NCAAB Game Recap - Texas at Baylor

Sat Jan 4, 2020 8:00 PM EST

WACO, Texas (AP) No. 6 Baylor kept getting second, and sometimes third, chances after all those missed shots.

Texas coach Shaka Smart is now talking about maybe needing an entire practice devoted to rebounding, despite already spending more on that with this team than any other he has had before this season.

MaCio Teague matched his season high with 21 points as the Bears overcame a miserable shooting game to open Big 12 play by beating Texas 59-44 on Saturday night, their 10th win in a row.

"We've got to stay locked in defensively. That's the biggest thing playing on the floor together and play defense, and the offense will definitely come," Teague said.

After building a 36-23 halftime lead, the Bears (11-1, 1-0 Big 12) missed 18 of their first 20 shots in the second half before Matthew Mayer's short jumper made it 47-37 with 7 1/2 minutes left.

The Bears shot 22.6% (7 of 31) after halftime, and 31.3% (20 of 64) overall. But they finished with 19 offensive rebounds and 21 second-chance points.

"Typical Big 12 game. Hard-fought, I thought both teams played great defense," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "Offensively, I thought both teams missed a lot of shots because of the defense."

Jared Butler, Baylor's top scorer who came in third in the league at 17.6 points per game, had 13 points on 4-of-15 shooting. Teague was 5 of 16 from the field while making all nine of his free throws. Freddie Gillespie had 12 rebounds.

Jericho Sims had 13 points and 15 rebounds for Texas (10-3, 0-1), while Courtney Ramey had 11 points. The Longhorns had their second double-digit road loss in a row. They fell by 22 at Providence before Christmas.

The Longhorns were outrebounded 48-35, with Sims accounting for 43% of their rebounds. All nine Texas players who got in the game had at least one rebound - five of them had only one, and Sims was the only one with more than four.

"They get it, but they gotta go do it," Smart said about being tougher on the glass. "We actually made them miss a lot on the first shot. And they have a good team, they have a really good offensive team. But when you make a team, a good offensive team, miss on their first shot, you can't let him get it back 19 times. And that was a huge difference."

Baylor, whose loss was to Washington in Alaska the first week of the season, had its first double-digit lead on Butler's 3-pointer just over eight minutes into the game. The Bears followed a Texas turnover with misses by Mitchell and Butler. The second miss was rebounded by Gillespie, and the ball quickly went to Mitchell and then back out to Butler on the left wing for the shot that made it 18-8.

A short hook shot by Sims had the Longhorns within 27-23 with just under three minutes left, but they didn't score again before halftime.

Teague rebounded his own missed 3 for an inside jumper, and then then had a steal that led to Matthew Mayer's 3-pointer and a 36-23 halftime lead after he rebounded Butler's missed 3.

"First conference game, it's a new season, you're always a little bit amped up and a little bit excited," Drew said. "I thought when we settled in and had that run and got separation, that was huge for us."

HE SAID IT

"Starting off 1-0 in Big 12 play definitely helps your confidence. But also we have a tough road schedule coming up. The guys were reminded of the physicality in the Big 12, so that helps," Gillespie said.

BIG PICTURE

Texas: While Baylor struggled, the Longhorns couldn't get going from long range - or at the free throw line. After averaging 8.7 made 3-pointers a game coming in, they were 3 of 16 in the Big 12 opener. Texas also missed 10 of 15 free throw attempts.

Baylor: In 240 minutes of action their last six games, the Bears have been in the lead or tied for 234 minutes and nine seconds. Baylor led for 38 minutes against the Longhorns, who were ahead for only 64 seconds.

UP NEXT

Texas plays its next two games at home, Wednesday against Oklahoma and then Saturday against Kansas State.

Baylor has two big tests on the road next week. The Bears play Tuesday night at No. 22 Texas Tech, last year's Big 12 co-champion, before taking on preseason favorite No. 3 Kansas on Saturday.

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