading for much of the game, UCF scored only five field goals in the final five minutes, while Baylor made five of its last seven field goal attempts to clinch the victory.
“It just comes down to our execution at the end of the game,” said UCF guard Darius Johnson, who led the Knights with 23 points and 10 assists. "We have to be better offensively executing and we have to take more focus on our defense. We had too many miscues, too many offensive rebounds and too many late threes at the end of the game."
Jalen Bridges had 12 points for Baylor, RayJ Dennis added 11 points and eight assists and Yves Missi scored 11 points.
Marchellus Avery had 16 points making 4 of 8 3-pointers, and Jaylin Sellers scored 11 for the Knights, who shot 54% for the game and 14 for 27 from 3-point range.
UCF made six straight shots after missing its first shot of the game to take an early 10-point lead. Johnson scored 16 points in the first half, hitting 4 of 5 3-pointers, including a step-back 3 near the end of the half for a 38-32 halftime lead.
But Baylor limited Johnson in the second half as the senior guard made 3 of 5 shots and committed three turnovers.
The Bears forced eight second-half turnovers to help close the gap and eventually take the lead. UCF finished the game with 16 turnovers, leading to 14 Baylor points.
The team can't afford to make mistakes in the closing minutes of the game, UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. “You can't turn the ball over, you need to make your free throws and you need to get stops,” he said. "We turned it over too much going down the stretch.”
Those margins finally helped Baylor breakthrough and sent UCF to another loss.
BIG PICTURE
Baylor snapped a three-game losing streak, avoiding its first four-game regular-season losing streak since the 2018 season, the last time the Bears failed to make the NCAA Tournament.
UCF's hopes of making the NCAA Tournament took a major hit as the Knights need wins over ranked opponents to bolster their resume. It was the second straight game the Knights lost a sizable lead in the second half.
UP NEXT
Baylor: Heads home to play No. 12 Iowa State on Saturday night.
UCF: Stays home Saturday to take on No. 23 Oklahoma.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Yves Missi vs. Ibrahima Diallo (RayJ Dennis gains possession) | |||
19:36 | Thierno Sylla blocks Yves Missi's two point layup | |||
19:34 | Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound | |||
19:24 | Ibrahima Diallo misses two point hook shot | |||
19:22 | RayJ Dennis defensive rebound | |||
19:19 | RayJ Dennis turnover (bad pass) (Darius Johnson steals) | |||
19:15 | +2 | Darius Johnson makes two point layup | 0-2 | |
18:43 | Antwann Jones blocks RayJ Dennis's two point jump shot | |||
18:41 | Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound | |||
18:30 | Darius Johnson turnover (lost ball) (RayJ Dennis steals) | |||
18:28 | +2 | Jalen Bridges makes two point dunk (RayJ Dennis assists) | 2-2 | |
18:00 | +3 | Darius Johnson makes three point jump shot (Antwann Jones assists) | 2-5 | |
17:49 | +3 | Jalen Bridges makes three point jump shot (Ja'Kobe Walter assists) | 5-5 | |
17:34 | +2 | Darius Johnson makes two point pullup jump shot | 5-7 | |
17:10 | Antwann Jones personal foul | |||
17:04 | +3 | Jalen Bridges makes three point jump shot (RayJ Dennis assists) | 8-7 | |
16:49 | +3 | Jaylin Sellers makes three point jump shot (Darius Johnson assists) | 8-10 | |
16:37 | Jalen Bridges misses three point jump shot | |||
16:35 | Darius Johnson defensive rebound | |||
16:28 | +3 | Marchelus Avery makes three point jump shot (Darius Johnson assists) | 8-13 | |
16:05 | Jalen Bridges misses two point dunk | |||
16:03 | Thierno Sylla defensive rebound | |||
15:59 | +3 | Darius Johnson makes three point jump shot | 8-16 | |
15:49 | Bears 30 second timeout | |||
15:49 | TV timeout | |||
15:30 | Josh Ojianwuna misses two point dunk | |||
15:28 | Jaylin Sellers defensive rebound | |||
15:18 | Knights turnover (back court violation) | |||
15:13 | RayJ Dennis misses two point floating jump shot | |||
15:11 | Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound | |||
14:49 | +2 | Marchelus Avery makes two point driving reverse layup (Darius Johnson assists) | 8-18 | |
14:35 | Ja'Kobe Walter misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
14:33 | Darius Johnson defensive rebound | |||
14:25 | Jaylin Sellers misses three point jump shot | |||
14:23 | Jalen Bridges defensive rebound | |||
14:12 | +3 | Langston Love makes three point jump shot (Jayden Nunn assists) | 11-18 | |
13:45 | Marchelus Avery misses three point jump shot | |||
13:43 | Caleb Lohner defensive rebound | |||
13:27 | Caleb Lohner misses two point layup | |||
13:25 | Josh Ojianwuna offensive rebound | |||
13:21 | +2 | Josh Ojianwuna makes two point layup | 13-18 | |
13:13 | Marchelus Avery turnover (lost ball) (Caleb Lohner steals) | |||
12:59 | Langston Love misses two point layup | |||
12:57 | Thierno Sylla defensive rebound | |||
12:48 | Jaylin Sellers misses two point driving layup | |||
12:46 | Langston Love defensive rebound | |||
12:41 | Darius Johnson personal foul (Caleb Lohner draws the foul) | |||
12:19 | +2 | Jayden Nunn makes two point driving layup (Langston Love assists) | 15-18 | |
12:14 | Knights 30 second timeout | |||
12:14 | TV timeout | |||
11:54 | +3 | Darius Johnson makes three point jump shot | 15-21 | |
11:36 | Tyler Hendricks personal foul (Langston Love draws the foul) | |||
11:21 | Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua turnover (bad pass) | |||
11:00 | DeMarr Langford Jr. turnover (bad pass) | |||
10:49 | +2 | Yves Missi makes two point driving layup (RayJ Dennis assists) | 17-21 | |
10:29 | Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
10:27 | Antwann Jones offensive rebound | |||
10:22 | +2 | Omar Payne makes two point layup (Antwann Jones assists) | 17-23 | |
9:59 | Yves Missi turnover (bad pass) | |||
9:39 | Jayden Nunn personal foul (Antwann Jones draws the foul) | |||
9:34 | +2 | Antwann Jones makes two point jump shot | 17-25 | |
9:16 | Ja'Kobe Walter turnover (bad pass) (Antwann Jones steals) | |||
9:06 | Jayden Nunn blocks Jaylin Sellers's two point layup | |||
9:04 | Jayden Nunn defensive rebound | |||
8:57 | Omar Payne shooting foul (Jayden Nunn draws the foul) | |||
8:57 | +1 | Jayden Nunn makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-25 | |
8:57 | Jayden Nunn misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
8:57 | Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound | |||
8:39 | Yves Missi blocks Marchelus Avery's two point driving layup | |||
8:37 | Knights offensive rebound | |||
8:32 | Antwann Jones offensive foul (Ja'Kobe Walter draws the foul) | |||
8:32 | Antwann Jones turnover (offensive foul) | |||
8:18 | RayJ Dennis turnover (bad pass) (Nils Machowski steals) | |||
8:13 | Yves Missi blocks Marchelus Avery's two point layup | |||
8:11 | Ja'Kobe Walter defensive rebound | |||
8:01 | +3 | RayJ Dennis makes three point jump shot (Jalen Bridges assists) | 21-25 | |
7:43 | Thierno Sylla misses three point jump shot | |||
7:41 | Jalen Bridges defensive rebound | |||
7:33 | Jalen Bridges turnover (lost ball) (Nils Machowski steals) | |||
7:30 | TV timeout | |||
7:05 | RayJ Dennis personal foul (Darius Johnson draws the foul) | |||
6:47 | Ibrahima Diallo misses two point turnaround jump shot | |||
6:45 | Langston Love defensive rebound | |||
6:37 | +3 | Langston Love makes three point jump shot (Jalen Bridges assists) | 24-25 | |
6:07 | +2 | Ibrahima Diallo makes two point layup (Jaylin Sellers assists) | 24-27 | |
6:07 | Yves Missi shooting foul (Ibrahima Diallo draws the foul) | |||
6:07 | Ibrahima Diallo misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
6:07 | Josh Ojianwuna defensive rebound | |||
5:49 | Langston Love turnover (traveling) | |||
5:37 | +2 | Ibrahima Diallo makes two point turnaround hook shot (Jaylin Sellers assists) | 24-29 | |
5:06 | RayJ Dennis misses three point jump shot | |||
5:04 | Jalen Bridges offensive rebound | |||
4:47 | +2 | Josh Ojianwuna makes two point running dunk (RayJ Dennis assists) | 26-29 | |
4:11 | Bears kicked ball violation | |||
4:01 | +3 | Jaylin Sellers makes three point jump shot (Darius Johnson assists) | 26-32 | |
3:45 | Jalen Bridges misses three point jump shot | |||
3:43 | Darius Johnson defensive rebound | |||
3:31 | Marchelus Avery misses three point jump shot | |||
3:29 | Jalen Bridges defensive rebound | |||
3:20 | Langston Love misses three point jump shot | |||
3:18 | Jaylin Sellers defensive rebound | |||
3:09 | Omar Payne turnover (traveling) | |||
3:09 | TV timeout | |||
2:53 | Jayden Nunn misses two point driving layup | |||
2:51 | Knights defensive rebound | |||
2:31 | +3 | Jaylin Sellers makes three point jump shot (Darius Johnson assists) | 26-35 | |
2:04 | RayJ Dennis turnover (bad pass) (Darius Johnson steals) | |||
1:42 | Tyler Hendricks turnover (traveling) | |||
1:23 | +2 | Yves Missi makes two point driving dunk (RayJ Dennis assists) | 28-35 | |
1:06 | Omar Payne offensive foul (Jayden Nunn draws the foul) | |||
1:06 | Omar Payne turnover (offensive foul) | |||
0:38 | Ibrahima Diallo personal foul (Langston Love draws the foul) | |||
0:38 | +1 | Langston Love makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 29-35 | |
0:38 | +1 | Langston Love makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 30-35 | |
0:20 | +3 | Darius Johnson makes three point stepback jump shot (Jaylin Sellers assists) | 30-38 | |
0:01 | +2 | Yves Missi makes two point driving dunk (RayJ Dennis assists) | 32-38 | |
0:00 | End of period |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
19:43 | +3 | Darius Johnson makes three point jump shot | 32-41 | |
19:22 | RayJ Dennis misses two point layup | |||
19:20 | Jayden Nunn offensive rebound | |||
19:14 | +2 | Yves Missi makes two point layup | 34-41 | |
19:14 | Jaylin Sellers shooting foul (Yves Missi draws the foul) | |||
19:14 | +1 | Yves Missi makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 35-41 | |
18:58 | Yves Missi personal foul (Ibrahima Diallo draws the foul) | |||
18:39 | Ibrahima Diallo misses two point hook shot | |||
18:37 | Antwann Jones offensive rebound | |||
18:37 | Yves Missi personal foul (Antwann Jones draws the foul) | |||
18:22 | Ibrahima Diallo turnover (lost ball) (Jayden Nunn steals) | |||
18:13 | Ja'Kobe Walter misses three point jump shot | |||
18:12 | Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound | |||
18:12 | Jalen Bridges personal foul (Ibrahima Diallo draws the foul) | |||
17:45 | +2 | Darius Johnson makes two point jump shot | 35-43 | |
17:25 | Ibrahima Diallo shooting foul (Ja'Kobe Walter draws the foul) | |||
17:25 | Ja'Kobe Walter misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
17:25 | +1 | Ja'Kobe Walter makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 36-43 | |