WACO, Texas (AP) — No. 22 Baylor got on a roll after a couple of significant switches — Terry Maston coming off the bench and making shots, along with coach Scott Drew’s decision late in the first half to go from zone to man-to-man defense.
And the Bears once again beat TCU in the Big 12, running away with an 82-54 victory Wednesday night.
“If we had known it would have that kind of impact, we would have done it at the beginning of the game,” Drew said of the defensive change in the closing minutes of the half.
Maston had a career-high 17 points and combined with Taurean Prince for all the scoring in a game-turning run 13-0 run in the final 3 ½ minutes of the first half that put Baylor (13-3, 3-1 Big 12) ahead to stay.
“We got out and started running and we saw what worked as a team and started getting stops,” said Maston, the 6-foot-7 sophomore who was 7-of-8 shooting before halftime. “That really helped us on the offensive end, brought confidence to us. And the game just came to us, and we ran away with it in the second half.
The Bears led 41-31 after Maston’s half-ending layup in traffic when Lester Medford penetrated into the paint and then fed back to the 6-foot-7 sophomore. That gave him 14 points, already matching his career high.
Consecutive jumpers by Prince started the run, the second putting Baylor up 32-31. Prince also had a steal between back-to-back baskets by Maston before making a 3-pointer.
TCU (9-7, 1-3) missed its last four shots of the first half, and had that turnover.
“We took some ill-advised shots,” coach Trent Johnson said. “Bad offense leads to good offense for a team that talented, and that physical. …. We’re not good enough to deviate from the plan. Obviously, we all know that.”
Since the instate rivals became conference foes again three seasons ago, Baylor has won all eight meetings by an average margin of 20 points.
“We’re not very good,” Johnson said. “We’re certainly not in that class.”
Rico Gathers added 11 points and eight rebounds for Baylor, while Johnathan Motley had 10 points and Medford 11 assists. Prince finished with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting, seven of those points coming in the late run.
Karviar Shepherd had 13 points for the Frogs. Chauncey Collins had 11 points.
Maston had 13 points in Baylor’s 94-89 win at then-No. 13 Iowa State on Saturday in 27 minutes.
“We’re feeding him spinach at pregame,” Drew said.
“His confidence was always there. It’s just all about opportunity,” Gathers said. “And he’s been shining.”
WINNING STREAKS
Baylor won its 14th consecutive home game, one short of the school record set five years ago. The last opponent to win in Waco was then-No. 21 Oklahoma State last February. Overall, the Bears have won their last 25 home games against unranked teams since a loss to West Virginia two years ago.
TCU’S BEST SPURT
TCU was down 11-4 early before scoring 10 consecutive points in just over 2 minutes. Michael Williams started the spurt with a 3-pointer. They led after Collins made a layup and then a 3-pointer, and stayed in front until the half-ending run by the Bears.
TIP-INS
TCU: The first game in Horned Frogs’ history was a 37-6 loss at Baylor in 1908. … Williams had eight assists for TCU.
Baylor: Medford had assists on Baylor’s first five field goals in the game. He has 22 assists and two turnovers in the last two games. … Gathers was recognized before the game for becoming Baylor’s career rebounding leader. Coach Scott Drew presented the senior forward with a basket inscribed with the Dec. 6 game against Vanderbilt, when Gathers broke Brian Skinner’s previous school record of 915. Gathers has since gone over 1,000 career rebounds.
UP NEXT
TCU: at No. 1 Kansas on Saturday.
Baylor: at Texas Tech on Saturday.
