WACO, Tex.- Savannah State made a season-high 20 shots from beyond the arc but it would not be enough as the Tigers fell to 21
st ranked Baylor 118-86 in a game played at the Ferrell Center.
The 86 points scored by the Tigers were the most against team Baylor has faced thus far this season.
It was the second game in a row SSU has faced a ranked team as they played their third game of a seven game road swing.
The crowd of 6,996 saw King McClue open the game with a layup to give Baylor a 2-0 lead. SSU answered with a 3-pointer from Austin Dasent. Jo-Lual Acuil's jumper made the score 4-3 but another 3-pointer by Dasent put the Tigers in front by two.
The Bears led by seven but a 3-pointer by Zach Sellers trimmed the SSU deficit to 16-12 with 14:14 left in the first period.
Baylor responded with 21 straight points as they pulled away with a 37-12 cushion with 8:35 left. A layup by Dasent stopped the bleeding for Savannah State with 8:29 showing.
A 9-0 run gave Baylor a 48-17 lead with 5:57 remaining.
Down by 30 with 4:15 left, SSU put together a 14-6 run to get them within 22. During the run, the Tigers received back to back 3-pointers from
Javaris Jenkins, a dunk by Jahir Cabeza, and a 3-pointer each by Ty'Lik Evans and
Dexter McClanahan.
Baylor (9-2) led 61-37 at intermission.
The Bears used their size to outscore SSU 24-4 in the paint but the Tigers bench players outscored Baylor reserves 13-7, in the first half. SSU did not attempt a free throw in the opening twenty minutes.
Aided with a pair of three-pointers from Dasent, Savannah State (3-10) used a 15-6 run to start the second period to whittle their deficit to 67-52.
With Baylor ahead by 22, the Tigers strung together a 14-2 run to get within 78-68 with just under 11 minutes remaining. A trio of 3-pointers by McClanahan keyed the SSU run.
Ahead 80-70 with 10:21 on the clock, Baylor used a 11-0 run to take a 91-70 advantage with just under eight minutes left.
A 3-pointer by Dasent and a free throw by Alante Fenner got Savannah State within 17 but they could not get any closer the rest of the contest.
A 9-0 run by Baylor gave them their largest lead of the day at 116-83 with 1:13 left.
McClanahan scored 22 points for SSU as he knocked down six 3-pointers, grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists. Dasent added 18 points, making six 3-pointers and getting three steals.
Evans scored 11 points and Jenkins contributed 10.
SSU shot 38 percent from the field, 39.2 percent from beyond the arc and 66.7 percent from the free throw line.
Jo-Lual Acuil led Baylor with 31 points, 20 rebounds and three blocks.
The Bears out-rebounded SSU 58 to 26 while shooting 59.4 percent from the floor, 42.4 percent from beyond the arc and 71 percent from the free throw line.
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